28 U.S.C. § 451 - Definitions

• Cite as: 28 U.S.C. § 451

As used in this title:

The term "court of the United States" includes the Supreme Court of the United States, courts of appeals, district courts constituted by chapter 5 of this title, including the Court of International Trade and any court created by Act of Congress the judges of which are entitled to hold office during good behavior.

The terms "district court" and "district court of the United States" mean the courts constituted by chapter 5 of this title.

The term "judge of the United States" includes judges of the courts of appeals, district courts, Court of International Trade and any court created by Act of Congress, the judges of which are entitled to hold office during good behavior.

The term "justice of the United States" includes the Chief Justice of the United States and the associate justices of the Supreme Court.

The terms "district" and "judicial district" means the districts enumerated in Chapter 5 of this title.

The term "department" means one of the executive departments enumerated in section 1 of Title 5, unless the context shows that such term was intended to describe the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of the government.

The term "agency" includes any department, independent establishment, commission, administration, authority, board or bureau of the United States or any corporation in which the United States has a proprietary interest, unless the context shows that such term was intended to be used in a more limited sense.

Cite as 28 U.S.C. § 451

Source: June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 907; Pub. L. 86-3, §10, Mar. 18, 1959, 73 Stat. 9; Pub. L. 89-571, §3, Sept. 12, 1966, 80 Stat. 764; Pub. L. 95-598, title II, §213, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2661; Pub. L. 96-417, title V, §501(10), Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1742; Pub. L. 97-164, title I, §114, Apr. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 29.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 5/22/2023

HISTORICAL AND REVISIONS NOTES

This section was inserted to make possible a greater simplification in consolidation of the provisions incorporated in this title.

The definitions of agency and department conform with such definitions in section 6 of revised title 18, U.S.C. (H.R. 3190, 80th Cong.).

SENATE REVISION AMENDMENT

Those provisions of this section which related to the Tax Court were eliminated by Senate amendment. See 80th Congress Senate Report No. 1559.

EDITORIAL NOTES

REFERENCES IN TEXT

Section 1 of Title 5, referred to in text, is section 1 of former Title 5, Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees, the provisions of which are covered by section 101 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.