Public Law 119-87 (04/30/2026)

28 U.S.C. § 601

Creation; Director and Deputy Director

The Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall be maintained at the seat of government. It shall be supervised by a Director and a Deputy Director appointed and subject to removal by the Chief Justice of the United States, after consulting with the Judicial Conference. The Director and Deputy Director shall be deemed to be officers for purposes of title 5, United States Code.

June 25, 1948, ch. 646 62 Stat. 913 Pub. L. 86–370, § 5(a)(1)73 Stat. 652 Pub. L. 101–650, title III, § 307104 Stat. 5112 Pub. L. 104–317, title VI, § 602110 Stat. 3857 (, ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 302 Aug. 7, 1939, ch. 501, § 1 53 Stat. 1223 Based on title 28, U.S.C. 1940 ed., § 444 ( as added , ).

section 444 of title 28This section contains part of , U.S.C., 1940 ed. The remainder of said section 444 is incorporated in sections 603, 606 and 608 of this title.

Changes were made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 104–3171996— inserted at end “The Director and Deputy Director shall be deemed to be officers for purposes of title 5, United States Code.”

Pub. L. 101–6501990— substituted “Chief Justice of the United States, after consulting with the Judicial Conference” for “Supreme Court”.

Pub. L. 86–3701959— substituted “Deputy Director” for “Assistant Director”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1959 Amendment

Pub. L. 86–370section 7(a) of Pub. L. 86–370Amendment by effective , see .

Veterans’ Preference in Judicial Branch Appointments

Pub. L. 105–339, § 4(d)112 Stat. 3186

“(1)

In general .—

Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the Judicial Conference of the United States shall prescribe procedures to provide for—
“(A)
veterans’ preference in the consideration of applicants for employment, and in the conduct of any reductions in force, within the judicial branch; and
“(B)
redress for alleged violations of any rights provided for under subparagraph (A).
“(2)

Procedures .—

section 2108 of title 5Under the procedures, a preference eligible (as defined by , United States Code) shall be afforded preferences in a manner and to the extent consistent with preferences afforded to preference eligibles in the executive branch.
“(3)

Exclusions .—

Nothing in the procedures shall apply with respect to an applicant or employee—
“(A)
whose appointment is made by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate;
“(B)
whose appointment is as a judicial officer;
“(C)
whose appointment is required by statute to be made by or with the approval of a court or judicial officer; or
“(D)
section 3132(a)(2) of title 5 whose appointment is to a position, the duties of which are equivalent to those of a Senior Executive Service position (within the meaning of , United States Code).
“(4)

Definitions .—

section 376(a)(1) of title 28For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘judicial officer’ means a justice, judge, or magistrate judge listed in subparagraph (A), (B), (F), or (G) of , United States Code.
“(5)

Submission to congress; effective date.—

“(A)

Submission to congress .—

Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act [], the Judicial Conference of the United States shall submit a copy of the procedures prescribed under this subsection to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight [now Committee on Oversight and Accountability] and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Governmental Affairs [now Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs] and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate.
“(B)

Effective date .—

The procedures prescribed under this subsection shall take effect 13 months after the date of enactment of this Act.”
, , , provided that:

Reference to Assistant Director Deemed Reference to Deputy Director

Pub. L. 86–370, § 5(a)(4)73 Stat. 652

“Whenever the Assistant Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts is referred to in any other law, such reference shall be deemed to be to the Deputy Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts.”
, , , provided that:

Continuation of Law Existing on

Act June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 2(b) 62 Stat. 985

Provided, however“The provisions of title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, of the United States Code, set out in section 1 of this Act, with respect to the organization of each of the several courts therein provided for and of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, shall be construed as continuations of existing law, and the tenure of the judges, officers, and employees thereof and of the United States attorneys and marshals and their deputies and assistants, in office on the effective date of this Act [], shall not be affected by its enactment, but each of them shall continue to serve in the same capacity under the appropriate provisions of title 28, as set out in section 1 of this Act, pursuant to his prior appointment: , That each circuit court of appeals shall, as in said title 28 set out, hereafter be known as a United States court of appeals. No loss of rights, interruption of jurisdiction, or prejudice to matters pending in any of such courts on the effective date of this Act shall result from its enactment.”
, , provided that: