§3168 Planning Process

Summary

Each U.S. district court must form a planning group within sixty days after July 1, 1975. The group must include at least the Chief Judge, a magistrate judge if the Chief Judge selects one, the U.S. Attorney, the court Clerk, the Federal Public Defender if there is one, two private lawyers (one with criminal defense experience and one with civil litigation experience), the Chief U.S. Probation Officer, and a person skilled in criminal justice research who serves as the reporter. The group must advise the court, prepare the initial district plans and required reports, submit recommendations for each plan under section 3165, and may use planning funds under section 3171. The group must study needed criminal justice reforms, covering topics like grand juries, finality of criminal judgments, habeas corpus and other collateral attacks, pretrial diversion and detention, the scope of federal criminal law, pretrial and sentencing procedures, and appellate delay. Members (except the reporter) get no extra pay but are reimbursed for travel and other necessary expenses under title 5, chapter 57. The reporter is paid under section 3109 and may be employed as long as needed.