Collapse to view only § 371. Retirement on salary; retirement in senior status
- § 371. Retirement on salary; retirement in senior status
- § 372. Retirement for disability; substitute judge on failure to retire
- § 373. Judges in territories and possessions
- § 374. Residence of retired judges; official station
- § 375. Recall of certain judges and magistrate judges
- § 376. Annuities for survivors of certain judicial officials of the United States
- § 377. Retirement of bankruptcy judges and magistrate judges
§ 371. Retirement on salary; retirement in senior status
(a) Any justice or judge of the United States appointed to hold office during good behavior may retire from the office after attaining the age and meeting the service requirements, whether continuous or otherwise, of subsection (c) and shall, during the remainder of his lifetime, receive an annuity equal to the salary he was receiving at the time he retired.
(span)
(1) Any justice or judge of the United States appointed to hold office during good behavior may retain the office but retire from regular active service after attaining the age and meeting the service requirements, whether continuous or otherwise, of subsection (c) of this section and shall, during the remainder of his or her lifetime, continue to receive the salary of the office if he or she meets the requirements of subsection (e).
(2) In a case in which a justice or judge who retires under paragraph (1) does not meet the requirements of subsection (e), the justice or judge shall continue to receive the salary that he or she was receiving when he or she was last in active service or, if a certification under subsection (e) was made for such justice or judge, when such a certification was last in effect. The salary of such justice or judge shall be adjusted under section 461 of this title.
(c) The age and service requirements for retirement under this section are as follows:
Attained age: | Years of service: |
|---|---|
65 | 15 |
66 | 14 |
67 | 13 |
68 | 12 |
69 | 11 |
70 | 10 |
(d) The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a successor to a justice or judge who retires under this section.
(e)
(1) In order to continue receiving the salary of the office under subsection (span), a justice must be certified in each calendar year by the Chief Justice, and a judge must be certified by the chief judge of the circuit in which the judge sits, as having met the requirements set forth in at least one of the following subparagraphs:
(A) The justice or judge must have carried in the preceding calendar year a caseload involving courtroom participation which is equal to or greater than the amount of work involving courtroom participation which an average judge in active service would perform in three months. In the instance of a justice or judge who has sat on both district courts and courts of appeals, the caseload of appellate work and trial work shall be determined separately and the results of those determinations added together for purposes of this paragraph.
(B) The justice or judge performed in the preceding calendar year substantial judicial duties not involving courtroom participation under subparagraph (A), including settlement efforts, motion decisions, writing opinions in cases that have not been orally argued, and administrative duties for the court to which the justice or judge is assigned. Any certification under this subparagraph shall include a statement describing in detail the nature and amount of work and certifying that the work done is equal to or greater than the work described in this subparagraph which an average judge in active service would perform in three months.
(C) The justice or judge has, in the preceding calendar year, performed work described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) in an amount which, when calculated in accordance with such subparagraphs, in the aggregate equals at least 3 months work.
(D) The justice or judge has, in the preceding calendar year, performed substantial administrative duties directly related to the operation of the courts, or has performed substantial duties for a Federal or State governmental entity. A certification under this subparagraph shall specify that the work done is equal to the full-time work of an employee of the judicial branch. In any year in which a justice or judge performs work described under this subparagraph for less than the full year, one-half of such work may be aggregated with work described under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of this paragraph for the purpose of the justice or judge satisfying the requirements of such subparagraph.
(E) The justice or judge was unable in the preceding calendar year to perform judicial or administrative work to the extent required by any of subparagraphs (A) through (D) because of a temporary or permanent disability. A certification under this subparagraph shall be made to a justice who certifies in writing his or her disability to the Chief Justice, and to a judge who certifies in writing his or her disability to the chief judge of the circuit in which the judge sits. A justice or judge who is certified under this subparagraph as having a permanent disability shall be deemed to have met the requirements of this subsection for each calendar year thereafter.
(2) Determinations of work performed under subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) of paragraph (1) shall be made pursuant to rules promulgated by the Judicial Conference of the United States. In promulgating such criteria, the Judicial Conference shall take into account existing standards promulgated by the Conference for allocation of space and staff for senior judges.
(3) If in any year a justice or judge who retires under subsection (span) does not receive a certification under this subsection (except as provided in paragraph (1)(E)), he or she may thereafter receive a certification for that year by satisfying the requirements of subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) of paragraph (1) of this subsection in a subsequent year and attributing a sufficient part of the work performed in such subsequent year to the earlier year so that the work so attributed, when added to the work performed during such earlier year, satisfies the requirements for certification for that year. However, a justice or judge may not receive credit for the same work for purposes of certification for more than 1 year.
(4) In the case of any justice or judge who retires under subsection (span) during a calendar year, there shall be included in the determination under this subsection of work performed during that calendar year all work performed by that justice or judge (as described in subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), and (D) of paragraph (1)) during that calendar year before such retirement.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 903; Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 655, § 39, 65 Stat. 724; Fespan. 10, 1954, ch. 6, § 4(a), 68 Stat. 12; Puspan. L. 98–353, title II, § 204(a), July 10, 1984, 98 Stat. 350; Puspan. L. 100–702, title X, § 1005(a), Nov. 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 4666; Puspan. L. 101–194, title VII, § 705(a), Nov. 30, 1989, 103 Stat. 1770; Puspan. L. 104–317, title III, § 301, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3851; Puspan. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title VI, § 654(a)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–165; Puspan. L. 106–518, title III, § 303, Nov. 13, 2000, 114 Stat. 2417.)
§ 372. Retirement for disability; substitute judge on failure to retire
(a) Any justice or judge of the United States appointed to hold office during good behavior who becomes permanently disabled from performing his duties may retire from regular active service, and the President shall, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint a successor.
Any justice or judge of the United States desiring to retire under this section shall certify to the President his disability in writing.
Whenever an associate justice of the Supreme Court, a chief judge of a circuit or the chief judge of the Court of International Trade, desires to retire under this section, he shall furnish to the President a certificate of disability signed by the Chief Justice of the United States.
A circuit or district judge, desiring to retire under this section, shall furnish to the President a certificate of disability signed by the chief judge of his circuit.
A judge of the Court of International Trade desiring to retire under this section, shall furnish to the President a certificate of disability signed by the chief judge of his court.
Each justice or judge retiring under this section after serving ten years continuously or otherwise shall, during the remainder of his lifetime, receive the salary of the office. A justice or judge retiring under this section who has served less than ten years in all shall, during the remainder of his lifetime, receive one-half the salary of the office.
(b) Whenever any judge of the United States appointed to hold office during good behavior who is eligible to retire under this section does not do so and a certificate of his disability signed by a majority of the members of the Judicial Council of his circuit in the case of a circuit or district judge, or by the Chief Justice of the United States in the case of the Chief Judge of the Court of International Trade, or by the chief judge of his court in the case of a judge of the Court of International Trade, is presented to the President and the President finds that such judge is unable to discharge efficiently all the duties of his office by reason of permanent mental or physical disability and that the appointment of an additional judge is necessary for the efficient dispatch of business, the President may make such appointment by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Whenever any such additional judge is appointed, the vacancy subsequently caused by the death, resignation, or retirement of the disabled judge shall not be filled. Any judge whose disability causes the appointment of an additional judge shall, for purpose of precedence, service as chief judge, or temporary performance of the duties of that office, be treated as junior in commission to the other judges of the circuit, district, or court.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 903; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 67, 63 Stat. 99; Feb. 10, 1954, ch. 6, § 4(a), 68 Stat. 12; Pub. L. 85–261, Sept. 2, 1957, 71 Stat. 586; Pub. L. 96–417, title V, § 501(9), Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1742; Pub. L. 96–458, § 3(a), (b), Oct. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 2036, 2040; Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 112, Apr. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 29; Pub. L. 98–353, title I, § 107, July 10, 1984, 98 Stat. 342; Pub. L. 100–702, title IV, § 403(c), Nov. 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 4651; Pub. L. 101–650, title IV, § 402, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5122; Pub. L. 102–572, title IX, § 902(b)(1), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4516; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title I, § 11043(a)(1), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1855.)
