Collapse to view only § 258. Chief judges; precedence of judges
- § 251. Appointment and number of judges; offices
- § 252. Tenure and salaries of judges
- § 253. Duties of chief judge
- § 254. Single-judge trials
- § 255. Three-judge trials
- § 256. Trials at ports other than New York
- § 257. Publication of decisions
- § 258. Chief judges; precedence of judges
§ 251. Appointment and number of judges; offices
(a) The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, nine judges who shall constitute a court of record to be known as the United States Court of International Trade. Not more than five of such judges shall be from the same political party. The court is a court established under article III of the Constitution of the United States.
(b) The offices of the Court of International Trade shall be located in New York, New York.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 899; July 14, 1956, ch. 589, § 1, 70 Stat. 532; Pub. L. 96–417, title I, § 101, Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1727; Pub. L. 104–317, title V, § 501(b)(1), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3856.)
§ 252. Tenure and salaries of judges
Judges of the Court of International Trade shall hold office during good behavior. Each shall receive a salary at an annual rate determined under section 225 of the Federal Salary Act of 1967 (2 U.S.C. 351–361), as adjusted by section 461 of this title.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 899; Mar. 2, 1955, ch. 9, § 1(f), 69 Stat. 10; Pub. L. 88–426, title IV, § 403(f), Aug. 14, 1964, 78 Stat. 434; Pub. L. 94–82, title II, § 205(b)(6), Aug. 9, 1975, 89 Stat. 423; Pub. L. 96–417, title V, § 502, Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1742.)
§ 253. Duties of chief judge
(a) The chief judge of the Court of International Trade, with the approval of the court, shall supervise the fiscal affairs and clerical force of the court; 1
1 So in original. The semicolon probably should be a period.
(b) The chief judge shall promulgate dockets.
(c) The chief judge, under rules of the court, may designate any judge or judges of the court to try any case and, when the circumstances so warrant, reassign the case to another judge or judges.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 900; Pub. L. 86–243, § 3, Sept. 9, 1959, 73 Stat. 474; Pub. L. 91–271, title I, § 105, June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 276; Pub. L. 96–417, title V, § 501(3), Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1742; Pub. L. 104–317, title V, § 501(b)(2), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3856.)
§ 254. Single-judge trials
Except as otherwise provided in section 255 of this title, the judicial power of the Court of International Trade with respect to any action, suit or proceeding shall be exercised by a single judge, who may preside alone and hold a regular or special session of court at the same time other sessions are held by other judges.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 900; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 66, 63 Stat. 99; Pub. L. 91–271, title I, § 106, June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 277; Pub. L. 96–417, title V, § 501(4), Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1742.)
§ 255. Three-judge trials
(a) Upon application of any party to a civil action, or upon his own initiative, the chief judge of the Court of International Trade shall designate any three judges of the court to hear and determine any civil action which the chief judge finds: (1) raises an issue of the constitutionality of an Act of Congress, a proclamation of the President or an Executive order; or (2) has broad or significant implications in the administration or interpretation of the customs laws.
(b) A majority of the three judges designated may hear and determine the civil action and all questions pending therein.
(Added Pub. L. 91–271, title I, § 108, June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 277; amended Pub. L. 96–417, title V, § 501(5), Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1742.)
§ 256. Trials at ports other than New York
(a) The chief judge may designate any judge or judges of the court to proceed, together with necessary assistants, to any port or to any place within the jurisdiction of the United States to preside at a trial or hearing at the port or place.
(b) Upon application of a party or upon his own initiative, and upon a showing that the interests of economy, efficiency, and justice will be served, the chief judge may issue an order authorizing a judge of the court to preside in an evidentiary hearing in a foreign country whose laws do not prohibit such a hearing: Provided, however, That an interlocutory appeal may be taken from such an order pursuant to the provisions of section 1292(d)(1) of this title, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit may, in its discretion, consider the appeal.
(Added Pub. L. 91–271, title I, § 109, June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 277; amended Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 107, Apr. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 28.)
§ 257. Publication of decisions
All decisions of the Court of International Trade shall be preserved and open to inspection. The court shall forward copies of each decision to the Secretary of the Treasury or his designee and to the appropriate customs officer for the district in which the case arose. The Secretary shall publish weekly such decisions as he or the court may designate and abstracts of all other decisions.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 900, § 255; renumbered § 257 and amended Pub. L. 91–271, title I, § 107, June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 277; Pub. L. 96–417, title V, § 501(6), Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1742.)
§ 258. Chief judges; precedence of judges
(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.
(Added Pub. L. 104–317, title V, § 501(a), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3855.)