28 U.S.C. § 255 — Three-judge trials

Page 104 TITLE 28—JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE § 254 This section contains a part of section 296 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed. Other provisions of such section are in- corporated in sections 251, 252, 254, 456, 1581, 2071, 2639, and 2640 of this title. Provision respecting recommendations for appoint- ment, promotions, or otherwise affecting such clerical force, was omitted as unnecessary in view of section 871 of this title. The second paragraph is partly new and conforms with similar provisions of section 136(e) of this title, re- lating to the chief judges of district courts. The term ‘‘chief judge’’ was substituted for ‘‘pre- siding judge.’’ (See Reviser’s Note under section 136 of this title.) Changes were made in phraseology and arrangement. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1996—Pub. L. 104–317 struck out ‘‘; precedence of judges’’ after ‘‘chief judge’’ in section catchline and struck out subsecs. (d) and (e) which read as follows: ‘‘(d) Whenever the chief judge is unable to perform the duties of his office or the office is vacant, his pow- ers and duties shall devolve upon the judge next in precedence who is able to act, until such disability is removed or another chief judge is appointed and duly qualified. ‘‘(e) The chief judge shall have precedence and shall preside at any session which he attends. Other judges shall have precedence and shall preside according to the seniority of their commissions. Judges whose com- missions bear the same date shall have precedence ac- cording to seniority in age.’’ 1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–417 redesignated the Cus- toms Court as the Court of International Trade. 1970—Pub. L. 91–271 reorganized existing provisions into lettered subsecs. (a) to (e) and made minor changes in phraseology. 1959—Pub. L. 86–243 required the chief judge to super- vise the fiscal affairs and clerical force of the court, with the approval of the court. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1980 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 96–417 effective Nov. 1, 1980, and applicable with respect to civil actions pending on or commenced on or after such date, see section 701(a) of Pub. L. 96–417, set out as a note under section 251 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 91–271 effective Oct. 1, 1970, see section 122 of Pub. L. 91–271, set out as a note under section 256 of this title. SAVINGS PROVISION Amendment by Pub. L. 86–243 not to deprive Customs Court [now Court of International Trade] officers or employees of any rights, privileges, or civil service sta- tus, see section 4 of Pub. L. 86–243, set out as a note under section 871 of this title. § 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.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES 1948 ACT Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 296 (Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, 187(a), as added Oct. 10, 1940, ch. 843, § 1, 54 Stat. 1101). This section contains a part of section 296 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed. Other provisions of such section are in- corporated in sections 251, 252, 253, 456, 1581, 2071, 2639, and 2640 of this title. Words ‘‘when in the opinion of such division or judge the ends of justice so require,’’ which followed the phrase ‘‘grant a rehearing or retrial,’’ were omitted as surplusage. The term ‘‘chief judge’’ was substituted for ‘‘pre- siding judge.’’ (See reviser’s note under section 136 of this title.) The phrase ‘‘petitions for remission of additional du- ties’’ was added to the first paragraph at the suggestion of the court to conform to existing practice. Reappraisement appeals are heard by a single judge and reviewed by a division. (See sections 2631 and 2636 of this title.) The provision of section 296 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., that the presiding judge shall designate one of the three judges of a division to preside over such division was omitted as in conflict with section 253 of this title (also taken from section 296 of title 28 U.S.C., 1940 ed.), which provides that judges shall preside according to the seniority of their commissions. The latter provision is in accord with present practice. Changes were made in arrangement and phraseology. 1949 ACT This amendment clarifies section 254 of title 28, U.S.C., by restoring language of the original law. Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS Provisions similar to those relating to the assign- ment of judges to hear and determine cases, and provi- sions similar to those authorizing the chief judge to designate judges to hear and determine cases within the jurisdiction of the United States, formerly con- tained in this section, are covered by sections 255 and 256 of this title, respectively. AMENDMENTS 1980—Pub. L. 96–417 redesignated the Customs Court as the Court of International Trade. 1970—Pub. L. 91–271 substituted in section catchline ‘‘Single-judge trials’’ for ‘‘Divisions; powers and assign- ments’’ and substituted provisions in text requiring the judicial power of the Customs Court with respect to any action, suit, or proceeding to be exercised by a sin- gle judge, for provisions setting forth the powers of the chief judge of the Customs Court with respect to the or- ganization of such Court into divisions, and the assign- ment of judges to hear and determine pending cases. 