§677 Counselor to the Chief Justice

Summary

The Chief Justice may hire a Counselor to do work the Chief Justice assigns. The Counselor serves as long as the Chief Justice wants. The Chief Justice sets the Counselor’s pay, but it cannot be more than the pay for the Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The Counselor can choose to join the same retirement plan as that Director by filing a written election under section 611 in the time and way section 611 requires. With the Chief Justice’s approval, the Counselor can hire staff and set their pay, and they are Supreme Court employees. Despite section 1342 of title 31, the Counselor may accept volunteers for public and visitor programs with the Chief Justice’s OK. Volunteers must sign a written waiver giving up claims against the United States except claims under chapter 81 of title 5. Volunteers are not U.S. employees except for chapter 81 of title 5 and chapter 171 of this title. Volunteers must not replace paid workers or cause pay cuts. With approval, the Counselor must also create a retention and recruitment program like section 908 of the Emergency Supplemental Act, 2002 (2 U.S.C. 1926) for Supreme Court Police and other key staff who agree in writing to stay at least two years.