38 U.S.C. § 7285: Practice and registration fees

Summary

The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims may charge a regular registration fee to people admitted to practice before it. The Court sets how often the fee is paid and the amount, and it can also charge non-judge participants in judicial conferences under section 7286 or in other court events. Money collected can be used for disciplinary work (including hiring outside lawyers) and to pay for conferences and programs that help the Court and people who practice before it study, honor, or improve veterans law.

Title 38, §7285

Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims may impose a reasonable periodic registration fee on persons admitted to practice before the Court. The frequency and amount of such fee shall be determined by the Court. The Court may also impose a reasonable registration fee on persons (other than judges of the Court) participating at judicial conferences convened pursuant to section 7286 of this title or in any other court-sponsored activity.

(b)Amounts received by the Court under subsection (a) of this section shall be available to the Court for the following purposes:

(1)Conducting investigations and proceedings, including employing independent counsel, to pursue disciplinary matters.

(2)Defraying the expenses of—

(A)judicial conferences convened pursuant to section 7286 of this title; and

(B)other activities and programs of the Court that are intended to support and foster communication and relationships between the Court and persons practicing before the Court or the study, understanding, public commemoration, or improvement of veterans law or of the work of the Court.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–389 inserted “reasonable” after “impose a” in two places and struck out “, except that such amount may not exceed $30 per year” after “by the Court”. 2001—Pub. L. 107–103, § 604(c)(1), substituted “Practice and registration fees” for “Practice fee” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–103, § 604(a), inserted at end “The Court may also impose a registration fee on persons (other than judges of the Court) participating at judicial conferences convened pursuant to section 7286 of this title or in any other court-sponsored activity.” Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–103, § 604(b), substituted “for the following purposes:” and pars. (1) and (2) for “for the purposes of (1) employing independent counsel to pursue disciplinary matters, and (2) defraying administrative costs for the implementation of the standards of proficiency prescribed for practice before the Court.” 1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–368 substituted “Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims” for “Court of Veterans Appeals”. 1991—Pub. L. 102–40 renumbered section 4085 of this title as this section.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–368 effective on first day of first month beginning more than 90 days after Nov. 11, 1998, see section 513 of Pub. L. 105–368, set out as a note under section 7251 of this title.

§7285 Practice and Registration Fees