1949—Act May 24, 1949, inserted ‘‘to hear or’’ before ‘‘to hear and determine’’ in third par. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1980 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 96–417 effective Nov. 1, 1980, and applicable with respect to civil actions pending on or commenced on or after such date, see section 701(a) of Pub. L. 96–417, set out as a note under section 251 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 91–271 effective Oct. 1, 1970, see section 122 of Pub. L. 91–271, set out as a note under section 256 of this title. § 255. Three-judge trials (a) Upon application of any party to a civil ac- tion, or upon his own initiative, the chief judge Page 105 TITLE 28—JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE § 257 of the Court of International Trade shall des- ignate 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 administra- tion 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.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 255 was renumbered section 257 of this title. AMENDMENTS 1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–417 redesignated the Cus- toms Court as the Court of International Trade. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1980 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 96–417 effective Nov. 1, 1980, and applicable with respect to civil actions pending on or commenced on or after such date, see section 701(a) of Pub. L. 96–417, set out as a note under section 251 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective Oct. 1, 1970, see section 122 of Pub. L. 91–271, set out as a note under section 256 of this title. § 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 in- terests of economy, efficiency, and justice will be served, the chief judge may issue an order au- thorizing 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 provi- sions 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 ap- peal. (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.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1982—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–164 substituted ‘‘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’’ for ‘‘section 1541(b) of this title, subject to the discretion of the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals as set forth in that section’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1982 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 97–164 effective Oct. 1, 1982, see section 402 of Pub. L. 97–164, set out as a note under section 171 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE Pub. L. 91–271, title I, § 122, June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 281, provided that: ‘‘(a) This title [see Short Title of 1970 Amendment note set out under section 1 of this title] shall become effective on October 1, 1970, and shall thereafter apply to all actions and proceedings in the Customs Court and the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals except those involving merchandise entered before the effec- tive date for which trial has commenced by such effec- tive date. ‘‘(b) An appeal for reappraisement timely filed with the Bureau of Customs before the effective date, but as to which trial has not commenced by such date, shall be deemed to have had a summons timely and properly filed under this title. When the judgment or order of the United States Customs Court has become final in this appeal, the papers shall be returned to the appro- priate customs officer to decide any remaining matters relating to the entry in accordance with section 500 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended [section 1500 of Title 19, Customs Duties]. A protest or summons filed after final decision on an appeal for reappraisement shall not include issues which were raised or could have been raised on the appeal for reappraisement. ‘‘(c) A protest timely filed with the Bureau of Cus- toms before the effective date of enactment of this Act [June 2, 1970], which is disallowed before that date, and as to which trial has not commenced by such date, shall be deemed to have had a summons timely and properly filed under this title. ‘‘(d) All other provisions of this Act [see Short Title notes set out under section 1 of this title and section 1500 of Title 19] shall apply to appeals and disallowed protests deemed to have had summonses timely and properly filed under this section.’’ § 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; renum- bered § 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.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Based on section 1519 of title 19, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Cus- toms Duties (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 519, 46 Stat. 739). Changes in phraseology were made. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1980—Pub. L. 96–417 redesignated the Customs Court as the Court of International Trade. 1970—Pub. L. 91–271 inserted ‘‘or his designee’’ after ‘‘Secretary of the Treasury,’’ and substituted ‘‘to the appropriate customs officer’’ for ‘‘the collector’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1980 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 96–417 effective Nov. 1, 1980, and applicable with respect to civil actions pending on