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217/93 AI generated

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

Case Number 217/93
Court / Authority
Jurisdiction Portugal (PT)
Outcome Dismissed
Open official source Machine-readable Markdown (.md)

Legislator summary

AI generated

The Constitutional Court declared Articles 2 and 5(2) of Decree-Law 20-A/90 unconstitutional for violating Article 29(4) of the Constitution. The Ministry of Public Prosecution argued these provisions should remain valid to prevent the application of newer, more favorable laws to existing infractions. The court ruled that such administrative measures contravene the constitutional principle requiring the application of the most favorable law to the accused.

Legislator headnote

AI generated

Art. 29(4) of the Constitution; Art. 2 and 5(2) of Decree-Law 20-A/90: Administrative regulations that block the application of newer, more favorable laws to infractions violate the constitutional principle of favoring the accused.

Keywords

AI generated
Constitutional Principle Most Favorable Law Administrative Penalty Constitutional Violation Legal Retroactivity

Cited Legislation

AI generated
Art. 29(4) of the Constitution
Art. 2 of Decree-Law 20-A/90
Art. 5(2) of Decree-Law 20-A/90
AI generated
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Full text

Acórdão 70/94

ACÓRDÃO N° 70/94

Processo nº 217/93

2ª Secção

Relator: Conselheiro Luís Nunes de Almeida

Acordam, na 2ª Secção do Tribunal Constitucional:

Nos presentes autos vindos do Supremo Tribunal Administrativo, em que é recorrente o Ministério Público e re­corrido A., pelas razões constantes do Acórdão nº 227/92 (publicado no Diário da República, II Série, de 12 de Setembro de 1992), decide-se:

a) Julgar inconstitucionais - por violação do artigo 29º, nº 4, da Constituição - os artigos 2º e 5º, nº 2, do Decreto-Lei nº 20-A/90, de 15 de Janeiro, interpretados no sentido de visarem impedir a aplicação da nova lei, ainda que mais favorável, às infracções que o Regime Jurídico, aprovado pelo citado decreto-lei, desgraduou em contra-ordenações;

b) Consequentemente, negar provimento ao recurso.

Lisboa, 19 de Janeiro de 1994

Luís Nunes de Almeida

Guilherme da Fonseca

José de Sousa e Brito

Fernando Alves Correia

Bravo Serra (vencido, de harmonia com o voto exarado no Acórdão nº 227/92)

José Manuel Cardoso da Costa