# Law No. 7344 of July 15, 1985

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105650275](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105650275)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-7344-of-july-15-1985

## Summary
Law No. 7344 of July 15, 1985 is a Brazilian federal statute that authorizes the reversion of a specific plot of land to the Municipality of Ourinhos in the State of São Paulo. Promulgated by President José Sarney and published in Brasília, it serves as a formal written document creating a legal rule applicable under Brazilian jurisdiction.

## Key Facts
- **Full Title:** Lei nº 7344, de 15 de julho de 1985
- **Short Citation:** Lei nº 7344/1985
- **Type of Legal Instrument:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Date of Enactment:** July 15, 1985
- **Date of Publication:** July 15, 1985
- **Promulgating Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **President at Promulgation:** José Sarney
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília
- **Primary Subject Matter:** Authorization for reversion of land (terreno) to the Municipality of Ourinhos
- **Geographic Scope:** Ourinhos, State of São Paulo
- **Digest Summary:** "AUTORIZA A REVERSÃO AO MUNICIPIO DE OURINHOS, ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO, DO TERRENO QUE MENCIONA"
- **LexML Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-07-15;7344
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7344.htm
- **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law
- **WikiProject Affiliation:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws
- **Main Subject Entities:** São Paulo, authorization, municipal prefecture, municipality, terrain/ground (terreno)

## FAQs
**What is the purpose of Law No. 7344/1985?**
Law No. 7344/1985 authorizes the reversion of a specific plot of land (terreno) to the Municipality of Ourinhos, located in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.

**Who approved and promulgated this law?**
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and was promulgated by President José Sarney on July 15, 1985.

**What type of legal document is Law No. 7344?**
It is classified as a statute, which is a formal written document that creates law. Statutes encompass acts, executive orders, and by-laws, and serve as the manifestation of statutory law.

**Where can the official text of this law be found?**
The official text is available online at the Planalto government website (https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7344.htm) and can be identified in the LexML Brazil system using the URN: urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-07-15;7344.

**What is the legal citation for this law?**
The standard legal citation for this statute is Lei nº 7344/1985.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 7344 of July 15, 1985, represents a specific exercise of federal legislative authority in Brazil directed at municipal-level land administration. Its significance lies in its function as a statutory instrument to resolve a property matter, authorizing the transfer or reversion of a land plot back to the Municipality of Ourinhos in São Paulo state. Enacted during Brazil's political transition in the mid-1980s under President José Sarney, it exemplifies the federal government's power to enact legislation concerning public property and local administrative adjustments. As a formal legal document, it contributes to the body of statutory law in Brazil, ensuring clear legal status for municipal assets and demonstrating the procedural mechanism by which federal laws can affect specific local jurisdictions. Its classification as a statute places it within a globally recognized category of legal instruments that serve as the concrete manifestation of statutory law, distinct from abstract legal theories or broader legislative concepts.

## Notable For
- **Specific Municipal Focus:** Notable for targeting a precise land issue in the Municipality of Ourinhos, São Paulo, demonstrating how federal legislation can address localized property matters.
- **1985 Promulgation:** Distinguished by its enactment on July 15, 1985, during José Sarney's presidency, placing it within the historical context of Brazil's re-democratization period.
- **Statutory Classification:** Classified as a statute—a foundational legal concept representing a formal written document that creates law, distinct from other legal instruments.
- **LexML Integration:** Identified within Brazil's official legislative information system through the unique and persistent LexML URN: `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-07-15;7344`.
- **Public Accessibility:** Like all statutes, it is a public domain document accessible via official government portals, reinforcing the principle that laws governing the public are freely available to the public.
- **Multi-Entity Subject Coverage:** Encompasses multiple subject entities including authorization, municipal prefecture, municipality, São Paulo state, and terrain (terreno).

## Body

### Legal Classification and Nature
Law No. 7344 of July 15, 1985 (Lei nº 7344, de 15 de julho de 1985) is formally classified as a **statute**. In legal taxonomy, a statute is a formal written document that creates law, encompassing acts, executive orders, and by-laws. It functions as a specific legal term and concept, serving as the concrete manifestation of statutory law. Statutes are taxonomically classified as subclasses of "written work," "document," and "rule," and are distinct from but related to broader concepts such as "legislation" or "legal act."