§ 373. Judges in territories and possessions
(a) Any judge of the District Court of Guam, the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the District Court of the Virgin Islands who retires from office after attaining the age and meeting the service requirements whether continuous or otherwise, of subsection (span) shall, during the remainder of his lifetime, receive an annuity equal to the salary he is receiving at the time he retires.
(span) The age and service requirements for retirement under subsection (a) of this section are as follows:
Attained age: | Years of service: |
|---|---|
65 | 15 |
66 | 14 |
67 | 13 |
68 | 12 |
69 | 11 |
70 | 10 |
(c)
(1) Any judge or former judge who is receiving an annuity pursuant to this section may elect to become a senior judge of the court upon which he served before retiring.
(2) The chief judge of a judicial circuit may recall any such senior judge, with the judge’s consent, to perform, for the court from which he retired, such judicial duties for such periods of time as the chief judge may specify.
(3) Any act or failure to act by a senior judge performing judicial duties pursuant to recall under paragraph (2) of this subsection shall have the same force and effect as if it were an act or failure to act of a judge on active duty; but such senior judge shall not be counted as a judge of the court on which he is serving as a recalled annuitant for purposes of the number of judgeships authorized for that court.
(4) Any senior judge performing judicial duties pursuant to recall under paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be paid, while performing such duties, the same compensation (in lieu of the annuity payable under subsection (a) of this section) and the same allowances for travel and other expenses as a judge on active duty with the court being served.
(5) Any senior judge performing judicial duties pursuant to recall under paragraph (2) of this subsection shall at all times be governed by the code of judicial conduct for United States judges approved by the Judicial Conference of the United States.
(d) Any judge who elects to become a senior judge under subsection (c) of this section and who thereafter—
(1) accepts civil office or employment under the Government of the United States (other than the performance of judicial duties pursuant to recall under subsection (c) of this section);
(2) engages in the practice of law; or
(3) materially violates the code of judicial conduct for United States judges,
shall cease to be a senior judge and to be eligible for recall pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.
(e) Any judge of the District Court of Guam, the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the District Court of the Virgin Islands who is removed by the President of the United States upon the sole ground of mental or physical disability, or who is not reappointed (as judge of such court), shall be entitled, upon attaining the age of sixty-five years or upon relinquishing office if he is then beyond the age of sixty-five years, (1) if his judicial service, continuous or otherwise, aggregates fifteen years or more, to receive during the remainder of his life an annuity equal to the salary he received when he left office, or (2) if his judicial service, continuous or otherwise, aggregated less than fifteen years but not less than ten years, to receive during the remainder of his life an annuity equal to that proportion of such salary which the aggregate number of his years of his judicial service bears to fifteen.
(f) Service at any time as a judge of the courts referred to in subsection (a) or of any other court of the United States, as defined by section 451 of this title, shall be included in the computation of aggregate years of judicial service for purposes of this section.
(g) Any retired judge who is entitled to receive an annuity under subsection (a) shall be entitled to a cost of living adjustment in the amount payable to him computed as specified in section 8340(span) of title 5, except that in no case may the annuity payable to such retired judge, as increased under this subsection, exceed 95 per centum of the salary of a United States district judge in regular active service.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 904; Oct. 31, 1951, ch. 655, § 40, 65 Stat. 724; Fespan. 10, 1954, ch. 6, § 5, 68 Stat. 13; Puspan. L. 85–508, § 12(d), July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 348; Puspan. L. 86–3, § 14(d), Mar. 18, 1959, 73 Stat. 10; Puspan. L. 89–571, § 2, Sept. 12, 1966, 80 Stat. 764; Puspan. L. 94–470, Oct. 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 2052; Puspan. L. 99–396, § 21(a), Aug. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 844.)
§ 374. Residence of retired judges; official station
Retired judges of the United States are not subject to restrictions as to residence. The place where a retired judge maintains the actual abode in which he customarily lives shall be deemed to be his official station for the purposes of section 456 of this title. The place where a judge or magistrate judge recalled under section 155, 375, 636, or 797 of this title maintains the actual abode in which the judge or magistrate judge customarily lives shall be deemed to be the official station of such judge or magistrate judge for purposes of section 604(a)(7) of this title.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 904; Pub. L. 86–312, § 1, Sept. 21, 1959, 73 Stat. 587; Pub. L. 99–651, title II, § 202(b), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3648; Pub. L. 101–650, title III, § 321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117.)
§ 375. Recall of certain judges and magistrate judges
(a)
(1) A bankruptcy judge or a United States magistrate judge appointed under chapter 43 of this title, who has retired under the provisions of section 377 of this title or under the applicable provisions of title 5 upon attaining the age and years of service requirements established in section 371(c) of this title, may agree to be recalled to serve under this section for a period of five years as a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge, as the case may be, upon certification that substantial service is expected to be performed by such retired judge or magistrate judge during such 5-year period. With the agreement of the judge or magistrate judge involved, a certification under this subsection may be renewed for successive 5-year periods.
(2) For purposes of paragraph (1) of this subsection, a certification may be made, in the case of a bankruptcy judge or a United States magistrate,1
1 So in original. Probably should be “United States magistrate judge,”.
by the judicial council of the circuit in which the official duty station of the judge or magistrate at the time of retirement was located.(3) For purposes of this section, the term “bankruptcy judge” means a bankruptcy judge appointed under chapter 6 of this title or serving as a bankruptcy judge on March 31, 1984.
(b) A judge or magistrate judge recalled under this section may exercise all of the powers and duties of the office of judge or magistrate judge held at the time of retirement, including the ability to serve in any other judicial district to the extent applicable, but may not engage in the practice of law or engage in any other business, occupation, or employment inconsistent with the expeditious, proper, and impartial performance of duties as a judicial officer.
(c) During the 5-year period in which a certification under subsection (a) is in effect, the judge or magistrate judge involved shall receive, in addition to the annuity provided under the provisions of section 377 of this title or under the applicable provisions of title 5, an amount equal to the difference between that annuity and the current salary of the office to which the judge or magistrate judge is recalled. The annuity of a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge who completes that 5-year period of service, whose certification is not renewed, and who retired under section 377 of this title shall be equal to the salary in effect, at the end of that 5-year period, for the office from which he or she retired.
(d) A certification under subsection (a) may be terminated in accordance with chapter 16 of this title, and such a certification shall be terminated upon the death of the recalled judge or magistrate judge involved.
