Editing Brazil (section)

=== Law ===
{{Main|Law of Brazil}}

[[File:Supremo Tribunal de Justiça (4893152130).jpg|thumb|[[Supreme Federal Court of Brazil]] serves primarily as the Constitutional Court of the country.]]

Brazilian law is based on the [[Civil law (legal system)|civil law]] legal system<ref>[http://www.oas.org/juridico/mla/en/bra/en_bra-int-des-ordrjur.html "The Brazilian Legal System"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008001827/http://www.oas.org/juridico/mla/en/bra/en_bra-int-des-ordrjur.html |date=8 October 2009 }}, Organization of American States. Retrieved 17 May 2007.</ref> and [[civil law (legal system)|civil law]] concepts prevail over common law practice. Most of Brazilian law is codified, although non-codified statutes also represent a substantial part, playing a complementary role. Court decisions set out interpretive guidelines; however, they are seldom binding on other specific cases. Doctrinal works and the works of academic jurists have strong influence in law creation and in law cases. Judges and other judicial officials are appointed after passing entry exams.<ref name="embassy" />

The legal system is based on the [[Constitution of Brazil|Federal Constitution]], promulgated on 5 October 1988, and the fundamental law of Brazil. All other legislation and court decisions must conform to its rules.<ref>José Afonso da Silva, ''Curso de Direito Constitucional Positivo'' (Malheiros, 2004; {{ISBN|85-7420-559-1}}), p.&nbsp;46.</ref> {{As of|2022|07}}, there have been 124 amendments.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amendments to the Brazilian Constitution |url=http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/constituicao/Emendas/Emc/quadro_emc.htm |website=Brazilian Law Compiled |access-date=23 July 2022 |archive-date=22 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220722185649/http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/constituicao/emendas/emc/quadro_emc.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The highest court is the [[Supreme Federal Court]]. States have their own constitutions, which must not contradict the Federal Constitution.<ref>Silva, ''Curso de Direito Constitucional Positivo'', p.&nbsp;592.</ref> Municipalities and the Federal District have "organic laws" ({{lang|pt|leis orgânicas}}), which act in a similar way to constitutions.<ref name="DeffentiBarral2011">{{Cite book |last1=Fabiano Deffenti |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1Ba2J5eD8wYC&pg=PA20 |title=Introduction to Brazilian Law |last2=Welber Oliveira Barral |publisher=Kluwer Law International |year=2011 |isbn=978-90-411-2506-4 |pages=20– |access-date=6 June 2013}}</ref> Legislative entities are the main source of statutes, although in certain matters judiciary and executive bodies may enact legal norms.<ref name="Constituição" /> Jurisdiction is administered by the judiciary entities, although in rare situations the [[Constitution of Brazil|Federal Constitution]] allows the Federal Senate to pass on legal judgments.<ref name="Constituição" /> There are also specialized military, labor and electoral courts.<ref name="Constituição" />