# Law No. 6578 of October 11, 1978 > Brazilian law **Wikidata**: [Q105659594](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105659594) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-6578-of-october-11-1978 ## Summary Law No. 6578 of October 11, 1978 is a Brazilian statute enacted by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President Ernesto Geisel. This law revokes Decree-Law No. 1,004 of October 21, 1969, as well as Laws No. 6,016 of 1973 and No. 6,063 of 1974, consolidating legal changes in Brazil's legislative framework during the military regime period. ## Key Facts - **Title:** Lei nº 6578, de 11 de outubro de 1978 - **Type:** Federal statute (lei) - **Enactment Date:** October 11, 1978 - **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil - **President at Enactment:** Ernesto Geisel - **Jurisdiction:** Brazil - **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese - **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 6578/1978 - **Place of Publication:** Brasília - **Main Subject:** Legislation and revocation of prior laws - **Revokes:** Decree-Law No. 1,004 (1969), Law No. 6,016 (1973), and Law No. 6,063 (1974) - **LexML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1978-10-11;6578 - **Official Text Available At:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6578.htm - **WikiProject:** Brazilian Laws - **Classification:** Instance of "statute" (formal written document creating law) ## FAQs **What does Law No. 6578 of 1978 revoke?** Law No. 6578 specifically revokes three prior legal instruments: Decree-Law No. 1,004 of October 21, 1969, Law No. 6,016 of 1973, and Law No. 6,063 of 1974. This consolidation reflects legislative changes during Brazil's military government period under President Ernesto Geisel. **Who approved Law No. 6578?** The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and promulgated by President Ernesto Geisel on October 11, 1978. This places it within the context of Brazil's military regime (1964-1985), during which executive powers were particularly strong. **Where can the official text of Law No. 6578 be found?** The complete official text is available through multiple Brazilian government sources, including the Planalto Presidential Palace website (https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6578.htm) and the LexML Brazil legal information system (urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1978-10-11;6578). **What is the significance of the revocation in Law No. 6578?** The revocation of three specific laws suggests a legislative consolidation effort during the Geisel administration. Decree-Law No. 1,004 (1969) and the two 1970s laws likely contained provisions that were either outdated or needed to be streamlined under the military government's legal framework. **How is Law No. 6578 classified in legal systems?** It is classified as a "statute" - a formal written document that creates law. In knowledge systems, it is considered an instance of "legislation" and a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule," following the standard classification for legal instruments. **What language is Law No. 6578 written in?** The law is written in Brazilian Portuguese, the official language of Brazil. All official legal documents in Brazil are published in Portuguese, reflecting the country's linguistic unity despite its cultural diversity. ## Why It Matters Law No. 6578 of October 11, 1978 represents an important moment in Brazil's legislative history during the military regime period. As a revocation law, it demonstrates the government's effort to consolidate and update the legal framework, removing outdated or conflicting legislation from the books. This type of legislative housekeeping is crucial for maintaining a coherent legal system, especially during periods of political transition or when administrative efficiency is prioritized. The law's significance extends beyond its immediate legal effect. It serves as a historical marker of the Ernesto Geisel presidency (1974-1979), which was characterized by a gradual political opening (abertura) while maintaining the military regime's core structures. The revocation of laws from both the early military period (1969) and the mid-1970s suggests an attempt to rationalize the legal system as Brazil began its slow transition toward democracy. For legal researchers and historians, Law No. 6578 provides insight into the legislative priorities and administrative practices of the military government. Its presence in digital legal databases like LexML Brazil ensures that this historical document remains accessible for studying Brazil's legal evolution during the 20th century. ## Notable For - **Legislative Consolidation:** One of the laws enacted during Brazil's military regime that revoked multiple prior legal instruments, demonstrating the government's effort to streamline legislation - **Historical Context:** Enacted during the Ernesto Geisel presidency, a period marked by gradual political opening while maintaining military control - **Digital Preservation:** Available through modern legal databases like LexML Brazil, ensuring continued accessibility for research - **Military Regime Legislation:** Represents the type of executive-driven lawmaking characteristic of Brazil's military government (1964-1985) - **Multi-Law Revocation:** Unusual in revoking three separate legal instruments from different periods (1969, 1973, 1974) - **Presidential Promulgation:** Directly approved and promulgated by the President, reflecting the concentrated executive powers of the military regime ## Body ### Legislative Context and Enactment Law No. 6578 was enacted on October 11, 1978, during the presidency of Ernesto Geisel, who served as Brazil's military president from 1974 to 1979. This period represented a crucial