(e) Except as provided in subsection (b), nothing in this section shall affect the right of judges or magistrate judges who retire under the provisions of chapter 83 or chapter 84 of title 5 to serve as reemployed annuitants in accordance with the provisions of title 5. A judge or magistrate judge to whom this section applies may be recalled under section 155, 636(h), or 797 of this title, as the case may be, other than during a 5-year period in which a certification under subsection (a) is in effect with respect to that judge or magistrate judge.
(f) For purposes of determining the years of service requirements in order to be eligible for recall under this section, any service as a bankruptcy judge or a United States magistrate judge, and any prior service as a referee in bankruptcy or a United States commissioner, may be credited.
(g) Except as provided in subsection (c), a judge or magistrate judge recalled under this section who retired under the applicable provisions of title 5 shall be considered to be a reemployed annuitant under chapter 83 or chapter 84, as the case may be, of title 5.
(h) The Judicial Conference of the United States shall promulgate regulations to implement this section.
(Added Pub. L. 99–651, title II, § 201(b)(1), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3647; amended Pub. L. 100–659, § 4(b), Nov. 15, 1988, 102 Stat. 3918; Pub. L. 101–650, title III, §§ 321, 325(b)(2), Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117, 5121; Pub. L. 102–572, title IX, § 904(a), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4517; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title I, § 11043(d), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1855; Pub. L. 116–325, § 5, Jan. 12, 2021, 134 Stat. 5094.)
§ 376. Annuities for survivors of certain judicial officials of the United States
(a) For the purposes of this section—
(1) “judicial official” means:
(A) a Justice or judge of the United States, as defined by section 451 of this title;
(B) a judge of the District Court of Guam, the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the District Court of the Virgin Islands;
(C) a Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, after he or she has filed a waiver under subsection (a) of section 611 of this title;
(D) a Director of the Federal Judicial Center, after he or she has filed a waiver under subsection (a) of section 627 of this title;
(E) a Counselor to the Chief Justice of the United States, after he or she has filed a waiver in accordance with both subsection (a) of section 677 and subsection (a) of section 611 of this title;
(F) a full-time bankruptcy judge or a full-time United States magistrate judge; or
(G) a judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims;
who notifies the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts in writing of his or her intention to come within the purview of this section within six months after (i) the date upon which he or she takes office, (ii) the date upon which he or she marries, (iii) January 1, 1977, (iv) October 1, 1986, (v) the date of the enactment of the Retirement and Survivors’ Annuities for Bankruptcy Judges and Magistrates Act of 1988, in the case of a full-time bankruptcy judge or United States magistrate judge in active service on that date, (vi) the date of the enactment of the Federal Courts Study Committee Implementation Act of 1990, in the case of a full-time judge of the Court of Federal Claims in active service on that date, or (vii) the date of the enactment of the Federal Courts Administration Act of 1992;
(2) “retirement salary” means:
(A) in the case of a Justice or judge of the United States, as defined by section 451 of this title, salary paid (i) after retirement from regular active service under subsection (b) of section 371 or subsection (a) of section 372 of this title, or (ii) after retirement from office by resignation on salary under subsection (a) of section 371 of this title;
(B) in the case of a judge of the District Court of Guam, the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the District Court of the Virgin Islands, (i) an annuity paid under subsection (a) of section 373 of this title or (ii) compensation paid under paragraph (4) of subsection (c) of section 373 of this title;
(C) in the case of a Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, an annuity paid under subsection (b) or (c) of section 611 of this title;
(D) in the case of a Director of the Federal Judicial Center, an annuity paid under subsection (b) or (c) of section 627 of this title;
(E) in the case of a Counselor to the Chief Justice of the United States, an annuity paid in accordance with both subsection (a) of section 677 and subsection (a) of section 611 of this title;
(F) in the case of a bankruptcy judge or United States magistrate judge, an annuity paid under section 377 of this title; and
(G) in the case of a judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims, an annuity paid under section 178 of this title;
(3) “widow” means the surviving wife of a “judicial official”, who:
(A) has been married to him for at least one year on the day of his death; or
(B) is the mother of issue by that marriage;
(4) “widower” means the surviving husband of a “judicial official”, who:
(A) has been married to her for at least one year on the day of her death; or
(B) is the father of issue by that marriage;
(5) “child” means:
(A) an unmarried child under eighteen years of age, including (i) an adopted child and (ii) a stepchild or recognized natural child who lived with the judicial official in a regular parent-child relationship;
(B) such unmarried child between eighteen and twenty-two years of age who is a student regularly pursuing a full-time course of study or training in residence in a high school, trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or comparable educational institution. A child whose twenty-second birthday occurs before July 1, or after August 31, of a calendar year, and while he or she is regularly pursuing such a course of study or training, is deemed to have become twenty-two years of age on the first day of July immediately following that birthday. A child who is a student is deemed not to have ceased being a student during an interim period between school years, if that interim period lasts no longer than five consecutive months and if that child shows, to the satisfaction of the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, that he or she has a bona fide intention of continuing to pursue a course of study or training in the same or a different school during the school semester, or other period into which the school year is divided, immediately following that interim period; or
(C) such unmarried child, regardless of age, who is incapable of self-support because of a mental or physical disability incurred either (i) before age eighteen, or (ii) in the case of a child who is receiving an annuity as a full-time student under paragraph (5)(B) of this subsection, before the termination of that annuity;
(6) “former spouse” means a former spouse of a judicial official if the former spouse was married to such judicial official for at least 9 months; and
(7) “assassinated” and “assassination” mean the killing of a judicial official described in paragraph (1)(A), (B), (F), or (G) of this subsection that is motivated by the performance by that judicial official of his or her official duties.
(b)
(1) Every judicial official who files a written notification of his or her intention to come within the purview of this section, in accordance with paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this section, shall be deemed thereby to consent and agree to having deducted and withheld from his or her salary a sum equal to 2.2 percent of that salary, and a sum equal to 3.5 percent of his or her retirement salary. The deduction from any retirement salary—
(A) of a justice or judge of the United States retired from regular active service under section 371(b) or section 372(a) of this title,
(B) of a judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims retired under section 178 of this title, or
(C) of a judicial official on recall under section 155(b), 373(c)(4), 375, or 636(h) of this title,
shall be an amount equal to 2.2 percent of retirement salary.
(2) A judicial official who is not entitled to receive an immediate retirement salary upon leaving office but who is eligible to receive a deferred retirement salary on a later date shall file, within 90 days before leaving office, a written notification of his or her intention to remain within the purview of this section under such conditions and procedures as may be determined by the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. Every judicial official who files a written notification in accordance with this paragraph shall be deemed to consent to contribute, during the period before such a judicial official begins to receive his or her retirement salary, a sum equal to 3.5 percent of the deferred retirement salary which that judicial official is entitled to receive. Any judicial official who fails to file a written notification under this paragraph shall be deemed to have revoked his or her election under subsection (a) of this section.
(3) The amounts deducted and withheld from the salary of each judicial official under paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall, in accordance with such procedures as may be prescribed by the Comptroller General of the United States, be covered into the Treasury of the United States and credited to the “Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund” established by section 3 of the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Reform Act. Such fund shall be used for the payment of annuities, refunds, and allowances as provided by this section. Payment of such salary less such deductions (and any deductions made under section 178 or 377 of this title or under subchapter III of chapter 83, or chapter 84, of title 5) shall be a full and complete discharge and acquittance of all claims and demands whatsoever for all services rendered by such judicial official during the period covered by such payment, except the rights to those benefits to which such judicial official, or his or her survivors, shall be entitled under the provisions of this section (and under section 178 or 377 of this title or under subchapter III of chapter 83, or chapter 84, of title 5).
