Title 48 — Territories and Insular PossessionsRelease 119-73
§874 Judicial process; officials to be citizens of United States; oath
Title 48 › Chapter CHAPTER 4— - PUERTO RICO › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - THE JUDICIARY › § 874
Summary
Federal court cases must be carried out in the name of the United States and show the President’s authority. Local criminal cases must be brought in the name and by the authority of the people of Puerto Rico. All officials must be United States citizens. Before they start their jobs, they must take an oath to support the U.S. Constitution and the laws of Puerto Rico.
Full Legal Text
Title 48, §874
Territories and Insular Possessions — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
All judicial process shall run in the name of “United States of America, ss, the President of the United States”, and all penal or criminal prosecutions in the local courts shall be conducted in the name and by the authority of “The People of Puerto Rico.” All officials shall be citizens of the United States, and, before entering upon the duties of their respective offices, shall take an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and the laws of Puerto Rico.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Apr. 12, 1900, ch. 191, § 16, 31 Stat. 81.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
“Puerto Rico” substituted in text for “Porto Rico” pursuant to act May 17, 1932, which is classified to section 731a of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
48 U.S.C. § 874
Title 48 — Territories and Insular Possessions
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73