# Law No. 7244 of November 7, 1984

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105650377](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105650377)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-7244-of-november-7-1984

# Law No. 7244 of November 7, 1984

## Summary
Law No. 7244 of November 7, 1984 (Lei nº 7244, de 7 de novembro de 1984) is a Brazilian federal statute that establishes the creation and functioning of the Special Court for Small Claims (Juizado Especial de Pequenas Causas). Promulgated by President João Figueiredo, this legal norm was published in Brasília and applies throughout Brazil's jurisdiction.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 7244, de 7 de novembro de 1984 (Law No. 7244 of November 7, 1984)
- **Publication Date:** November 7, 1984
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil (nationwide)
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Type/Class:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Subject/Digest:** "DISPÕE SOBRE A CRIAÇÃO E O FUNCIONAMENTO DO JUIZADO ESPECIAL DE PEQUENAS CAUSAS" (Provides for the creation and operation of the Special Court for Small Claims)
- **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil; Promulgated by João Figueiredo
- **Publication Location:** Brasília
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 7244/1984
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7244.htm
- **Lexml Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-11-07;7244
- **Main Subjects:** Creation (Criação), Arranging/Organization (Organização), Legal Norms (Normas), Functioning (Funcionamento)
- **Wikimedia Project:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs
**What is the purpose of Law No. 7244 of November 7, 1984?**
This Brazilian federal statute establishes the legal framework for the creation (Criação), organization (Organização), and functioning (Funcionamento) of the Special Court for Small Claims (Juizado Especial de Pequenas Causas). It sets forth the legal norms governing these specialized judicial bodies.

**Who promulgated Law No. 7244/1984 and when did it take effect?**
The law was promulgated by President João Figueiredo through the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and was published on November 7, 1984 in Brasília.

**Where can the official text of this law be accessed?**
The official text is available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7244.htm through Brazil's Presidency website. It is also indexed under the Lexml Brazil identifier: urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-11-07;7244.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 7244 of November 7, 1984 represents a significant development in Brazilian civil procedure and access to justice. By establishing the framework for Special Courts for Small Claims (Juizado Especial de Pequenas Causas), this statute formalized a mechanism to handle minor civil disputes more efficiently and accessibly for ordinary citizens.

The law was enacted during Brazil's military regime period (1964-1985) under President João Figueiredo—the last military president—shortly before the country's transition to democracy with the 1988 Constitution. This timing places the law within a pivotal moment of judicial modernization, demonstrating efforts to simplify legal processes for common citizens even before democratic reforms. The creation of specialized small claims courts addressed the need for more accessible justice in handling lesser-value civil disputes, reducing barriers to legal recourse for everyday matters.

## Notable For
- **Creation of Small Claims Courts:** Established the legal foundation for Juizado Especial de Pequenas Causas, enabling simplified and accessible resolution of minor civil disputes.
- **Late Military Period Legislation:** Enacted on November 7, 1984, during the final year of Brazil's military regime under President João Figueiredo.
- **Pre-Constitutional Reform:** Predated Brazil's current 1988 Constitution, representing judicial modernization before the country's democratic transition.
- **Nationwide Federal Scope:** Applied uniformly across all of Brazil's jurisdiction as federal legislation.
- **Digital Preservation:** Maintained in official digital archives through the Presidency of Brazil and the Lexml Brazil legal documentation system.

## Body

### Classification and Legal Nature
Law No. 7244 of November 7, 1984 is classified as a **statute**—a formal written document that creates law. As a statute, it functions as a manifestation of statutory law and represents an instance of a legal term or legal concept. Statutes are taxonomically classified as a subclass of written work, document, and rule, distinct from but related to broader concepts such as legislation or legal acts.

Statutes, including this law, are characterized by their formal written nature and their role in creating legal norms. Structurally, a statute is composed of legal norms and is itself part of the broader concepts of law and legal acts. Its creation is preceded by draft laws and caused by the act of legislation. As an official legal document, it falls under public domain status applicable to government edicts, ensuring public accessibility to the laws that govern society.