(c)
(1) There shall also be deposited to the credit of the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund, in accordance with such procedures as the Comptroller General of the United States may prescribe, amounts required to reduce to zero the unfunded liability of the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund: Provided, That such amounts shall not exceed the equivalent of 9 percent of salary or retirement salary. Such deposits shall, subject to appropriations Acts, be taken from the fund used to pay the compensation of the judicial official, and shall immediately become an integrated part of the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund for any use required under this section.
(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term “unfunded liability” means the estimated excess, determined on an annual basis in accordance with the provisions of section 9503 of title 31, United States Code, of the present value of all benefits payable from the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund, over the sum of—
(A) the present value of deductions to be withheld from the future basic pay of judicial officials; plus
(B) the balance in the Fund as of the date the unfunded liability is determined.
In making any determination under this paragraph, the Comptroller General shall use the applicable information contained in the reports filed pursuant to section 9503 of title 31, United States Code, with respect to the judicial survivors’ annuities plan established by this section.
(3) There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.
(d) Each judicial official shall deposit, with interest at 4 percent per anspan to December 31, 1947, and at 3 percent per anspan thereafter, compounded on December 31 of each year, to the credit of the “Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund”:
(1) a sum equal to 3.5 percent of that salary, including “retirement salary”, which he or she has received for serving in any of the offices designated in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this section prior to the date upon which he or she filed notice of an intention to come within the purview of this section with the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts; and
(2) a sum equal to 3.5 percent of the basic salary, pay, or compensation which he or she has received for serving as a Senator, Representative, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner in Congress, or for serving as an “employee”, as that term is defined in subsection (1) of section 8331 of title 5, prior to assuming the responsibilities of any of the offices designated in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this section.
The interest otherwise required by this subsection shall not be required for any period during which a judicial official was separated from all such service and was not receiving any retirement salary.
Each such judicial official may elect to make such deposits in installments, during the continuance of his or her service in those offices designated in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this section, in such amounts and under such conditions as may be determined in each instance by the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts: Provided, That, in each instance in which a judicial official does elect to make such deposits in installments, the Director shall require (i) that the first installment payment made shall be in an amount no smaller than that amount necessary to cover at least the last eighteen months of prior creditable civilian service, and (ii) that at least one additional installment payment shall be made every eighteen months thereafter until the total of all such deposits have been made.
Notwithstanding the failure of any such judicial official to make all such deposits or installment payments, credit shall be allowed for the service rendered, but the annuity of that judicial official’s widow or widower shall be reduced by an amount equal to 10 percent of the amount of such deposits, computed as of the date of the death of such judicial official, unless such widow or widower shall elect to eliminate such service entirely from credit under subsection (k) of this section: Provided, That no deposit shall be required from any such judicial official for any honorable active duty service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United States, or for any other creditable service rendered prior to August 1, 1920.
(e) The amounts deducted and withheld in accordance with subsection (b) of this section, and the amounts deposited in accordance with subsection (d) of this section, shall be credited to individual accounts in the name of each judicial official from whom such amounts are received, for credit to the “Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund”.
(f) The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest, from time to time, in interest bearing securities of the United States or Federal farm loan bonds, those portions of the “Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund” which in his judgment may not be immediately required for the payment of annuities, refunds, and allowances as provided in this section. The income derived from such investments shall constitute a part of such fund for the purposes of paying annuities and carrying out the provisions of subsections (g), (h), (m), (o), (p), and (q) of this section.
(g) If any judicial official leaves office and is ineligible to receive a retirement salary or leaves office and is entitled to a deferred retirement salary but fails to make an election under subsection (b)(2) of this section, all amounts credited to his or her account established under subsection (e), together with interest at 4 percent per anspan to December 31, 1947, and at 3 percent per anspan thereafter, compounded on December 31 of each year, to the date of his or her relinquishment of office, minus a sum equal to 2.2 percent of salary for service while deductions were withheld under subsection (b) or for which a deposit was made by the judicial official under subsection (d), shall be returned to that judicial official in a lump-sum payment within a reasonable period of time following the date of his or her relinquishment of office. For the purposes of this section, a “reasonable period of time” shall be presumed to be no longer than 1 year following the date upon which such judicial official relinquishes his or her office.
(h)
(1) In any case in which a judicial official dies while in office, while receiving retirement salary, or after filing an election and otherwise complying with the conditions under subsection (b)(2) of this section (A) after having completed at least eighteen months of creditable civilian service, as computed in accordance with subsection (k) of this section, for the last eighteen months of which the salary deductions provided by subsection (b) of this section or, in lieu thereof, the deposits required by subsection (d) of this section have actually been made, or (B) if the death of such judicial official was by assassination, before having satisfied the requirements of clause (A) if, for the period of such service, the deductions provided by subsection (b) or, in lieu thereof, the deposits required by subsection (d) have actually been made—
(i) if such judicial official is survived by a widow or widower, but not by a child, there shall be paid to such widow or widower an annuity, beginning on the day on which such judicial official died, in an amount computed as provided in subsection (l) of this section; or
(ii) if such judicial official is survived by a widow or widower and a child or children, there shall be paid to such widow or widower an annuity, beginning on the day on which such judicial official died, in an amount computed as provided in subsection (l) of this section, and there shall also be paid to or on behalf of each such child an immediate annuity equal to:(I) 10 percent of the average annual salary determined under subsection (l)(1) of this section; or(II) 20 percent of such average annual salary, divided by the number of children;
whichever is smallest; or
(iii) if such judicial official leaves no surviving widow or widower, but does leave a surviving child or children, there shall be paid to or on behalf of each such child an immediate annuity equal to:(I) the amount of the annuity to which the judicial official’s widow or widower would have been entitled under clause (i) of this paragraph, had such widow or widower survived the judicial official, divided by the number of children; or(II) 20 percent of the average annual salary determined under subsection (l)(1) of this section; or(III) 40 percent of such average annual salary amount, divided by the number of children;
whichever is smallest.
(2) An annuity payable to a widow or widower under clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be terminated upon his or her death or remarriage before attaining age 55, subject to subsection (w).
(3) An annuity payable to a child under this subsection shall terminate:
(A) if such child is receiving an annuity based upon his or her status under paragraph (5)(A) of subsection (a) of this section, on the last day of the month during which he or she becomes eighteen years of age;
(B) if such child is receiving an annuity based upon his or her status under paragraph (5)(B) of subsection (a) of this section, either (i) on the first day of July immediately following his or her twenty-second birthday or (ii) on the last day of the month during which he or she ceases to be a full-time student in accordance with paragraph (5)(B) of subsection (a) of this section, whichever occurs first: Provided, That if such child is rendered incapable of self-support because of a mental or physical disability incurred while receiving that annuity, that annuity shall not terminate, but shall continue without interruption and shall be deemed to have become, as of the date of disability, an annuity based upon his or her status under clause (ii) of paragraph (5)(C) of subsection (a) of this section;
(C) if such child is receiving an annuity based upon his or her status under paragraph (5)(C) of subsection (a) of this section, on the last day of the month during which he or she ceases to be incapable of self-support because of mental or physical disability; or
(D) on the last day of the month during which such child dies or marries.
