# Law No. 7363 of September 11, 1985

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105649956](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105649956)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-7363-of-september-11-1985

## Summary
**Law No. 7363 of September 11, 1985** (Portuguese: *Lei nº 7363, de 11 de setembro de 1985*) is a Brazilian federal statute that addresses civil procedure in Brazil. Promulgated by President José Sarney in Brasília, the law introduces changes to legal norms governing civil procedural matters within the Federative Republic of Brazil.

## Key Facts
- **Full Title:** Lei nº 7363, de 11 de setembro de 1985
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 7363/1985
- **Classification:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Country:** Brazil
- **Jurisdiction:** Applies to the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Publication Date:** September 11, 1985
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Approved By:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgating Authority:** José Sarney (President of Brazil)
- **Determination Method:** Promulgation
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Main Subjects:** Civil procedure in Brazil (Código De Processo Civil), legal norms (Normas), and changes (Alteração)
- **Lexml Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-09-11;7363
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7363.htm
- **WikiProject Membership:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs

**What type of legal instrument is Law No. 7363/1985?**
Law No. 7363/1985 is classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law. Statutes serve as the concrete manifestation of statutory law and are composed of legal norms.

**Who authorized and promulgated this law?**
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and promulgated by President José Sarney on September 11, 1985.

**What subject matter does this law address?**
The law addresses civil procedure in Brazil (referred to as "Código De Processo Civil"), introduces changes ("Alteração") to existing frameworks, and establishes legal norms ("Normas") within its scope.

**Where can the full text of this law be accessed?**
The official text is available through the Brazilian government's legal portal at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7363.htm and is indexed under the Lexml Brazil system with identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-09-11;7363.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 7363 of September 11, 1985 represents a component of Brazil's statutory framework governing civil procedure. As a statute, it functions as the formal written manifestation of legal rules that govern civil judicial processes in Brazil. The law matters because civil procedure statutes define how civil cases are processed through the Brazilian court system, establishing the rules and norms that courts, legal practitioners, and citizens must follow when engaging with civil litigation. Enacted during Brazil's transition from military rule to democracy (the country returned to civilian government in 1985), this law forms part of the broader legal infrastructure that underpins the Brazilian judicial system. Its classification under the Lexml Brazil system and inclusion in WikiProject Brazilian Laws underscores its recognized status within the official canon of Brazilian federal legislation.

## Notable For
- **Federal Statute Status:** Recognized as an official statute of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Civil Procedure Focus:** Specifically addresses the Código De Processo Civil (Civil Procedure Code) framework
- **Historical Context:** Enacted during Brazil's democratic transition year of 1985, under President José Sarney
- **Official Lexml Registration:** Indexed in Brazil's official legal documentation system with persistent identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-09-11;7363
- **Presidential Promulgation:** Directly promulgated by the Presidency, representing executive authorization of federal legislation
- **Capital City Publication:** Officially published from Brasília, Brazil's federal capital

## Body

### Legal Classification and Nature

Law No. 7363 of September 11, 1985 is classified as a **statute**—a formal written document that creates law. Within legal taxonomy, a statute is a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule." It serves as the concrete manifestation of statutory law and contains legal norms as its constituent parts. Statutes in Brazil, as in other jurisdictions, represent the primary instruments through which government authority is formally exercised and recorded.

The law exists as part of the broader category of legal acts resulting from legislation. Its creation follows the standard legislative process and represents an official enactment of the Brazilian federal government.

### Jurisdiction and Geographic Context

The law applies to the **Federative Republic of Brazil**, exercising jurisdiction across the entire national territory. Brazil operates as a federal republic with a presidential system and representative democracy, divided into 26 states plus one Federal District (Brasília).

The law was **published in Brasília**, which has served as Brazil's federal capital since April 22, 1960. As a federal statute, the law maintains authority throughout all Brazilian states and territories, superseding conflicting state or local regulations within its domain of civil procedure.

### Promulgation and Executive Authorization

Law No. 7363/1985 received approval through the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**, with **José Sarney** serving as the promulgating authority. Sarney assumed the presidency in 1985 as Brazil's first civilian president following two decades of military rule (1964-1985).

The determination method for this law was **promulgation**—the formal act of officially proclaiming or announcing a new statute after it has passed through the legislative process. The promulgation occurred on **September 11, 1985**, establishing the law's official entry into the Brazilian legal corpus.

### Subject Matter and Scope

The law addresses three interconnected subjects as documented in official records:

1. **Civil Procedure in Brazil (Código De Processo Civil):** The primary focus involves the body of law governing the methods and practices used in civil litigation within Brazilian courts.

2. **Changes (Alteração):** The law introduces modifications to existing legal frameworks, indicating an amendatory function within Brazilian civil procedure.

3. **Legal Norms (Normas):** The statute establishes or modifies legal norms—the binding rules that govern conduct and judicial processes.

### Language and Documentation

The law was composed and published in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of Brazil. Portuguese has been Brazil's official language since independence from Portugal in 1822, and Brazilian Portuguese represents the variant used in all official government documents, legislation, and judicial proceedings.

The law carries the official legal citation **Lei nº 7363/1985**, which provides a standardized reference format used by legal professionals, courts, and scholars when citing this statute in legal documents, academic works, and judicial decisions.

### Official Identification and Access

**Lexml Brazil Identifier:** The law is indexed in Brazil's official legal documentation system under the persistent identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-09-11;7363`. The Lexml (Legal XML) system provides a standardized framework for identifying and referencing Brazilian legal documents, ensuring consistent citation and retrieval across digital platforms.

**Official Online Access:** The full text of Law No. 7363/1985 is available through the official Brazilian government legal portal at:
`https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l7363.htm`

This URL is hosted by the Civil House of the Presidency of the Republic (Casa Civil da Presidência da República), which maintains the official repository of Brazilian federal legislation.

### WikiProject Recognition

Law No. 7363/1985 is included in **WikiProject Brazilian Laws**, a collaborative effort to document, organize, and improve coverage of Brazilian legislation within knowledge base systems. This classification indicates the law's recognition as a significant component of Brazil's statutory framework worthy of systematic documentation and study.

### Historical and Political Context

The law was enacted in **1985**, a pivotal year in Brazilian history marking the end of military rule and the beginning of the "Nova República" (New Republic). President José Sarney, who promulgated this law, governed during this transition period (1985-1990), overseeing the initial phases of Brazil's return to full democratic governance.

This period saw significant legislative activity as Brazil began restructuring its legal and institutional frameworks to support democratic governance. Laws enacted during this transitional era, including Law No. 7363/1985, contributed to the legal foundations of modern Brazilian democracy, which was later consolidated with the promulgation of the 1988 Constitution (effective October 5, 1988).

### Statutory Framework and Legal Hierarchy

As a federal statute (Lei), Law No. 7363/1985 occupies a specific position within Brazil's legal hierarchy. Federal statutes rank below the Federal Constitution but above subsidiary legislation such as decrees, regulations, and normative acts. The law derives its authority from the legislative power vested in the National Congress of Brazil and the promulgating authority of the Presidency.

Within the broader framework of legal instruments, this statute exemplifies the "statute" classification as a formal written document that creates law, encompassing acts passed by legislatures as distinct from executive orders or by-laws.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1985-09-11;7363)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=7363&ano=1985&data=11/09/1985&ato=8b1UTS65keBpWT1dc)