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171/93 AI generated

Portuguese Constitutional Court declares administrative penalty laws unconstitutional for blocking more favorable new laws.

Case Number 171/93
Court / Authority
Jurisdiction Portugal (PT)
Outcome Inadmissible
Open official source Machine-readable Markdown (.md)

Legislator summary

AI generated

The Constitutional Court declared specific administrative penalty norms unconstitutional for violating the principle that new laws apply even if they are more favorable to the offender. The Ministry of Public Prosecution challenged the Supreme Administrative Court's ruling that these norms prevented the application of a newer, more lenient law to prior offenses. The court ruled that such norms contravene Article 29 of the Constitution by failing to allow the benefit of the new legislation.

Legislator headnote

AI generated

Art. 29(4) of the Constitution; Art. 2 and 5 of D.L. 20-A/90: Norms that prevent the application of a newer, more favorable law to prior offenses are unconstitutional as they violate the principle of favoring the offender.

Keywords

AI generated
Constitutional Principle Non-retroactivity Benefit of the Law Administrative Penalties Constitutional Violation

Cited Legislation

AI generated
Art. 29(4) of the Constitution
Art. 2 of D.L. 20-A/90
Art. 5 of D.L. 20-A/90
artigo 29º da Constituição
AI generated
464/93
Portuguese Constitutional Court declares administrative penalty laws unconstitutional for violating the principle of favor legis.
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Portuguese Constitutional Court declares administrative penalty laws unconstitutional for blocking more favorable new laws.
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Constitutional Court declares administrative penalty laws unconstitutional for blocking more favorable new laws.
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Portuguese Constitutional Court declares administrative penalty laws unconstitutional for blocking more favorable new laws.
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Portuguese Constitutional Court declares administrative penalty laws unconstitutional for blocking more favorable new laws.

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Full text

Acórdão 825/93

ACÓRDÃO Nº 825/93

Processo nº 171/93

1ª Secção

Relator: Conselheiro Tavares da Costa

Acordam no Tribunal Constitucional:

Nos presentes autos de recurso, vindos do Supremo Tribunal Administrativo, em que é recorrente o Ministério Público e recorrido A., pelos fundamentos do acórdão nº 227/92, publicado no Diário da República, II Série, de 12 de Setembro de 1992, que aqui se dão por reproduzidos, decide-se:

a) Julgar inconstitucionais, por violação do nº 4 do artigo 29º da Constituição, as normas constantes dos artigos 2º e 5º, nº 2 do Decreto-Lei nº 20-A/90, de 15 de Janeiro, enquanto interpretadas no sentido de impedir a aplicação da nova lei, ainda que mais favorável, às infracções que o Regime Jurídico, aprovado por este diploma, desgraduou em contra-ordenações;

b) Confirmar a decisão recorrida relativamente ao julgamento da questão de inconstitucionalidade.

Lisboa, 16 de Dezembro de 1993

Alberto Tavares da Costa

Armindo Ribeiro Mendes

Vítor Nunes de Almeida

Antero Alves Monteiro Diniz

António Vitorino

Assunção Esteves

José Manuel Cardoso da Costa