As a statute, Law No. 7344 is composed of "legal norms" and is itself a part of the broader concepts of "law" and "legal act." Its creation followed the standard legislative process, preceded by "draft laws" and caused by the act of "legislation."

### Promulgation and Approval
The statute was officially approved by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**, with the promulgation performed by **José Sarney**, who served as President at the time. The determination method was promulgation, and the point in time for this legal act was July 15, 1985. This date coincides with both the enactment date and the publication date of the law.

The law was published in **Brasília**, the federal capital of Brazil, consistent with the standard practice for federal legislation. The publication ensures public accessibility and official record-keeping for the statute.

### Subject Matter and Scope
The primary function of Law No. 7344 is captured in its official digest: **"AUTORIZA A REVERSÃO AO MUNICIPIO DE OURINHOS, ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO, DO TERRENO QUE MENCIONA"** (Authorizes the reversion to the Municipality of Ourinhos, State of São Paulo, of the terrain it mentions).

The law encompasses several key subject entities:
- **São Paulo:** The Brazilian state where the affected municipality is located, referred to in the law as "Estado De São Paulo (Sp)"
- **Authorization:** The legal mechanism by which the reversion is permitted, stated as "Autorização"
- **Municipal Prefecture:** The administrative body involved, stated as "Prefeitura Municipal"
- **Municipality:** The entity receiving the land reversion, stated as "Municipio"
- **Terrain/Ground:** The physical land subject to the legal action, stated as "Terreno" and referenced as Q105766464 in structured data

### Jurisdiction and Language
Law No. 7344 applies to the jurisdiction of **Brazil** as a federal statute. It was composed and published in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of Brazil. The law is identified in the Wikidata knowledge base with the description "Brazilian law" and is included on the focus list of **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, indicating its recognition within structured knowledge projects dedicated to Brazilian legislation.

### Official Identification Systems
The law is precisely identified through multiple official and structured data systems:

**Legal Citation:**
- Standard citation: Lei nº 7344/1985
- Full title: Lei nº 7344, de 15 de julho de 1985

**LexML Brazil URN:**
- Identifier: `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-07-15;7344`
- The LexML system is Brazil's official legislative information infrastructure that provides unique and persistent identifiers for legal resources

**Official Access URL:**
- Primary source: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7344.htm
- This URL provides direct access to the full text of the law through the official presidential website

### Related Context: Brazil as Origin
Law No. 7344 originates from **Brazil**, the largest country in South America and fifth-largest nation by area. Brazil operates as a federal republic with Portuguese as its official language. The country declared independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822, and has its capital in Brasília since 1960. Brazil's legal system is based on civil law traditions, with the current Constitution effective as of October 5, 1988. The legislative body is the National Congress of Brazil, consisting of the Federal Senate and Chamber of Deputies, with the Supreme Federal Court serving as the highest judicial authority.

At the time of Law No. 7344's enactment in 1985, Brazil was undergoing a significant political transition. The country experienced military rule from 1964 to 1985 before returning to democratic governance. José Sarney, who promulgated this law, became president during this transitional period, initially as vice president under Tancredo Neves and then as president when Neves died before taking office.

### Statutory Nature and Public Domain Status
As a statute, Law No. 7344 shares the general characteristics of this legal instrument class. Statutes hold a unique status in copyright law—in jurisdictions such as the United States and France, they are considered public domain based on the "edict of government doctrine." This principle establishes that official legal documents, including legislative enactments, are not copyrightable due to public policy considerations. While the provided material specifically references U.S. and French copyright doctrine, the general principle that laws should be publicly accessible applies to Brazilian statutes as well.

The law, as a manifestation of statutory law, serves as the tangible evidence of legal rules governing society. It represents the definitive reference point for courts, citizens, and administrators regarding the specific matter of land reversion to the Municipality of Ourinhos.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-07-15;7344)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=7344&ano=1985&data=15/07/1985&ato=f3bcXR65keBpWT556)
3. LexML Brasil