# Law No. 8969 of December 28, 1994

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105647049](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105647049)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-8969-of-december-28-1994

## Summary
Law No. 8969 of December 28, 1994 is a Brazilian federal statute that amends provisions of Law 2,180 of February 5, 1954, which governs the Maritime Tribunal (Tribunal Marítimo). Enacted during the presidency of Itamar Franco, this law represents a legislative update to Brazil's maritime legal framework and is cataloged as part of the WikiProject Brazilian Laws initiative.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 8969, de 28 de dezembro de 1994
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 8969/1994
- **Publication Date:** December 28, 1994
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil
- **Enacting Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Promulgating President:** Itamar Franco (on December 28, 1994)
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **LexML Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1994-12-28;8969
- **Primary Purpose:** Alters devices of Law 2,180 of February 5, 1954, which disposes about the Maritime Tribunal
- **Legal Classification:** Instance of a statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Jurisdictional Scope:** Applies to the entire Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Main Subjects:** Relation (Relação), Legislation (Legislação), Change (Alteração), Fine (Penalidade), and Use (Aplicação)
- **Digital Availability:** Full text available at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1989_1994/l8969.htm
- **Wikimedia Project Status:** On focus list of WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs
**What specific law does Law No. 8969/1994 modify?**
Law No. 8969 of 1994 specifically amends Law 2,180 of February 5, 1954, which established the legal framework for the Maritime Tribunal (Tribunal Marítimo) in Brazil.

**Who was the head of state when this law was enacted?**
President Itamar Franco promulgated Law No. 8969 on December 28, 1994, as indicated by the determination method of promulgation recorded in the legislative metadata.

**Where can legal researchers access the official text of this statute?**
The complete official text is publicly accessible through the Brazilian government's legislative portal at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1989_1994/l8969.htm, maintained by the Presidency of the Republic.

**What is the standardized identifier for this law in Brazil's legal information system?**
The law carries the LexML Brazil identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1994-12-28;8969, which provides a permanent, standardized URI for citation and retrieval.

**In what language was this legislation originally drafted and published?**
The law was written and published in Brazilian Portuguese, the official language of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

**What are the five main thematic subjects classified for this law?**
The law's main subjects are classified as: Relation (Relação), Legislation (Legislação), Change (Alteração), Fine (Penalidade), and Use (Aplicação), each representing different legal aspects addressed in the statute.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 8969 of December 28, 1994 matters because it represents a targeted legislative update to Brazil's maritime justice system, specifically modifying the foundational Law 2,180/1954 that established the Maritime Tribunal. This tribunal serves as a specialized judicial body handling maritime-related disputes, and amendments to its governing legislation directly impact the resolution of shipping, navigation, and maritime commerce cases throughout Brazil's extensive coastline and inland waterways. The law's enactment under President Itamar Franco in late 1994 occurred during a period of significant economic transition in Brazil, just before the Real Plan currency stabilization, suggesting potential procedural updates to align maritime adjudication with broader governmental reforms. Its inclusion in WikiProject Brazilian Laws underscores its importance as a documented piece of Brazil's legislative history, ensuring preservation and accessibility for legal scholars, maritime industry stakeholders, and practitioners navigating Brazil's complex federal statutory framework. The law's specific focus on altering devices (dispositivos) rather than wholesale replacement indicates a precise, technical refinement of procedural or substantive rules within the maritime judicial system, which could affect everything from case processing timelines to penalty structures for maritime infractions.

## Notable For
- **Specific Amendment Structure:** Notable for being a targeted amendment to a 40-year-old foundational law (Law 2,180/1954) rather than new standalone legislation
- **Presidential Promulgation:** Enacted through direct presidential promulgation by Itamar Franco on the same day as its official date
- **Specialized Jurisdiction:** Addresses the specialized Maritime Tribunal, a distinct judicial body within Brazil's federal system
- **Digital Preservation:** Included in WikiProject Brazilian Laws, indicating active curation within Wikimedia's legal documentation efforts
- **Standardized Legal Identification:** Assigned a permanent LexML Brazil URN identifier for consistent citation across digital legal platforms
- **Multi-Subject Classification:** Classified under five distinct legal subject headings, reflecting its comprehensive approach to maritime legal relations
- **Federal-Level Enactment:** Represents federal legislative action applicable nationwide, not limited to specific states or municipalities
- **Public Domain Status:** As a Brazilian federal statute, it is in the public domain and freely accessible without copyright restrictions
- **Precise Temporal Metadata:** Contains exact publication date and presidential approval date (both December 28, 1994) with verified references

## Body

### Legislative Identity and Classification
Law No. 8969 of December 28, 1994 is formally titled "Lei nº 8969, de 28 de dezembro de 1994" and classified as an instance of a statute within Brazil's federal legislative framework. The law functions as a formal written document that creates law, specifically categorized as an act passed by the legislature and promulgated by the executive branch. Its legal citation format "Lei nº 8969/1994" follows Brazilian legislative naming conventions. The statute is composed of legal norms and serves as a manifestation of statutory law within the Brazilian federal system. As a subclass of written work, document, and rule, it represents the concrete expression of legislative authority applicable throughout Brazil's jurisdiction.

