28 U.S.C. § 671 Clerk

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-34 (published on www.congress.gov on 12/26/2023), except for [P. L. 118-31]
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 28 U.S.C. § 671

(a) The Supreme Court may appoint and fix the compensation of a clerk and one or more deputy clerks. The clerk shall be subject to removal by the Court. Deputy clerks shall be subject to removal by the clerk with the approval of the Court or the Chief Justice of the United States.

[(b) Repealed. Pub. L. 92-310, title II, §206(c), June 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 203.]

(c) The clerk may appoint and fix the compensation of necessary assistants and messengers with the approval of the Chief Justice of the United States.

(d) The clerk shall pay into the Treasury all fees, costs, and other moneys collected by him. He shall make annual returns thereof to the Court under regulations prescribed by it.

Cite as 28 U.S.C. § 671

Source: June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 918; Pub. L. 88-279, §1, Mar. 10, 1964, 78 Stat. 158; Pub. L. 92-310, title II, §206(c), June 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 203.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 5/22/2023

HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES

Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§325, 326, 327, 541 and 542 (Feb. 22, 1875, ch. 95, §§2, 3, 18 Stat. 333; Mar. 3, 1883, ch. 143, 22 Stat. 631; Mar. 15, 1898, ch. 68, §8, 30 Stat. 317; Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, §§219, 220, 221, 291, 36 Stat. 1152, 1153, 1167; June 10, 1921, ch. 18, §304, 42 Stat. 24).

This section consolidates sections 541 and 542 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., with parts of sections 325, 326 and 327 of such title.

The provisions in said section 325 relating to appointment of a marshal and reporter are incorporated in sections 672 and 673 of this title.

The provisions in section 327 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to duties and liabilities of the clerk's deputies are incorporated in section 954 of this title.

The provision of section 326 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., that a duly certified copy of the clerk's bond should be competent evidence in any court, is incorporated in section 1737 of this title.

The provision that the clerk shall be subject to removal by the Court is new. Section 327 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., contained a similar provision as to deputies, but fixed no term of office for the clerk and made no provision for his removal. The Supreme Court held, in 1839, that a district judge had power to remove his clerk at pleasure in absence of any law fixing the clerk's tenure. In re Hennen, 38 U.S. 230, 13 Pet. 230, 10 L.Ed. 138. (See, also Myers v. U.S., 1926, 47 S.Ct. 21, 272 U.S. 52, 71 L.Ed. 160.)

The provision in section 326 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., that the clerk's bond be not less than $5,000 and not more than $20,000 was omitted. The Supreme Court should have wide discretion in such administrative matters. (See Hearings before Appropriations Committee, House of Representatives, 78th Cong., 2d sess., on Judiciary Appropriation Bill for 1945, page 102.)