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LEGAL AID | PROOF OF PORTUGUESE NATIONALITY | OVERSEAS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION | TIES TO THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY AND LEGAL SYSTEM

 

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 365/00, 05.07.2000

 

JURISDICTION: Constitutional

CASE: 91/00

SUBJECT: Constitutional appeal

RAPPORTEUR: Tavares da Costa

RULING: Rejects the appeal, confirming the appealed ruling, albeit on partially different grounds. Holds unconstitutional the norm in Article 7(2) of Decree-Law no. 387-B/87, of 29 December 1987, as amended by Law no. 46/96, of 3 September 1996, where it denies legal aid to a citizen of Angolan nationality who does not reside in Portugal and who, alleging having lost Portuguese nationality in the decolonisation process, wishes to exercise before the Portuguese courts his right to retirement benefits as a former employee of the overseas Public Administration.

DOMESTIC LAW:

Portuguese Constitution [Articles 12, 13, 15, 20, 165(1)(b), 201(1)(b), 268(4)]

Law no. 28/82, of 15 November 1982 [Article 70(1)(a)]

Administrative Courts Procedure Act (Article 116)

Law no. 41/87, of 23 December 1987

Law no. 46/96, of 3 September 1996 (Article 3)

Decree-Law no. 308-A/75, of 24 June 1975

Decree-Law no. 387-B/87, of 29 December 1987, as amended by Law no. 46/96, of 3 September 1996 [Articles 1(1), 6, 7, 39, 56]

Decree-Law no. 391/88, of 26 October 1988, as amended by Law no. 46/96, of 3 September 1996 (Article 1)

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 338/95, 22.06.1995

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 339/95, 22.06.1995

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 340/95, 22.06.1995

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 962/96, 11.07.1996

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 354/97, 30.04.1997

Constitutional Court, judgment no. 392/97, 20.05.1997

INTERNATIONAL LAW: n.a.

FOREIGN LAW: n.a.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Apoio judiciário; prova da nacionalidade portuguesa; Administração Pública ultramarina; vinculo à comunidade e ao ordenamento jurídico nacionais; nacionalidade angolana; estatuto de aposentado; direito da igualdade; estrangeiros habitualmente residentes em Portugal; Direito internacional de natureza convencional; República de Angola; distinção entre estrangeiros residentes e não residentes em Portugal; princípio da não discriminação em razão da situação económica; estrangeiro não residente em Portugal; estrangeiro não requerente de asilo; perda da nacionalidade portuguesa com a independência de Angola; direito à aposentação; condição social ou cultural; insuficiência de meios económicos; proteção jurídica; autorização de residência válida; permanência regular e continuada em Portugal; dignidade do homem; ideia de uma República de “indivíduos” e não apenas de “cidadãos”; substrato universalista subjacente ao texto constitucional; princípio da equiparação; identidade de direitos entre cidadãos portugueses e estrangeiros e apátridas; direito de acesso aos tribunais; Caixa Geral de Aposentações; funcionários e agentes das ex-províncias ultramarinas; cidadão português; independência do território angolano; conexão mínima entre o estrangeiro requerente de apoio judiciário e o ordenamento jurídico nacional; princípio da universalidade; cidadãos de língua portuguesa; cidadãos europeus; tratamento nacional; ligação não meramente esporádica ou fortuita com o território e a comunidade nacionais; processo de descolonização

COMMENTS: Coming soon.

REFERENCES IN THE LITERATURE:

CANOTILHO, J.J. Gomes, e MOREIRA, Vital, Constituição da República Portuguesa Anotada [Annotation to the Portuguese Constitution], vol. I, 4.ª ed. revista, Coimbra, Coimbra Editora, 2007.

MIRANDA, Jorge, and MEDEIROS, Rui, Constituição Portuguesa Anotada [Annotation to the Portuguese Constitution], vol. I, 2nd ed., Coimbra, Wolters Kluwer/Coimbra Editora, 2010.

 

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Posted inOVERSEAS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION LEGAL AID PROOF OF PORTUGUESE NATIONALITY TIES TO THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY AND LEGAL SYSTEM
TagsOverseas Public Administration Legal Aid Valid Residence Permit State Pension Fund Portuguese Citizen Citizens of Portuguese Speaking Countries European Citizens Social or Cultural Condition Minimum Connection Between the Foreigner Applying For Legal Aid and the National Legal System Human Dignity Right to Retirement Benefits Right to Equality Right to Access the Courts Conventional International Law Distinction Between Resident and Non-Resident Foreigners in Portugal Pensioner Status Foreigner Not Applying For Asylum Foreigner Not Residing in Portugal Foreigners Habitually Residing in Portugal Employees and Agents of the Former Overseas Provinces Idea of a Republic of Individuals and Not Only of Citizens Identity of Rights Between Portuguese Citizens and Foreigners and Stateless Persons Independence of Angolan Territory Lack of Economic Means Not Sporadic or Accidental Ties With National Territory and Community Angolan Nationality Loss of Portuguese Nationality Following Angola's Independence Regular and Continued Presence in Portugal Principle of Equality Principle of Non-Discrimination Based on Economic Situation Principle of Universality Decolonization Process Legal Protection Proof of Portuguese Nationality Republic of Angola Universalist Basis Underlying the Constitutional Text National Treatment Ties to the National Community and Legal System