# Law No. 4391 of August 31, 1964

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648344](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648344)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-4391-of-august-31-1964

## Summary
Law No. 4391 of August 31, 1964 (Portuguese: Lei nº 4391, de 31 de agosto de 1964) is a Brazilian federal statute enacted during the presidency of Castelo Branco. This legal instrument addresses special budgetary adjustments ("Credito Especial"), time limits, prorogation, and validity matters concerning the Ministry of Finance of Brazil.

## Key Facts
- **Full Title:** Lei nº 4391, de 31 de agosto de 1964
- **Also Known As:** Lei nº 4391/1964
- **Date of Enactment:** August 31, 1964
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Instance of:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil (President Castelo Branco)
- **Method of Approval:** Promulgation
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Primary Subjects:** Special budgetary adjustment ("Credito Especial"), time limit ("Prazo"), Ministry of Finance of Brazil ("Ministerio Da Fazenda (Mf)"), prorogation ("Prorrogação"), validity ("Vigencia")
- **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1964-08-31;4391
- **Available At:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4391.htm
- **WikiProject Focus:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs
**What is Law No. 4391 of August 31, 1964?**
It is a Brazilian federal statute enacted on August 31, 1964, by President Castelo Branco, dealing with special budgetary adjustments and related financial matters.

**Who approved Law No. 4391/1964?**
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President Castelo Branco through promulgation on August 31, 1964.

**What subjects does this law address?**
The law primarily covers special budgetary adjustment ("Credito Especial"), time limits, matters related to the Ministry of Finance of Brazil ("Ministerio Da Fazenda (Mf)"), prorogation, and validity issues.

**Where can the full text of Law No. 4391 be accessed?**
The full text is available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4391.htm.

**What is the legal classification of Law No. 4391/1964?**
It is classified as a statute, which is a formal written document that creates law, functioning as a manifestation of statutory law with legal norms as its component parts.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 4391 of August 31, 1964 represents a specific exercise of legislative authority during the early period of Brazil's military government (1964-1985). Enacted just months after the 1964 coup d'état, this law addresses special budgetary adjustments, which typically involve allocations of funds outside the normal budgetary process. Such financial legislation is significant for understanding how the incoming government managed fiscal matters and reorganized financial authorities during the transition period.

The law's focus on special budgetary adjustments ("Credito Especial") and time limits suggests it was likely part of a broader effort to address urgent financial needs or restructure governmental financial operations. Laws of this nature often provide insight into the economic priorities and administrative challenges faced by governments during periods of political transition.

Furthermore, as a statute, this law represents the concrete manifestation of statutory law in Brazil, serving as an official record of a legal rule enacted by the federal government. Its proper documentation and availability through official channels like the Planalto Palace website and LexML Brazil ensure transparency and accessibility to citizens, legal professionals, and researchers studying Brazilian legal history.

## Notable For
- **Early Military Period Legislation:** Enacted on August 31, 1964, during the first year of Brazil's military government under President Castelo Branco, who assumed power following the 1964 coup
- **Special Budgetary Authority:** Addresses special budgetary adjustments ("Credito Especial"), a financial mechanism typically used for urgent or unforeseen expenditures outside normal budget cycles
- **Ministry of Finance Focus:** Specifically involves the Ministry of Finance of Brazil ("Ministerio Da Fazenda (Mf)"), indicating its importance to national fiscal administration
- **Digital Accessibility:** Fully digitized and available online through both the official Planalto government portal and the LexML Brazil legal information system
- **WikiProject Coverage:** Included in WikiProject Brazilian Laws, indicating its recognition as a subject of encyclopedic and legal documentation interest

## Body

### Legal Classification and Structure

Law No. 4391 of August 31, 1964 (Portuguese: Lei nº 4391, de 31 de agosto de 1964) is classified as a **statute**, which is a formal written document that creates law. In legal taxonomy, a statute is a subclass of written work, document, and rule. Statutes are composed of legal norms and serve as the physical or formal expression of statutory law. This particular statute is a federal law applicable to all of Brazil.

### Enactment and Authority

The law was **approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil** under President Castelo Branco through the method of **promulgation** on **August 31, 1964**. President Castelo Branco was the first military president of Brazil following the 1964 coup d'état that overthrew President João Goulart. The law was published in **Brasília**, the federal capital of Brazil.

### Subject Matter and Scope

The law addresses five main subjects as explicitly stated in its content:

1. **Special Budgetary Adjustment ("Credito Especial"):** This refers to special credit allocations, typically used for urgent or unforeseen expenses that cannot wait for the next regular budget cycle
2. **Time Limit ("Prazo"):** Provisions relating to deadlines or periods for action
3. **Ministry of Finance of Brazil ("Ministerio Da Fazenda (Mf)"):** The federal ministry responsible for formulating and implementing economic and fiscal policy
4. **Prorogation ("Prorrogação"):** Extension of time periods or validity
5. **Validity ("Vigencia"):** The period during which the law remains in effect

### Jurisdiction and Language

The law **applies to the entire jurisdiction of Brazil** and is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of the country. As a federal statute, it has applicability across all states and territories of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

### Official Identifiers and Access

The law is catalogued in the **LexML Brazil** system with the identifier **urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1964-08-31;4391**. LexML Brazil is an initiative for managing legal information in the country, providing unique identifiers for Brazilian legal documents.

The full text of the law is **available online at the official Planalto government website**: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l4391.htm

### Historical Context: Brazil in 1964

Brazil in 1964 was undergoing significant political transformation. The country had experienced a military coup on March 31, 1964, which deposed the democratically elected government. President Castelo Branco, who approved Law No. 4391, served as the first military president from April 15, 1964, to March 15, 1967.

Brazil at this time operated under the 1946 Constitution, which would remain in effect until the promulgation of a new military-era constitution in 1967. The capital had been moved from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília in 1960, which explains why Law No. 4391 was published in Brasília.

### Brazilian Statutory Framework

As a Brazilian statute, Law No. 4391 follows the standard characteristics of such legal instruments in Brazil. Statutes (leis) in Brazil are:

- Created through legislation and the legislative process
- Function as official records of legal rules
- Have legal norms as component parts
- Result in statutory law
- Are in the public domain (as official legal documents not subject to copyright)

The law is also part of the **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating that it has been recognized as a subject for systematic documentation and study within the Wikimedia ecosystem.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1964-08-31;4391)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=4391&ano=1964&data=31/08/1964&ato=0d0gXV65UNVRVT31a)