# Law No. 6952 of November 6, 1981

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105649928](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105649928)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-6952-of-november-6-1981

## Summary
**Law No. 6952 of November 6, 1981** (Portuguese: *Lei nº 6952, de 6 de novembro de 1981*) is a Brazilian statute that amends the nation's 1916 Civil Code. Enacted during the military dictatorship era and promulgated by President João Figueiredo, the law specifically adds paragraphs to Article 134 of the Civil Code (Law 3.071), addressing legal concepts regarding natural persons, obligations, and hypotheses. It remains in force as a formal written document of statutory law within the Federative Republic of Brazil.

## Key Facts
- **Full Title:** Lei nº 6952, de 6 de novembro de 1981
- **Type of Entity:** Statute (formal written document creating law)
- **Date of Enactment:** November 6, 1981
- **Promulgating Authority:** João Figueiredo (President of Brazil via the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil)
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 6952/1981
- **Primary Action:** Adds paragraphs to Article 134 of Law 3.071 (the Civil Code of January 1, 1916)
- **Key Subjects:** Natural Person (*Pessoa Física*), Obligation (*Obrigatoriedade*), Hypothesis (*Hipotese*), Replacement (*Substituição*), Change (*Alteração*), Literary Redaction (*Redação*)
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Official Identifier (URN):** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1981-11-06;6952
- **Digital Access:** Available at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l6952.htm`
- **Project Association:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs
**What specific changes did Law No. 6952 make to the Brazilian Civil Code?**
The law amended Law 3.071 (the Civil Code of 1916) by adding new paragraphs to Article 134. Its content focuses on legal definitions and redactions concerning natural persons (*Pessoa Física*), obligations (*Obrigatoriedade*), and hypotheses.

**Who signed Law No. 6952 into force?**
The statute was approved and promulgated by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, specifically under President João Figueiredo, on November 6, 1981.

**How is this law formally classified in legal and knowledge systems?**
It is classified as a "statute"—a formal written document that creates law. In structured data, it is recognized as an instance of a "legal term or legal concept" and is equivalent to the `https://schema.org/Legislation` class.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 6952 of November 6, 1981, represents a specific legislative modification to Brazil's long-standing Civil Code of 1916, which governed civil law in the country for nearly a century until the new Civil Code was introduced in 2002. By amending Article 134 to clarify concepts regarding "natural persons" and "obligations," the law refined the legal framework used to define individual rights and duties during a pivotal era in Brazilian history.

As a statute, it embodies the "manifestation of statutory law," serving as the concrete, written evidence of a government mandate. Its promulgation by João Figueiredo places it within the historical context of the final years of Brazil's military dictatorship, a period marked by significant legal and social transitions. The law's preservation in the digital archives of the Official Gazette and the Presidency ensures that the evolution of Brazilian civil law remains accessible for legal research and historical analysis.

## Notable For
- **Amendment of the 1916 Civil Code:** Specifically modified Article 134 of the "Lei 3.071," the foundational civil code of Brazil established in 1916.
- **Promulgation by João Figueiredo:** Signed into law by the last president of the Brazilian military government period.
- **Legal Definition of Personhood:** Explicitly addresses the concept of "Natural Person" (*Pessoa Física*), a core component of civil rights and legal capacity.
- **Public Accessibility:** Like all Brazilian statutes, it is not subject to copyright (public domain) to ensure citizens have access to the laws they must follow.
- **LexML Integration:** Identified by the URN `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1981-11-06;6952`, connecting it to Brazil's legal semantic web standards.

## Body

### Legislative Definition and Context
Law No. 6952 is legally defined as a **statute**, a formal written document enacted to create law. In the hierarchy of legal instruments, it functions as the manifestation of statutory law, enacted by the federal government of Brazil. As a subclass of "written work" and "document," it serves as an official record of the legal rules mandated by the state. The law was created through the legislative process and promulgated via official decree, resulting in a binding legal norm within the Brazilian territory.

It is categorized as an instance of "legal term or legal concept" and applies to the jurisdiction of the **Federative Republic of Brazil**. The official language of the text is **Brazilian Portuguese**.

### Amendment of the Civil Code (Law 3.071)
The primary function of Law No. 6952 was to alter the legal landscape established by the **Civil Code of 1916** (Law 3.071). The specific legal digest of the statute states its purpose to "ACRESCENTA PARAGRAFOS AO ARTIGO 134" (Add paragraphs to Article 134).

This amendment targeted specific legal nuances within the Civil Code. The structured properties of the law identify its **main subjects** as:
-   **Natural Person (*Pessoa Física*):** Pertaining to the legal status of human beings.
-   **Obligation (*Obrigatoriedade*):** Pertaining to requirements and duties.
-   **Hypothesis (*Hipotese*):** Relating to legal conditions or assumptions.
-   **Replacement (*Substituição*) and Change (*Alteração*):** Indicating procedural modifications or substitutions in legal standing.
-   **Literary Redaction (*Redação*):** Referring to the specific phrasing or wording of the legal text.

### Enactment and Authority
The statute was officially promulgated on **November 6, 1981**. The approving authority was the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**, exercised by President **João Figueiredo**. The determination method is listed as "promulgation," standard for federal laws in Brazil. The place of publication was **Brasília**, the federal capital of Brazil.

### Geographic and Political Jurisdiction
The law applies to the entire territory of **Brazil**, a country located in South America. At the time of enactment in 1981, Brazil was operating under a military regime that began in 1964 and lasted until 1985. João Figueiredo, the signatory of this law, was the last general to serve as president during this period. The country's legal system relies on such statutes to define the rules governing its population, which was approximately 121 million at the time of the 1980 census.

### Access and Identifiers
Law No. 6952 is preserved in the public domain and accessible to citizens. It is indexed by several identifiers and locations:
-   **Official URL:** Hosted on the Brazilian Presidency's official portal at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l6952.htm`.
-   **LexML Brazil ID:** The unique identifier is `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1981-11-06;6952`.
-   **WikiProject:** It is listed as a focus item on **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating its relevance in structured knowledge curation.
-   **Legal Citation:** It is formally cited as **Lei nº 6952/1981**.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1981-11-06;6952)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=6952&ano=1981&data=06/11/1981&ato=52doXTE50MrRVT417)
3. LexML Brasil