Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-102
§463 Expenses of Litigation
Title 28 › PART I — ORGANIZATION OF COURTS › CHAPTER 21 — GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO COURTS AND JUDGES › § 463
Summary
Administrative Office Director may pay legal costs for judges and court staff sued for official acts if a government lawyer isn’t reasonably available under chapter 31, and must write rules approved by the Judicial Conference.
Full Legal Text
Title 28, §463
Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whenever a Chief Justice, justice, judge, officer, or employee of any United States court is sued in his official capacity, or is otherwise required to defend acts taken or omissions made in his official capacity, and the services of an attorney for the Government are not reasonably available pursuant to chapter 31 of this title, the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts may pay the costs of his defense. The Director shall prescribe regulations for such payments subject to the approval of the Judicial Conference of the United States.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Oct. 1, 1982, see section 402 of Pub. L. 97–164, set out as an
Effective Date
of 1982 Amendment note under section 171 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
28 U.S.C. § 463
Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102