### Historical Context and Enactment
The law was approved by the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil under President Itamar Franco on December 28, 1994, through the determination method of promulgation. This date marks both the legislative approval and official publication date, indicating an expedited enactment process. The law emerged during the final months of Itamar Franco's presidency, which spanned from 1992 to 1994, a period characterized by economic stabilization efforts and transition to the subsequent administration. The statute specifically targets Law 2,180 of February 5, 1954, a foundational piece of maritime legislation that had governed the Maritime Tribunal for four decades prior to this amendment. The temporal gap between the original law and its amendment suggests that the 1994 updates addressed evolving needs in maritime jurisdiction, potentially reflecting changes in Brazil's maritime commerce, shipping regulations, or judicial procedures that had developed over the intervening years.

### Legal Content and Scope
The law's digest explicitly states its purpose: "ALTERA DISPOSITIVOS DA LEI 2.180, DE 5 DE FEVEREIRO DE 1954, QUE DISPÕE SOBRE O TRIBUNAL MARITIMO." This translates to amending devices of Law 2,180 of February 5, 1954, which disposes about the Maritime Tribunal. The main subjects covered by this legislation are categorized into five areas: Relation (Relação), Legislation (Legislação), Change (Alteração), Fine (Penalidade), and Use (Aplicação). These classifications indicate the law addresses procedural relationships within the tribunal system, legislative frameworks, mechanisms of legal change, penalty structures for maritime violations, and application of maritime regulations. The focus on "dispositivos" (devices) suggests the law modifies specific articles, paragraphs, or clauses rather than replacing the entire statutory framework, representing a surgical legislative approach to updating maritime judicial procedures.

### Publication and Accessibility
The statute was officially published in Brasília, the federal capital of Brazil, on December 28, 1994. The full text is publicly available through multiple official channels, including the primary URL https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1989_1994/l8969.htm hosted on the Planalto website under the presidency's legislative documentation system. The law is assigned the permanent LexML Brazil identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1994-12-28;8969, which follows the URN:LEX standard for legal documents. This identifier enables precise citation and retrieval across digital legal information systems. The law is written in Brazilian Portuguese, the official language for all federal legislation. As an official government edict, the statute is in the public domain under Brazilian law and the edict of government doctrine, ensuring unrestricted public access and reproduction.

### Jurisdictional Application and Legal Framework
Law No. 8969/1994 applies to the entire jurisdictional territory of the Federative Republic of Brazil, encompassing all 26 states and the Federal District. The law's amendments to the Maritime Tribunal's governing legislation have nationwide effect, impacting maritime cases in all coastal states and federal territories with maritime jurisdiction. The statute operates within Brazil's civil law system and federal structure, where federal laws supersede state and municipal regulations in their specific domains. The law's enactment followed standard Brazilian legislative procedures, being caused by the legislative process and resulting in statutory law that forms part of Brazil's broader legal code. The law is cataloged in library systems under Dewey Decimal classifications 342.057 and 348.02, reflecting its nature as statutory law within civil law jurisdictions.

### Digital Curation and Metadata
The law is actively curated within the WikiProject Brazilian Laws, a Wikimedia initiative focused on documenting Brazilian legislation. This inclusion ensures the law's metadata is maintained for scholarly and public reference. The structured properties associated with this law include P467, P17 (country: Brazil), P1001 (applies to jurisdiction: Brazil), and other Wikidata properties that link it to broader legal knowledge graphs. The law's digital presence includes references from the LexML.gov.br system, the Presidency's legislative portal, and various legal information repositories. The statute's creation was preceded by draft laws within the legislative process, and its promulgation represents the final step in converting proposed legislation into binding statutory law. The law's entry in knowledge bases includes the Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/120kn55l and BabelNet ID 00050588n, facilitating cross-platform identification.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1994-12-28;8969)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=8969&ano=1994&data=28/12/1994&ato=431cXUU50dJpWT85e)
3. LexML Brasil