phase in Brazil's military regime (1964-1985), characterized by Geisel's policy of "slow, gradual, and secure" political opening (abertura). The law was promulgated through the standard legislative process of the military government, where executive powers were particularly strong. The law's approval came through the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, with Geisel's signature giving it legal force. This direct presidential involvement in lawmaking was typical of the military regime's governance structure, where the executive branch held significant legislative authority. ### Legal Content and Purpose The primary function of Law No. 6578 is revocation - specifically, it revokes three prior legal instruments: 1. Decree-Law No. 1,004 of October 21, 1969 2. Law No. 6,016 of 1973 3. Law No. 6,063 of 1974 While the specific content of these revoked laws isn't detailed in the source material, their revocation suggests they were either: - Made obsolete by newer legislation - Contained provisions that needed consolidation - Represented legal instruments that were no longer necessary or effective - Part of a broader effort to streamline Brazil's legal code The revocation of laws from different periods (1969, 1973, 1974) indicates a comprehensive review of legislation from both the early military regime period and the mid-1970s. ### Classification and Legal Nature Law No. 6578 is classified as a "statute" - a formal written document that creates law. In legal taxonomy, it represents: - An instance of "legislation" - A subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule" - A manifestation of statutory law This classification places it within the standard framework of legal instruments, where statutes serve as the concrete expression of legal rules enacted by government authority. The law's nature as a revocation statute makes it particularly important for maintaining legal coherence by removing outdated or conflicting provisions. ### Publication and Accessibility The law was officially published in Brasília, Brazil's capital since 1960. Its official text remains accessible through multiple government sources: - Planalto Presidential Palace website: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1970-1979/l6578.htm - LexML Brazil legal information system: urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1978-10-11;6578 This digital availability ensures that the law remains part of Brazil's accessible legal heritage, important for both current legal practice and historical research. The law's presence in these databases reflects Brazil's efforts to maintain comprehensive digital records of its legislative history. ### Historical and Political Significance Enacted during the Geisel administration, Law No. 6578 reflects the military government's approach to legislative management. The Geisel period was marked by: - Continued military rule but with gradual political opening - Economic challenges including high inflation - Efforts to maintain control while beginning the transition process - Legislative consolidation to improve administrative efficiency The revocation of multiple laws through a single instrument demonstrates the government's focus on legal housekeeping and administrative rationalization. This approach was characteristic of the military regime's technocratic governance style. ### Relationship to Other Legal Instruments Law No. 6578 exists within a broader network of Brazilian legislation. Its revocation of three specific laws creates a direct relationship with: - Decree-Law No. 1,004 (1969): An early military regime instrument - Law No. 6,016 (1973): Legislation from the Médici presidency - Law No. 6,063 (1974): Early Geisel administration legislation This interconnectedness shows how Brazilian law evolves through successive modifications and revocations. The law also relates to the broader category of military regime legislation, which shaped Brazil's legal landscape from 1964 to 1985. ### Language and Legal Form Like all Brazilian federal laws, Law No. 6578 is written in Brazilian Portuguese. The language used follows standard legal Portuguese conventions, with formal structure and terminology appropriate for legislative documents. The law's citation format (Lei nº 6578/1978) follows Brazilian legal citation standards, where "Lei" indicates a law, "nº" the number, and the year of enactment. ### Current Status and Legacy As a revocation law, Law No. 6578's primary legal effect was completed upon its enactment - the revoked laws were removed from the legal system. However, the law maintains historical significance as: - A document of Brazil's military regime legislation - An example of legislative consolidation efforts - Part of the legal framework during Brazil's political opening period - A reference point for understanding legal changes in the late 1970s The law's continued availability in digital legal databases ensures its accessibility for historical research and legal studies of the military period. ### Connection to Brazilian Legal System Law No. 6578 operates within Brazil's civil law tradition, where statutes are the primary source of law. As a federal law, it applies to the entire jurisdiction of Brazil. The law's revocation function is particularly important in civil law systems, where legislative coherence is maintained through explicit revocation of outdated laws rather than relying on judicial interpretation of obsolescence. The law is part of Brazil's WikiProject Brazilian Laws, indicating its inclusion in organized efforts to document and categorize Brazilian legislation for research and public access purposes. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1978-10-11;6578) 2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=6578&ano=1978&data=11/10/1978&ato=a1aUTUU1UerRVT047) 3. LexML Brasil