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Title 28 — Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-73not60

§478 Advisory Groups

Title 28 › Part I— ORGANIZATION OF COURTS › Chapter 23— CIVIL JUSTICE EXPENSE AND DELAY REDUCTION PLANS › § 478

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Within 90 days after the chapter is enacted, the chief judge must pick the court’s advisory group after talking with the other judges. The group must be balanced and include lawyers and other people who represent the main kinds of people who use the court. Members may serve up to 4 years, except the United States Attorney (or their designee) is a permanent member. The chief judge may name a paid reporter under guidelines from the Judicial Conference of the United States. While doing advisory work, members and the reporter are treated as independent contractors and are not barred from practicing law in that court.

Full Legal Text

Title 28, §478

Judiciary and Judicial Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Within ninety days after the date of the enactment of this chapter, the advisory group required in each United States district court in accordance with section 472 of this title shall be appointed by the chief judge of each district court, after consultation with the other judges of such court.
(b)The advisory group of a district court shall be balanced and include attorneys and other persons who are representative of major categories of litigants in such court, as determined by the chief judge of such court.
(c)Subject to subsection (d), in no event shall any member of the advisory group serve longer than four years.
(d)Notwithstanding subsection (c), the United States Attorney for a judicial district, or his or her designee, shall be a permanent member of the advisory group for that district court.
(e)The chief judge of a United States district court may designate a reporter for each advisory group, who may be compensated in accordance with guidelines established by the Judicial Conference of the United States.
(f)The members of an advisory group of a United States district court and any person designated as a reporter for such group shall be considered as independent contractors of such court when in the performance of official duties of the advisory group and may not, solely by reason of service on or for the advisory group, be prohibited from practicing law before such court.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of the enactment of this chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 101–650, which was approved Dec. 1, 1990.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

28 U.S.C. § 478

Title 28 — Judiciary and Judicial Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60