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475/93 AI generated

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

Case Number 475/93
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. The Ministry of Public Prosecution challenged the interpretation of the old regime that blocked the application of newer, more lenient laws to prior offenses. The court ruled that such an interpretation violates the constitutional requirement to apply the most favorable legal provision to the accused.

Legislator headnote

AI generated

Art. 29(4) Const.; Art. 2(2) & Art. 5(2) of D.L. 20-A/90: The principle of favoring the accused requires that new laws apply retroactively even if they are more favorable, rendering any interpretation that blocks this application unconstitutional.

Keywords

AI generated
principle of favoring the accused retroactive application of law administrative penalty norms constitutional violation non-retroactivity prohibition

Cited Legislation

AI generated
Art. 29(4) of the Constitution
Art. 2(2) of D.L. 20-A/90
Art. 5(2) of D.L. 20-A/90
artigo 29º da Constituição
AI generated
453/93
Portuguese Constitutional Court declares administrative penalty laws unconstitutional for violating constitutional rights.
TC_19940113
Portuguese Constitutional Court declares administrative penalty laws unconstitutional for violating the principle of favorability. The court ruled that new laws must apply even if they downgrade offenses to minor violations. This decision upholds the constitutional right to the most favorable legal interpretation. The court confirmed the lower court's finding of unconstitutionality.
248/93
Portuguese Constitutional Court declares administrative penalty laws unconstitutional for blocking more favorable new laws.
172/93
Constitutional Court declares administrative penalty laws unconstitutional for blocking more favorable new laws.
261/93
Constitutional Court declares administrative penalty laws unconstitutional for violating due process rights.

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Full text

Acórdão 829/93

ACÓRDÃO Nº 829/93

Processo nº 475/93

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