US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

28 U.S.C. § 526

Authority of Attorney General to investigate United States attorneys, marshals, trustees, clerks of court, and others

(a)
The Attorney General may investigate the official acts, records, and accounts of—
(1)
the United States attorneys, marshals, trustees, including trustees in cases under title 11; and
(2)
at the request and on behalf of the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, the clerks of the United States courts and of the district court of the Virgin Islands, probation officers, United States magistrate judges, and court reporters;
for which purpose all the official papers, rec­ords, dockets, and accounts of these officers, without exception, may be examined by agents of the Attorney General at any time.
(b)
Appropriations for the examination of judicial officers are available for carrying out this section.

Pub. L. 89–554, § 4(c)80 Stat. 615Pub. L. 95–598, title II92 Stat. 2662Pub. L. 99–554, title I, § 144(c)100 Stat. 3096Pub. L. 101–650, title III, § 321104 Stat. 5117Pub. L. 107–273, div. B, title IV, § 4003(b)(2)116 Stat. 1811(Added , , ; amended , §§ 219(a), (b), 220, , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Derivation

U.S. Code

Revised Statutes and

Statutes at Large

 

5 U.S.C. 341b.

July 28, 1950, ch. 503, § 4, 64 Stat. 380.

 

 

July 7, 1958, Pub. L. 85–508, § 12(q), 72 Stat. 349.

In subsection (b), the words “now or hereafter” and “the provisions of” are omitted as unnecessary.

Editorial Notes

Codification

Pub. L. 95–598, title IV, § 408(c)92 Stat. 2687Pub. L. 98–166, title II, § 20097 Stat. 1081Pub. L. 98–353, title III, § 32398 Stat. 358Pub. L. 99–429100 Stat. 985Pub. L. 99–500, § 101(b) [title II, § 200]100 Stat. 1783–39Pub. L. 99–591, § 101(b) [title II, § 200]100 Stat. 3341–39Pub. L. 99–554, title III, § 307(a)100 Stat. 3125Pub. L. 99–554, title III, § 307(b)100 Stat. 3125, , , as amended by , , ; , , ; , , ; , , , 1783–45, and , , , 3341–45; , , , provided for the deletion of any references to United States Trustees in this title at a prospective date, prior to repeal by , , .

Amendments

Pub. L. 107–273, § 4003(b)(2)(A)2002—, struck out “and” before “trustees” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 107–273, § 4003(b)(2)(B)Subsec. (a)(1). , substituted “marshals,” for “marshals,,”.

Pub. L. 99–554, § 144(c)(1)1986—, substituted “trustees” for “trustee” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 99–554, § 144(c)(2)(A)Subsec. (a)(1). , inserted reference to trustees in cases under title 11.

Pub. L. 99–554, § 144(c)(2)(B)Subsec. (a)(2). , struck out references to courts of the Canal Zone and trustees in cases under title 11.

Pub. L. 95–598, § 219(b)1978—, substituted “marshals, and trustee” for “and marshals” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 95–518, § 219(a)Subsec. (a)(1). , substituted “marshals, and trustees” for “and marshals”.

Pub. L. 95–598, § 220Subsec. (a)(2). , substituted “officers, trustees in cases under title 11” for “officers, referees, trustees and receivers in bankruptcy” and “magistrates” for “commissioners”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650section 631 of this title“United States magistrate judges” substituted for “United States magistrates” in subsec. (a)(2) pursuant to , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–554section 302(a) of Pub. L. 99–554section 581 of this titleAmendment by effective 30 days after , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Pub. L. 95–598section 402(c) of Pub. L. 95–598section 101 of Title 11Amendment by effective , see , set out as an Effective Date note preceding , Bankruptcy.