PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The court’s chief judge must be the active judge who was appointed to the court the earliest among those who are 64 years old or younger, have served at least 1 year, and have never been chief judge before. If none meet those rules, the youngest active judge who is 65 or older and has served at least 1 year will act as chief. If still no one has 1 year of service, the active judge appointed the earliest who has not been chief will act as chief. The normal term is 7 years, and a chief stays on until someone else becomes eligible. No judge may be chief after turning 70 unless no one else is qualified. The chief judge leads and presides at court sessions. Other judges lead by who was appointed earlier, and if two were appointed the same day, the older judge goes first. A chief judge may give up chief duties while staying an active judge by telling the Chief Justice, and if a chief is temporarily unable to serve, the next qualified judge in line does the job.

Title 28, §258

Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The chief judge of the Court of International Trade shall be the judge of the court in regular active service who is senior in commission of those judges who—

(A)are 64 years of age or under;

(B)have served for 1 year or more as a judge of the court; and

(C)have not served previously as chief judge.

(2)(A)In any case in which no judge of the court meets the qualifications under paragraph (1), the youngest judge in regular active service who is 65 years of age or over and who has served as a judge of the court for 1 year or more shall act as the chief judge.

(B)In any case under subparagraph (A) in which there is no judge of the court in regular active service who has served as a judge of the court for 1 year or more, the judge of the court in regular active service who is senior in commission and who has not served previously as chief judge shall act as the chief judge.

(3)(A)Except as provided under subparagraph (C), the chief judge serving under paragraph (1) shall serve for a term of 7 years and shall serve after expiration of such term until another judge is eligible under paragraph (1) to serve as chief judge.

(B)Except as provided under subparagraph (C), a judge of the court acting as chief judge under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (2) shall serve until a judge meets the qualifications under paragraph (1).

(C)No judge of the court may serve or act as chief judge of the court after attaining the age of 70 years unless no other judge is qualified to serve as chief judge under paragraph (1) or is qualified to act as chief judge under paragraph (2).

(b)The chief judge shall have precedence and preside at any session of the court which such judge attends. Other judges of the court shall have precedence and preside according to the seniority of their commissions. Judges whose commissions bear the same date shall have precedence according to seniority in age.

(c)If the chief judge desires to be relieved of the duties as chief judge while retaining active status as a judge of the court, the chief judge may so certify to the Chief Justice of the United States, and thereafter the chief judge of the court shall be such other judge of the court who is qualified to serve or act as chief judge under subsection (a).

(d)If a chief judge is temporarily unable to perform the duties as such, such duties shall be performed by the judge of the court in active service, able and qualified to act, who is next in precedence.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Continuance of Position of Chief Judge Pub. L. 104–317, title V, § 501(c), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3856, provided that: “(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 258(a) of title 28, United States Code (as added by subsection (a) of this section), the chief judge of the United States Court of International Trade who is in office on the day before the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 19, 1996] shall continue to be such chief judge on or after such date until any one of the following events occurs:“(A) The chief judge is relieved of his duties under section 258(c) of title 28, United States Code. “(B) The regular active status of the chief judge is terminated. “(C) The chief judge attains the age of 70 years. “(D) The chief judge has served for a term of 7 years as chief judge. “(2) When the chief judge vacates the position of chief judge under paragraph (1), the position of chief judge of the Court of International Trade shall be filled in accordance with section 258(a) of title 28, United States Code.”

§258 Chief Judges; Precedence of Judges

Summary

Title 28, §258

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Citations & Metadata