Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 5.djvu/108

 102 STAT. 4114

PUBLIC LAW 100-687—NOV. 18, 1988

"(c) Decisions by the Court are subject to review as provided in section 4092 of this title. "§ 4053. Composition "(a) The Court of Veterans Appeals shall be composed of a chief judge and at least two and not more than six associate judges. President of U.S. "(b) The judges of the Court shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, solely on the grounds of fitness to perform the duties of the office. A person may not be appointed to the Court who is not a member in good standing of the bar of a Federal court or of the highest court of a State. Not more than the number equal to the next whole number greater than one-half of the number of judges of the Court may be members of the same political party. "(c) The term of office of the judges of the Court of Veterans Appeals shall be 15 years. "(d) The chief judge is the head of the Court. "(e)(1) The chief judge of the Court shall receive a salary at the same rate as is received by judges of the United States Courts of Appeals. "(2) Each judge of the Court, other than the chief judge, shall receive a salary at the same rate as is received by judges of the United States district courts. "(f)(1) A judge of the Court may be removed from office by the President on grounds of misconduct, neglect of duty, engaging in the practice of law, or physical or mental disability which, in the opinion of the President, prevents the proper execution of the judge's duties. A judge of the Court may not be removed from office by the President on any other ground. "(2) Before a judge may be removed from office under this subsection, the judge shall be provided with a full specification of the reasons for the removal and an opportunity to be heard. "§ 4054. Organization "(a) The Court of Veterans Appeals shall have a seal which shall be judicially noticed. "(b) The Court may hear cases by judges sitting alone or in panels, as determined pursuant to procedures established by the Court. Any such panel shall have not less than three judges. The Court shall establish procedures for the assignment of the judges of the Court to such panels and for the designation of the chief of each such panel. "(c)(1) A majority of the judges of the Court shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of the Court. A vacancy in the Court shall not impair the powers or affect the duties of the Court or of the remaining judges of the Court. "(2) A majority of the judges of a panel of the Court shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of the panel. A vacancy in a panel of the Court shall not impair the powers or affect the duties of the panel or of the remaining judges of the panel. District of Columbia.

"§ 4055. Offices "The principal office of the Court of Veterans Appeals shall be in the District of Columbia, but the Court may sit at any place within the United States.

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