Statutes
Brazilian Civil Code of 2002
Introduction The Brazilian Civil Code (Código Civil, Law 10.406/2002) is the primary codification of private law in Brazil, replacing the 1916 Civil Code. Enacted after 27 years of drafting and …
Brazilian Consumer Protection Code of 1990
Introduction The Consumer Protection Code (Código de Defesa do Consumidor, CDC, Law 8.078/1990) is one of the most advanced consumer protection laws in the world. Enacted pursuant to Article 5, XXXII …
Brazilian Penal Code of 1940
Introduction The Brazilian Penal Code (Código Penal, Decree-Law 2.848/1940) is the primary codification of criminal law in Brazil. Enacted on December 7, 1940, and effective from January 1, 1942, it …
Código de Processo Civil (CPC)
The Código de Processo Civil (CPC), enacted as Law No. 13,105 of 2015, replaced the previous 1973 code and governs civil procedure in all Brazilian courts. The CPC modernized Brazilian civil …
Código de Processo Penal (CPP)
The Código de Processo Penal (CPP), enacted by Decree-Law No. 3,689 of 1941, is the principal statute governing criminal procedure in Brazil. It establishes the rules for criminal investigations, …
Código Florestal (Lei 12,651/2012)
The Código Florestal (Law No. 12,651 of 2012), Brazil’s Forest Code, establishes the legal framework for the protection of vegetation on private and public lands. The code defines areas of …
Código Tributário Nacional (CTN)
The Código Tributário Nacional (CTN), enacted by Law No. 5,172 of 1966, is the foundational statute for Brazilian tax law, establishing the general framework for the tax system at all three levels of …
Consolidação das Leis do Trabalho (CLT)
The Consolidação das Leis do Trabalho (CLT), enacted by Decree-Law No. 5,452 of 1943, is Brazil’s comprehensive labor law statute governing individual and collective labor relations. The CLT …
Constituição Federal de 1988
The Federal Constitution of 1988 (Constituição Federal) is the supreme law of the Federative Republic of Brazil, enacted on 5 October 1988 following the end of the military dictatorship. Known as the …
Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente (ECA)
The Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente (ECA), enacted as Law No. 8,069 of 1990, is Brazil’s comprehensive child and adolescent rights statute, implementing the Convention on the Rights of the …
Estatuto da Terra (Lei 4,504/1964)
The Estatuto da Terra (Law No. 4,504 of 1964) is Brazil’s foundational land law, establishing the legal framework for land tenure, agrarian reform, and rural property. The law defines different …
Estatuto do Desarmamento (Lei 10,826/2003)
The Estatuto do Desarmamento (Law No. 10,826 of 2003) is Brazil’s firearms and ammunition control statute, enacted to reduce gun violence and illegal firearms possession. The law regulates the …
Estatuto do Idoso (Lei 10,741/2003)
The Estatuto do Idoso, enacted as Law No. 10,741 of 2003, is Brazil’s comprehensive statute protecting the rights of elderly persons (defined as those aged 60 or older). The statute establishes …
General Data Protection Law of 2018 (LGPD)
Introduction The General Data Protection Law (Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados Pessoais, LGPD, Law 13.709/2018) is Brazil’s comprehensive data protection framework. Approved on August 14, 2018, …
Lei Anticorrupção e Lavagem de Dinheiro (Lei 9,613/1998)
Law No. 9,613 of 1998 (as amended) established the framework for the prevention and repression of money laundering in Brazil. The law criminalizes the laundering of proceeds from various predicate …
Lei das Sociedades por Ações (Lei 6,385/1976) e Lei do Mercado de Valores
Law No. 6,385 of 1976 established the Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (CVM), Brazil’s securities regulator, and set the foundational framework for the regulation of securities markets in Brazil. …
Lei de Arbitragem (Lei 9,307/1996)
Law No. 9,307 of 1996 established Brazil’s modern arbitration framework, providing for the resolution of commercial disputes through arbitration. The law is based on the UNCITRAL Model Law and …
Lei de Crimes Ambientais (Lei 9,605/1998)
Law No. 9,605 of 1998 (Lei dos Crimes Ambientais) establishes criminal and administrative sanctions for environmental offenses in Brazil. The law criminalizes conduct that causes damage to the …
Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação (LDB - Lei 9,394/1996)
The Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional (LDB), enacted as Law No. 9,394 of 1996, is Brazil’s national education law establishing the framework for the education system at all levels. …
Lei de Execução Penal (Lei 7,210/1984)
The Lei de Execução Penal (Law No. 7,210 of 1984) governs the enforcement of criminal sentences in Brazil, including imprisonment, semi-open regime, and open regime. The law establishes the purpose of …
Lei de Improbidade Administrativa (Lei 8,429/1992)
Law No. 8,429 of 1992 (Lei de Improbidade Administrativa) governs administrative misconduct by public officials in Brazil. The law defines three types of administrative misconduct: acts causing …
Lei de Introdução às Normas do Direito Brasileiro (LINDB)
The Lei de Introdução às Normas do Direito Brasileiro (LINDB), originally enacted as Law No. 4,657 of 1942, sets out the foundational rules for the application of Brazilian law. Formerly known as the …
Lei de Investimentos Estrangeiros (Lei 4,598/1964 e Decreto-Lei 1,418/1975)
The legal framework for foreign investment in Brazil was established by Law No. 4,598 of 1964 and Decree-Law No. 1,418 of 1975, and has been progressively modernized. The current framework, …
Lei de Licitações e Contratos Administrativos (Lei 14,133/2021)
Law No. 14,133 of 2021 (Nova Lei de Licitações) replaced the previous procurement law (Law 8,666/1993) and governs public procurement and administrative contracts in Brazil. The law introduced …
Lei de Migração (Lei 13,445/2017)
The Lei de Migração (Law No. 13,445 of 2017) is Brazil’s comprehensive immigration statute, replacing the previous foreigners’ law (Law 6,815/1980). The law establishes the rights of …
Lei de Propriedade Industrial (Lei 9,279/1996)
Law No. 9,279 of 1996 (Lei de Propriedade Industrial) governs industrial property rights in Brazil, including patents, trade marks, industrial designs, and geographical indications. The law …
Lei de Recuperação Judicial e Extrajudicial e Falência (Lei 11,101/2005)
Law No. 11,101 of 2005 established the modern framework for corporate insolvency in Brazil, introducing judicial recovery (recuperação judicial) and extrajudicial recovery (recuperação extrajudicial) …
Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal (LRF)
The Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal (LRF), enacted by Complementary Law No. 101 of 2000, establishes rules for fiscal responsibility and transparency in public finance management at all levels of …
Lei de Sociedades Anônimas (Lei 6,404/1976)
Lei No. 6,404 of 1976 (Lei das Sociedades Anônimas) is Brazil’s primary statute governing corporations (sociedades anônimas or S.A.s), including both public and closely-held companies. The law …
Lei do Sistema Único de Saúde (Lei 8,080/1990)
Law No. 8,080 of 1990 (Lei Orgânica da Saúde) established the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), Brazil’s universal public health system, implementing the constitutional mandate of health as a right …
Lei Maria da Penha (Lei 11,340/2006)
The Lei Maria da Penha (Law No. 11,340 of 2006) is Brazil’s comprehensive domestic violence law, named after Maria da Penha Maia Fernandes, a pharmacist whose case of domestic violence was not …
Marco Civil da Internet of 2014
Introduction The Marco Civil da Internet (Law 12.965/2014) is Brazil’s internet regulatory framework, often described as the Internet Constitution or Internet Bill of Rights. Enacted on April …