§677 Counselor to the Chief Justice

Summary

The Chief Justice may appoint a Counselor who serves as long as the Chief Justice wants and does whatever duties the Chief Justice gives. The Chief Justice sets the Counselor’s pay, but it cannot be higher than the salary paid to the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. The Counselor can choose to join the same retirement plan as that Director under section 611 by filing a written election with the Chief Justice in the time and way section 611 requires. With the Chief Justice’s approval, the Counselor can hire and pay needed staff, and those staff are treated as Supreme Court employees. Also with approval, the Counselor may accept volunteers to help public and visitor programs, but volunteers must sign a written waiver giving up claims against the United States for those services except claims under chapter 81 of title 5. Volunteers are not U.S. employees except for purposes of chapter 81 of title 5 and chapter 171 of this title, and taking volunteers cannot lower pay or replace any Supreme Court employee. The Counselor, with approval, must set up a retention and recruitment program consistent with section 908 of the Emergency Supplemental Act, 2002 (2 U.S.C. 1926) for Supreme Court Police and other critical staff who agree in writing to stay at least two years.