(4) An annuity payable to a child or children under paragraph (1)(ii) of this subsection shall be recomputed and paid as provided in paragraph (1)(iii) of this subsection upon the death, but not upon the remarriage, of the widow or widower who is receiving an annuity under paragraph (1)(ii) of this subsection.
(5) In any case in which the annuity of a child is terminated, the annuity of each remaining child which is based upon the service of the same judicial official shall be recomputed and paid as though the child whose annuity has been terminated had not survived that judicial official.
(6) In the case of the survivor or survivors of a judicial official to whom paragraph (1)(B) applies, there shall be deducted from the annuities otherwise payable under this section an amount equal to the amount of salary deductions that would have been made if such deductions had been made for 18 months prior to the judicial official’s death.
(i)
(1) All questions of dependency and disability arising under this section shall be determined by the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, subject to review only by the Judicial Conference of the United States, and the decision of the Judicial Conference of the United States shall be final and conclusive. The Director may order or direct at any time such medical or other examinations as he deems necessary to determine the facts relative to the nature and degree of disability of any child who is an annuitant, or an applicant for an annuity, under this section, and may suspend or deny any such annuity for failure to submit to any such examination.
(2) The Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall determine whether the killing of a judicial official was an assassination, subject to review only by the Judicial Conference of the United States. The head of any Federal agency that investigates the killing of a judicial official shall provide information to the Director that would assist the Director in making such determination.
(j) In any case in which a payment under this section is to be made to a minor, or to a person mentally incompetent or under other legal disability, as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, such payment may be made to the person who is constituted guardian or other fiduciary of such claimant by the laws of the State of residence of such claimant, or to any other person who is otherwise legally vested with the care of the claimant or of the claimant’s estate, and need not be made directly to such claimant. The Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts may, at his or her discretion, determine whether such payment is made directly to such claimant or to such guardian, fiduciary, or other person legally vested with the care of such claimant or the claimant’s estate. Where no guardian or other fiduciary of such minor or such person under legal disability has been appointed under the laws of the State of residence of such claimant, the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall determine the person who is otherwise legally vested with the care of the claimant or of the claimant’s estate.
(k) The years of service rendered by a judicial official which may be creditable in calculating the amount of an annuity for such judicial official’s widow or widower under subsection (l) of this section shall include—
(1) those years during which such judicial official served in any of the offices designated in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this section, including in the case of a Justice or judge of the United States those years during which he or she continued to hold office following retirement from regular active service under section 371 or subsection (a) of section 372 of this title;
(2) those years during which such judicial official served as a Senator, Representative, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner in Congress, prior to assuming the responsibilities of any of the offices designated in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this section;
(3) those years during which such judicial official honorably served on active duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United States, prior to assuming the responsibilities of any of the offices designated in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this section: Provided, That those years of such military service for which credit has been allowed for the purposes of retirement or retired pay under any other provision of law shall not be included as allowable years of such service under this section;
(4) those years during which such judicial official served as an “employee”, as that term is defined in subsection (1) of section 8331 of title 5, prior to assuming the responsibilities of any of the offices designated in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this section,1
1 So in original. Comma probably should be a semicolon.
and(5) those years during which such judicial official had deductions withheld from his or her retirement salary in accordance with subsection (b)(1) or (2) of this section.
For the purposes of this subsection the term “years” shall mean full years and twelfth parts thereof, excluding from the aggregate any fractional part of a month which numbers less than fifteen full days and including, as one full month, any fractional part of a month which numbers fifteen full days or more. Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted as waiving or canceling that reduction in the annuity of a widow or widower which is required by subsection (d) of this section due to the failure of a judicial official to make those deposits required by subsection (d) of this section.
(l) The annuity of a widow or widower of a judicial official shall be an amount equal to the sum of—
(1) 1.5 percent of the average annual salary, including retirement salary, which such judicial official received for serving in any of the offices designated in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this section (i) during those three years of such service, or during those three years while receiving a retirement salary, in which his or her annual salary or retirement salary was greatest, or (ii) if such judicial official has so served less than three years, then during the total period of such service prior to his or her death, multiplied by the total of:
(A) the number of years of creditable service tabulated in accordance with paragraph (1) of subsection (k) of this section; plus
(B) the number of years of creditable service tabulated in accordance with paragraph (2) of subsection (k) of this section; plus
(C) the number of years of creditable service tabulated in accordance with paragraph (3) of subsection (k) of this section; plus
(D) the number of years during which the judicial official had deductions withheld from his or her retirement salary under subsection (b)(1) or (2) of this section; plus
(E) the number of years up to, but not exceeding, fifteen of creditable service tabulated in accordance with paragraph (4) of subsection (k) of this section,
plus:
(2) three-fourths of 1 percent of such average annual salary, multiplied by the number of years of any prior creditable service, as tabulated in accordance with subsection (k) of this section, not applied under paragraph (1) of this subsection;
except that such annuity shall not exceed an amount equal to 50 percent of such average annual salary, nor be less than an amount equal to 25 percent of such average annual salary. Any annuity determined in accordance with the provisions of this subsection shall be reduced to the extent required by subsection (d) of this section, and by the amount of any annuity payable to a former spouse under subsection (t).
(m) Each time that an increase is made under section 8340(b) of title 5 in annuities paid under subchapter III of chapter 83 of such title, each annuity payable from the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund shall be increased at the same time by the same percentage by which annuities are increased under that section.
(n) Each annuity authorized under this section shall accrue monthly and shall be due and payable in monthly installments on the first business day of the month following the month or other period for which the annuity shall have accrued. No annuity authorized under this section shall be assignable, either in law or in equity, except as provided in subsections (s) and (t), or subject to execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other legal process.
(o)
(1) In any case in which a judicial official dies while in office, while receiving retirement salary, or after filing an election and otherwise complying with the conditions under subsection (b)(2) of this section, and;
(A) subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, before having completed eighteen months of civilian service, computed in accordance with subsection (k) of this section, during which the salary deductions provided by subsection (b) of this section or the deposit required by subsection (d) of this section have actually been made; or
(B) after having completed eighteen months of civilian service, computed in accordance with subsection (k) of this section, during which all such deductions or deposits have been made, but without a survivor or survivors who are entitled to receive the annuity benefits provided by subsection (h) or (t) of this section; or
(C) the rights of all persons entitled to receive the annuity benefits provided by subsection (h) or (t) of this section terminate before a valid claim therefor has been established;
the total amount credited to the individual account of that judicial official, established under subsection (e) of this section, with interest at 4 percent per anspan to December 31, 1947, and at 3 percent per anspan thereafter, compounded on December 31, of each year, to the date of that judicial official’s death, shall be paid, upon the establishment of a valid claim therefor, to the person or persons surviving at the date title to the payment arises, in the following order of precedence:
First, to the beneficiary or beneficiaries whom that judicial official may have designated in a writing received by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts prior to his or her death;
Second, if there be no such beneficiary, to the widow or widower of such judicial official;
Third, if none of the above, to the child or children of such judicial official and the descendants of any deceased children by representation;
Fourth, if none of the above, to the parents of such judicial official or the survivor of them;
Fifth, if none of the above, to the duly appointed executor, executrix, administrator, or administratrix of the estate of such judicial official;
Sixth, if none of the above, to such other next of kin of such judicial official, as may be determined by the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to be entitled to such payment, under the laws of the domicile of such judicial official, at the time of his or her death.