### Subject Matter and Scope
The law's digest explicitly states its purpose: **"DISPÕE SOBRE A CRIAÇÃO E O FUNCIONAMENTO DO JUIZADO ESPECIAL DE PEQUENAS CAUSAS"** (Provides for the creation and operation of the Special Court for Small Claims). This subject matter encompasses four principal components:

1. **Creation (Criação):** Establishes the authority and process for instituting these specialized judicial bodies.
2. **Organization (Organização):** Defines the structural and administrative framework governing the courts.
3. **Legal Norms (Normas):** Sets forth the rules and procedures applicable to court operations.
4. **Functioning (Funcionamento):** Regulates the day-to-day operations and procedural aspects of small claims adjudication.

The **Juizado Especial de Pequenas Causas** (Special Court for Small Claims) represents a specialized judicial mechanism designed to handle minor civil disputes with simplified procedures, making the justice system more accessible to ordinary citizens for resolving lesser-value claims.

### Historical and Political Context
This law was enacted during a transformative period in Brazilian history. On November 7, 1984, the law was promulgated by **President João Figueiredo**, who served as the final president of Brazil's military regime (1964-1985). The law was published in **Brasília**, Brazil's federal capital.

The law emerged during the final stages of Brazil's military government, approximately one year before the transition to civilian rule. This period was characterized by increasing efforts at political opening (*abertura*) and modernization of state institutions. At this time, Brazil operated under the constitutional framework established during the military regime, which would subsequently be replaced by the current **Constitution of 1988**. The enactment of Law No. 7244 formed part of a broader evolution in Brazilian legal and judicial systems during this transition period.

### Jurisdiction and Applicability
Law No. 7244/1984 applies to the **entire jurisdiction of Brazil** as federal legislation. The law's jurisdictional scope encompasses all Brazilian territory, spanning approximately 8.5 million km² across 26 states plus one Federal District. Written in **Brazilian Portuguese**—the official language of Brazil—the law functions as a binding legal norm throughout the nation.

The law operates within Brazil's **civil law system**, based on Roman law traditions and codified legal principles. As federal legislation, it established uniform standards for small claims courts across the nation, superseding any conflicting state or local regulations.

### Documentation and Official Access
The law is officially documented and accessible through multiple verified channels:

- **Primary Source:** The official text is maintained by the **Presidency of Brazil** at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7244.htm, hosted on the Civil House (Casa Civil) section of the presidential website.
- **Lexml Identification:** The law carries the unique **Lexml Brazil identifier**: urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-11-07;7244, providing standardized machine-readable access.
- **Legal Citation:** It is formally cited as **"Lei nº 7244/1984"** in legal documents and court proceedings.
- **Verification Status:** References to the law were verified as of January 28, 2021, and February 17, 2021, confirming its continued availability in Brazilian legal databases.

### Connection to Brazilian Legal Infrastructure
The law is part of Brazil's legislative framework, enacted through the **National Congress of Brazil** (comprising the Federal Senate and Chamber of Deputies) and promulgated through the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. It follows the standard legislative process for federal statutes.

Brazil's legal system, within which this law operates, includes multiple layers of courts with the **Supreme Federal Court (STF)** serving as the highest judicial authority. The Special Courts for Small Claims established by this law represent a specialized tier of the judicial system designed to handle minor civil matters at the first instance level.

### Brazil as Jurisdictional Context
The law exists within the context of **Brazil**, a federal republic located in South America. Brazil declared independence from Portugal on **September 7, 1822**, and has operated as a sovereign nation since that time. The country's capital moved from Rio de Janeiro to **Brasília**—where this law was published—on April 22, 1960.

At the time of this law's enactment in 1984, Brazil was completing its military government period and would soon transition to democratic rule. The country has since grown to a population exceeding 213 million (2025 estimate), with Portuguese remaining the official language and Brazil standing as the largest Portuguese-speaking nation globally. Brazil's legal and judicial system has evolved through multiple constitutional periods, with the current Constitution of Brazil effective since October 5, 1988—approximately four years after Law No. 7244 was enacted.

### Structured Data and Knowledge Representation
In structured knowledge systems, Law No. 7244/1984 is characterized with the following properties:

- **Instance of:** Statute
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Language of Work:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law
- **Focus Project:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

The law is connected to the broader global concept of statutes, which encompasses acts, executive orders, and by-laws across jurisdictions. This classification links it to international standards including Schema.org's Legislation class and various library classification systems used for legal documents worldwide, including Dewey Decimal classifications 342.057 and 348.02.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1984-11-07;7244)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=7244&ano=1984&data=07/11/1984&ato=f05o3ZU9EeBpWT853)
3. LexML Brasil