Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 96 Part 1.djvu/69

 PUBLIC LAW 97-164—APR. 2, 1982

96 STAT. 27

"CHAPTER 7—UNITED STATES CLAIMS COURT "Sec. "171. Appointment and number of judges; character of court; designation of chief judge. "172. Tenure and salaries of judges. "173. Times and places of holding court "174. Assignment of judges; decisions. "175. Official duty station; residence. "176. Removal from office. "177. Disbarment of removed judges.

"§ 171. Appointment and number of judges; character of court; 28 USC i7i. designation of chief judge "(a) The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, sixteen judges who shall constitute a court of record known as the United States Claims Court. The court is declared to be a court established under article I of the Constitution of the United States. use prec. "(h) The President shall designate one of the judges of the Claims **® ^• ^^ Court who is less than seventy years of age to serve as chief judge. The chief judge may continue to serve as such until he reaches the age of seventy years or until another judge is designated as chief judge by the President. After the designation of another judge to serve as chief judge, the former chief judge may continue to serve as a judge of the court for the balance of the term to which appointed. "§ 172. Tenure and salaries of judges 28 USC 172 "(a) Each judge of the United States Claims Court shall be appointed for a term of fifteen years. "(b) Each judge shall receive a salary at an annual rate determined under section 225 of the Federal Salary Act of 1967 (2 U.S.C. 351-361), as adjusted by section 461 of this title. 28 USC 173. "The principal office of the United States Claims Court shall be in the District of Columbia, but the Claims Court may hold court at such times and in such places as it may fix by rule of court. The times and places of the sessions of the Claims Court shall be prescribed with a view to securing reasonable opportunity to citizens to appear before the Claims Court with as little inconvenience and expense to citizens as is practicable. "§ 174. Assignment of judges; decisions 28 USC 174. "(a) The judicial power of the United States Claims Court with respect to any action, suit, or proceeding, except congressional reference cases, 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. "(b) All decisions of the Claims Court shall be preserved and open to inspection. "§ 175. Official duty station; residence 28 USC 175. "(a) The official duty station of each judge of the United States Claims Court is the District of Columbia, "(b) After appointment and while in active service, each judge shall reside within fifty miles of the District of Columbia.
 * § 173. Times and places of holding court

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