Such payment shall be a bar to recovery by any other person. For the purposes of this subsection only, a determination that an individual is a widow, widower, or child of a judicial official may be made by the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts without regard to the definitions of those terms contained in paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) of subsection (a) of this section.
(2) In cases in which a judicial official dies as a result of assassination and leaves a survivor or survivors who are entitled to receive the annuity benefits provided by subsection (h) or (t) of this section, paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection shall not apply.
(p) In any case in which all the annuities which are authorized by this section and based upon the service of a given official terminate before the aggregate amount of annuity payments received by the annuitant or annuitants equals the total amount credited to the individual account of such judicial official, established under subsection (e) of this section with interest at 4 percent per anspan to December 31, 1947, and at 3 percent per anspan thereafter, compounded on December 31, of each year, to the date of that judicial official’s death, the difference between such total amount, with such interest, and such aggregate amount shall be paid, upon establishment of a valid claim therefor, in the order of precedence prescribed in subsection (o) of this section.
(q) Any accrued annuity benefits remaining unpaid upon the termination of an annuity, other than by the death of an annuitant, shall be paid to that annuitant. Any accrued annuity benefits remaining unpaid upon the death of an annuitant shall be paid, upon the establishment of a valid claim therefor, in the following order of precedence:
First, to the duly appointed executor, executrix, administrator, or administratrix of the estate of such annuitant;
Second, if there is no such executor, executrix, administrator, or administratrix, payments shall be made, after the expiration of sixty days from the date of death of such annuitant, to such individual or individuals as may appear, in the judgment of the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, to be legally entitled thereto, and such payment shall be a bar to recovery by any other individual.
(r) Nothing contained in this section shall be interpreted to prevent a widow or widower eligible for an annuity under this section from simultaneously receiving such an annuity while also receiving any other annuity to which such widow or widower may also be entitled under any other law without regard to this section: Provided, That service used in the computation of the annuity conferred by this section shall not also be credited in computing any such other annuity.
(s) A judicial official who has a former spouse may elect, under procedures prescribed by the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, to provide a survivor annuity for such former spouse under subsection (t). An election under this subsection shall be made at the time of retirement, or, if later, within 2 years after the date on which the marriage of the former spouse to the judicial official is dissolved. An election under this subsection—
(1) shall not be effective to the extent that it—
(A) conflicts with—
(i) any court order or decree referred to in subsection (t)(1), which was issued before the date of such election, or
(ii) any agreement referred to in such subsection which was entered into before such date; or
(B) would cause the total of survivor annuities payable under subsections (h) and (t) based on the service of the judicial official to exceed 55 percent of the average annual salary (as such term is used in subsection (l)) of such official; and
(2) shall not be effective, in the case of a judicial official who is then married, unless it is made with the spouse’s written consent.
The Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall provide by regulation that paragraph (2) of this subsection may be waived if the judicial official establishes to the satisfaction of the Director that the spouse’s whereabouts cannot be determined, or that, due to exceptional circumstances, requiring the judicial official to seek the spouse’s consent would otherwise be inappropriate.
(t)
(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) through (4) of this subsection, a former spouse of a deceased judicial official is entitled to a survivor annuity under this section if and to the extent expressly provided for in an election under subsection (s), or in the terms of any decree of divorce or annulment or any court order or court-approved property settlement agreement incident to such decree.
(2) The annuity payable to a former spouse under this subsection may not exceed the difference between—
(A) the maximum amount that would be payable as an annuity to a widow or widower under subsection (l), determined without taking into account any reduction of such annuity caused by payment of an annuity to a former spouse; and
(B) the amount of any annuity payable under this subsection to any other former spouse of the judicial official, based on an election previously made under subsection (s), or a court order previously issued.
(3)
(A) shall not commence before—
(i) the day after the judicial official dies, or
(ii) the first day of the second month beginning after the date on which the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts receives written notice of the order, decree, agreement, or election, as the case may be, together with such additional information or documentation as the Director may prescribe,
whichever is later, and
(B) shall terminate no later than the last day of the month before the former spouse remarries before becoming 55 years of age or dies.
(4) For purposes of this section, a modification in a decree, order, agreement, or election referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not be effective—
(A) if such modification is made after the retirement of the judicial official concerned, and
(B) to the extent that such modification involves an annuity under this subsection.
(u) In the case of a judicial official who is assassinated, an annuity shall be paid under this section notwithstanding a survivor’s eligibility for or receipt of benefits under chapter 81 of title 5, except that the annuity for which a surviving spouse is eligible under this section shall be reduced to the extent that the total benefits paid under this section and chapter 81 of title 5 for any year would exceed the current salary for that year of the office of the judicial official.
(v) Subject to the terms of a decree, court order, or agreement described in subsection (t)(1), if any judicial official ceases to be married after making the election under subsection (a), he or she may revoke such election in writing by notifying the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. The judicial official shall also notify any spouse or former spouse of the application for revocation in accordance with such requirements as the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall by regulation prescribe. The Director may provide under such regulations that the notification requirement may be waived with respect to a spouse or former spouse if the judicial official establishes to the satisfaction of the Director that the whereabouts of such spouse or former spouse cannot be determined.
(w) In the case of a widow or widower whose annuity under clause (i) or (ii) of subsection (h)(1) is terminated because of remarriage before attaining 55 years of age, the annuity shall be restored at the same rate commencing on the day the remarriage is dissolved by death, divorce, or annulment, if—
(1) the widow or widower elects to receive this annuity instead of any other survivor annuity to which such widow or widower may be entitled, under this chapter or under another retirement system for Government employees, by reason of the remarriage; and
(2) any payment made to such widow or widower under subsection (o) or (p) on termination of the annuity is returned to the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund.
(x) For each year of Federal judicial service completed, judicial officials who are enrolled in the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities System on the date of enactment of the Judicial Survivors Protection Act of 2009 may purchase, in 3-month increments, up to an additional year of service credit, under the terms set forth in this section. In the case of judicial officials who elect to enroll in the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities System during the statutory open enrollment period authorized under the Judicial Survivors Protection Act of 2009, for each year of Federal judicial service completed, such an official may purchase, in 3-month increments, up to an additional year of service credit for each year of Federal judicial service completed, under the terms set forth in section 4(a) of that Act.
(Added Aug. 3, 1956, ch. 944, § 2, 70 Stat. 1021; amended Pub. L. 85–508, § 12(n), July 7, 1958, 72 Stat. 348; Pub. L. 90–219, title II, § 202, Dec. 20, 1967, 81 Stat. 668; Pub. L. 90–466, § 1(a), Aug. 8, 1968, 82 Stat. 662; Pub. L. 92–397, §§ 2, 3(c), Aug. 22, 1972, 86 Stat. 579, 580; Pub. L. 94–554, § 2, Oct. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 2603; Pub. L. 95–598, title II, § 211, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2661; Pub. L. 99–336, § 2(a), (d)(1)–(3), (e), June 19, 1986, 100 Stat. 633, 635–637; Pub. L. 99–396, § 21(b), Aug. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 846; Pub. L. 100–659, § 3(a), Nov. 15, 1988, 102 Stat. 3917; Pub. L. 100–702, title X, § 1017(a), Nov. 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 4670; Pub. L. 101–650, title III, §§ 306(b), 321, 322(a)–(f), (g)[(h)], Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5109, 5117–5120; Pub. L. 102–572, title II, § 201(a)–(i), title IX, § 902(b), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4508–4510, 4516; Pub. L. 104–317, title III, §§ 302, 308, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3851, 3853; Pub. L. 106–518, title III, § 312(b), Nov. 13, 2000, 114 Stat. 2421; Pub. L. 110–402, § 1(b)(2), Oct. 13, 2008, 122 Stat. 4254; Pub. L. 110–428, § 3(a), (b), Oct. 15, 2008, 122 Stat. 4840; Pub. L. 111–49, § 6, Aug. 12, 2009, 123 Stat. 1977; Pub. L. 112–234, § 2(b), Dec. 28, 2012, 126 Stat. 1624.)
§ 377. Retirement of bankruptcy judges and magistrate judges
(a)Retirement Based on Years of Service.—A bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge to whom this section applies and who retires from office after attaining the age of 65 years and serving at least 14 years, whether continuously or otherwise, as such bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge shall, subject to subsection (f), be entitled to receive, during the remainder of the judge’s or magistrate judge’s lifetime, an annuity equal to the salary being received at the time the judge or magistrate judge leaves office.
(b)Retirement Upon Failure of Reappointment.—A bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge to whom this section applies, who is not reappointed following the expiration of the term of office of such judge or magistrate judge, and who retires upon the completion of the term shall, subject to subsection (f), be entitled to receive, upon attaining the age of 65 years and during the remainder of such bankruptcy judge’s or magistrate judge’s lifetime, an annuity equal to that portion of the salary being received at the time the judge or magistrate judge leaves office which the aggregate number of years of service, not to exceed 14, bears to 14, if—
(1) such judge or magistrate judge has served at least 1 full term as a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge, and
(2) not earlier than 9 months before the date on which the term of office of such judge or magistrate judge expires, and not later than 6 months before such date, such judge or magistrate judge notified the appointing authority in writing that such judge or magistrate judge was willing to accept reappointment to the position in which such judge or magistrate judge was serving.
For purposes of this subsection, in the case of a bankruptcy judge, the written notice required by paragraph (2) shall be given to the chief judge of the circuit in which such bankruptcy judge is serving and, in the case of a magistrate judge, such notice shall be given to the chief judge of the district court in which the magistrate judge is serving.
(c)Service of at Least 8 Years.—A bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge to whom this section applies and who retires after serving at least 8 years, whether continuously or otherwise, as such a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge shall, subject to subsection (f), be entitled to receive, upon attaining the age of 65 years and during the remainder of the judge’s or magistrate judge’s lifetime, an annuity equal to that portion of the salary being received at the time the judge or magistrate judge leaves office which the aggregate number of years of service, not to exceed 14, bears to 14. Such annuity shall be reduced by ⅙ of 1 percent for each full month such bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge was under the age of 65 at the time the judge or magistrate judge left office, except that such reduction shall not exceed 20 percent.
(d)Retirement for Disability.—A bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge to whom this section applies, who has served at least 5 years, whether continuously or otherwise, as such a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge, and who retires or is removed from office upon the sole ground of mental or physical disability shall, subject to subsection (f), be entitled to receive, during the remainder of the judge’s or magistrate judge’s lifetime, an annuity equal to 40 percent of the salary being received at the time of retirement or removal or, in the case of a judge or magistrate judge who has served for at least 10 years, an amount equal to that proportion of the salary being received at the time of retirement or removal which the aggregate number of years of service, not to exceed 14, bears to 14.
(e)Cost-of-Living Adjustments.—A bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge who is entitled to an annuity under this section is also entitled to a cost-of-living adjustment in such annuity, calculated and payable in the same manner as adjustments under section 8340(b) of title 5, except that any such annuity, as increased under this subsection, may not exceed the salary then payable for the position from which the judge or magistrate judge retired or was removed.
(f)Election; Annuity in Lieu of Other Annuities.—A bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge shall be entitled to an annuity under this section if the judge or magistrate judge elects an annuity under this section by notifying the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. A bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge who elects to receive an annuity under this section shall not be entitled to receive 1
1 So in original. Probably should be “receive—”.
(1) any annuity to which such judge or magistrate judge would otherwise have been entitled under subchapter III of chapter 83, or under chapter 84 (except for subchapters III and VII), of title 5, for service performed as such a judge or magistrate judge or otherwise;
(2) an annuity or salary in senior status or retirement under section 371 or 372 of this title;
(3) retired pay under section 7447 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or
(4) retired pay under section 7296 of title 38.
(g)Calculation of Service.—
(1) For purposes of calculating an annuity under this section—
(A) full-time service as a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge to whom this section applies may be credited; and
(B) each month of service shall be credited as one-twelfth of a year, and the fractional part of any month shall not be credited.
(2)
(A) In the case of an individual who is a bankruptcy judge to whom this section applies and who retires under this section or who is removed from office under subsection (d) upon the sole ground of mental or physical disability, any service of that individual as a United States magistrate judge to whom this section applies, and any service of that individual as a full-time judicial officer who performed the duties of a magistrate judge and a bankruptcy judge at the same time, shall be included for purposes of calculating years of service under subsection (a), (b), (c), or (d), as the case may be.
(B) In the case of an individual who is a magistrate judge to whom this section applies and who retires under this section or who is removed from office under subsection (d) upon the sole ground of mental or physical disability, any service of that individual as a bankruptcy judge to whom this section applies, and any service of that individual as a full-time judicial officer who performed the duties of magistrate judge and a bankruptcy judge at the same time, shall be included for purposes of calculating years of service under subsection (a), (b), (c), or (d), as the case may be.
(h)Covered Positions and Service.—This section applies to—
(1) any bankruptcy judge appointed under—
(A)section 152 of this title;
(B) section 34 of the Bankruptcy Act before the repeal of that Act by section 401 of the Act of November 6, 1978 (Public Law 95–598; 92 Stat. 2682); or
(C) (
(2) any United States magistrate judge appointed under section 631 of this title,
only with respect to service on or after October 1, 1979, as such a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge.
(i)Payments Pursuant to Court Order.—
(1) Payments under this section which would otherwise be made to a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge based upon his or her service shall be paid (in whole or in part) by the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to another person if and to the extent expressly provided for in the terms of any court decree of divorce, annulment, or legal separation, or the terms of any court order or court-approved property settlement agreement incident to any court decree of divorce, annulment, or legal separation. Any payment under this paragraph to a person bars recovery by any other person.
(2) Paragraph (1) shall apply only to payments made by the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts after the date of receipt by the Director of written notice of such decree, order, or agreement, and such additional information as the Director may prescribe.
(3) As used in this subsection, the term “court” means any court of any State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Virgin Islands, and any Indian tribal court or courts of Indian offense.
(j)Deductions, Contributions, and Deposits.—
(1)Deductions.—Beginning with the next pay period after the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts receives a notice under subsection (f) that a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge has elected an annuity under this section, the Director shall deduct and withhold 1 percent of the salary of such bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge. Amounts shall be so deducted and withheld in a manner determined by the Director. Amounts deducted and withheld under this subsection shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund. Deductions under this subsection from the salary of a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge shall terminate upon the retirement of the bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge or upon completing 14 years of service for which contributions under this section have been made, whether continuously or otherwise, as calculated under subsection (g), whichever occurs first.
(2)Consent to Deductions; Discharge of Claims.—Each bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge who makes an election under subsection (f) shall be deemed to consent and agree to the deductions from salary which are made under paragraph (1). Payment of such salary less such deductions (and any deductions made under section 376 of this title) is a full and complete discharge and acquittance of all claims and demands for all services rendered by such bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge during the period covered by such payment, except the right to those benefits to which the bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge is entitled under this section (and section 376).
(k)Deposits for Prior Service.—Each bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge who makes an election under subsection (f) may deposit, for service performed before such election for which contributions may be made under this section, an amount equal to 1 percent of the salary received for that service. Credit for any period covered by that service may not be allowed for purposes of an annuity under this section until a deposit under this subsection has been made for that period.
(l)Individual Retirement Records.—The amounts deducted and withheld under subsection (j), and the amounts deposited under subsection (k), shall be credited to individual accounts in the name of each bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge from whom such amounts are received, for credit to the Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund.
(m)Annuities Affected in Certain Cases.—
(1)Practicing law after retirement.—
(A)Forfeiture of annuity.—Subject to subparagraph (B), any bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge who retires under this section and who thereafter practices law shall forfeit all rights to an annuity under this section for all periods beginning on or after the first day on which he or she so practices law.
(B)Forfeiture not to apply where individual elects to freeze amount of annuity.—
(i) If a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge makes an election to practice law after retirement under this section—(I) subparagraph (A) shall not apply to such bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge beginning on the date such election takes effect, and(II) the annuity payable under this section to such bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge, for periods beginning on or after the date such election takes effect, shall be equal to the annuity to which such bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge is entitled on the day before such effective date.
(ii) An election under clause (i)—(I) may be made by a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge eligible for retirement under this section, and(II) shall be filed with the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts.
Such an election, once it takes effect, shall be irrevocable.
(iii) Any election under this subparagraph shall take effect on the first day of the first month following the month in which the election is made.
(2)Recall not permitted.—Any bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge who retires under this section and who thereafter practices law shall not be eligible for recall under section 155(b), 375, or 636(h) of this title.
(3)Accepting other employment.—Any bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge who retires under this section and thereafter accepts compensation for civil office or employment under the United States Government (other than for the performance of functions as a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge under section 155(b), 375, or 636(h) of this title) shall forfeit all rights to an annuity under this section for the period for which such compensation is received. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “compensation” includes retired pay or salary received in retired status.
(n)Lump-Sum Payments.—
(1)Eligibility.—
(A) Subject to paragraph (2), an individual who serves as a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge and—
(i) who leaves office and is not reappointed as a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge for at least 31 consecutive days;
(ii) who files an application with the Administrative Office of the United States Courts for payment of the lump-sum credit;
(iii) is not serving as a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge at the time of filing of the application; and
(iv) will not become eligible to receive an annuity under this section within 31 days after filing the application;
is entitled to be paid the lump-sum credit. Payment of the lump-sum credit voids all rights to an annuity under this section based on the service on which the lump-sum credit is based, until that individual resumes office as a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge.
(B) Lump-sum benefits authorized by subparagraphs (C), (D), and (E) of this paragraph shall be paid to the person or persons surviving the bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge and alive on the date title to the payment arises, in the order of precedence set forth in subsection (o) of section 376 of this title, and in accordance with the last two sentences of that subsection. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “judicial official” as used in subsection (o) of section 376 shall be deemed to mean “bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge”.
(C) If a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge dies before receiving an annuity under this section, the lump-sum credit shall be paid.
(D) If all annuity rights under this section based on the service of a deceased bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge terminate before the total annuity paid equals the lump-sum credit, the difference shall be paid.
(E) If a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge who is receiving an annuity under this section dies, annuity accrued and unpaid shall be paid.
(F) Annuity accrued and unpaid on the termination, except by death, of the annuity of a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge shall be paid to that individual.
(G) Subject to paragraph (2), a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge who forfeits rights to an annuity under subsection (m)(3) before the total annuity paid equals the lump-sum credit, shall be entitled to be paid the difference if the bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge files an application with the Administrative Office of the United States Courts for payment of that difference. A payment under this subparagraph voids all rights to an annuity on which the payment is based.
(2)Spouses and former spouses.—
(A) Payment of the lump-sum credit under paragraph (1)(A) or a payment under paragraph (1)(G)—
(i) may be made only if any current spouse and any former spouse of the bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge are notified of the bankruptcy judge’s or magistrate judge’s application; and
(ii) shall be subject to the terms of a court decree of divorce, annulment, or legal separation or any court or court approved property settlement agreement incident to such decree, if—(I) the decree, order, or agreement expressly relates to any portion of the lump-sum credit or other payment involved; and(II) payment of the lump-sum credit or other payment would extinguish entitlement of the bankruptcy judge’s or magistrate judge’s spouse or former spouse to any portion of an annuity under subsection (i).
(B) Notification of a spouse or former spouse under this paragraph shall be made in accordance with such requirements as the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall by regulation prescribe. The Director may provide under such regulations that subparagraph (A)(i) may be waived with respect to a spouse or former spouse if the bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge establishes to the satisfaction of the Director that the whereabouts of such spouse or former spouse cannot be determined.
(C) The Director shall prescribe regulations under which this paragraph shall be applied in any case in which the Director receives two or more orders or decrees described in subparagraph (A).
(3)Definition.—For purposes of this subsection, the term “lump-sum credit” means the unrefunded amount consisting of—
(A) retirement deductions made under this section from the salary of a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge;
(B) amounts deposited under subsection (k) by a bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge covering earlier service; and
(C) interest on the deductions and deposits which, for any calendar year, shall be equal to the overall average yield to the Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund during the preceding fiscal year from all obligations purchased by the Secretary of the Treasury during such fiscal year under subsection (o);
but does not include interest—
(i) if the service covered thereby aggregates 1 year or less; or
(ii) for the fractional part of a month in the total service.
(o)Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund.—
(1)Establishment.—There is established in the Treasury a fund which shall be known as the “Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund”. The Fund is appropriated for the payment of annuities, refunds, and other payments under this section.
(2)Investment of fund.—The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest, in interest bearing securities of the United States, such currently available portions of the Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund as are not immediately required for payments from the Fund. The income derived from these investments constitutes a part of the Fund.
(3)Unfunded liability.—
(A) There are authorized to be appropriated to the Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund amounts required to reduce to zero the unfunded liability of the Fund.
(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “unfunded liability” means the estimated excess, determined on an annual basis in accordance with the provisions of section 9503 of title 31, of the present value of all benefits payable from the Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund over the sum of—
(i) the present value of deductions to be withheld under this section from the future basic pay of bankruptcy judges and magistrate judges; plus
(ii) the balance in the Fund as of the date the unfunded liability is determined.
In making any determination under this subparagraph, the Comptroller General shall use the applicable information contained in the reports filed pursuant to section 9503 of title 31, with respect to the retirement annuities provided for in this section.
(C) There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this paragraph.
(Added Pub. L. 100–659, § 2(a), Nov. 15, 1988, 102 Stat. 3910; amended Pub. L. 101–650, title III, §§ 321, 325(b)(3), Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117, 5121; Pub. L. 102–40, title IV, § 402(d)(2), May 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 239.)