§ 620. — Federal Judicial Center.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 28USC620]
TITLE 28--JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE
PART III--COURT OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES
CHAPTER 42--FEDERAL JUDICIAL CENTER
Sec. 620. Federal Judicial Center
(a) There is established within the judicial branch of the
Government a Federal Judicial Center, whose purpose it shall be to
further the development and adoption of improved judicial administration
in the courts of the United States.
(b) The Center shall have the following functions:
(1) to conduct research and study of the operation of the courts
of the United States, and to stimulate and coordinate such research
and study on the part of other public and private persons and
agencies;
(2) to develop and present for consideration by the Judicial
Conference of the United States recommendations for improvement of
the administration and management of the courts of the United
States;
(3) to stimulate, create, develop, and conduct programs of
continuing education and training for personnel of the judicial
branch of the Government and other persons whose participation in
such programs would improve the operation of the judicial branch,
including, but not limited to, judges, United States magistrate
judges, clerks of court, probation officers, and persons serving as
mediators and arbitrators;
(4) insofar as may be consistent with the performance of the
other functions set forth in this section, to provide staff,
research, and planning assistance to the Judicial Conference of the
United States and its committees;
(5) Insofar \1\ as may be consistent with the performance of the
other functions set forth in this section, to cooperate with the
State Justice Institute in the establishment and coordination of
research and programs concerning the administration of justice; and
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\1\ So in original. Probably should not be capitalized.
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(6) insofar as may be consistent with the performance of the
other functions set forth in this section, to cooperate with and
assist agencies of the Federal Government and other appropriate
organizations in providing information and advice to further
improvement in the administration of justice in the courts of
foreign countries and to acquire information about judicial
administration in foreign countries that may contribute to
performing the other functions set forth in this section.
(Added Pub. L. 90-219, title I, Sec. 101, Dec. 20, 1967, 81 Stat. 664;
amended Pub. L. 95-598, title II, Sec. 227, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2665;
Pub. L. 98-620, title II, Sec. 214, Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3346; Pub. L.
99-336, Sec. 6(b), June 19, 1986, 100 Stat. 639; Pub. L. 100-702, title
III, Sec. 303, Nov. 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 4648; Pub. L. 101-650, title
III, Sec. 321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117; Pub. L. 102-572, title VI,
Sec. 602(a), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4514.)
Amendments
1992--Subsec. (b)(6). Pub. L. 102-572 added par. (6).
1988--Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 100-702 amended par. (3) generally.
Prior to amendment, par. (3) read as follows: ``to stimulate, create,
develop, and conduct programs of continuing education and training for
personnel of the judicial branch of the Government, including, but not
limited to, judges, clerks of court, probation officers, and United
States magistrates;''.
1986--Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 99-336 struck out ``referees,'' after
``judges,'' and substituted ``magistrates'' for ``commissioners''.
1984--Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 98-620 added par. (5).
1978--Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 95-598 directed the amendment of par.
(3) by striking out ``referees,'' and by substituting ``magistrates''
for ``commissioners'', which amendment did not become effective pursuant
to section 402(b) of Pub. L. 95-598, as amended, set out as an Effective
Date note preceding section 101 of Title 11, Bankruptcy.
Change of Name
``United States magistrate judges'' substituted for ``United States
magistrates'' in subsec. (b)(3) pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101-
650, set out as a note under section 631 of this title.
Effective Date of 1992 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 102-572 effective Jan. 1, 1993, see section
1101(a) of Pub. L. 102-572, set out as a note under section 905 of Title
2, The Congress.
Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
Section 6(c) of Pub. L. 99-336 provided that: ``The amendments made
by this section [amending this section and section 288d of Title 2, The
Congress, and redesignating sections 1364 to 1366 of this title] shall
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [June 19, 1986].''
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 98-620 effective Oct. 1, 1985, see section 216
of Pub. L. 98-620, set out as a note under section 10701 of Title 42,
The Public Health and Welfare.
Study of Intercircuit Conflicts and Structural Alternatives for Courts
of Appeals by Federal Judicial Center
Pub. L. 101-650, title III, Sec. 302, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5104,
as amended by Pub. L. 102-572, title V, Sec. 502(c), Oct. 29, 1992, 106
Stat. 4513, directed Board of the Federal Judicial Center to conduct
study and submit report to Congress by Jan. 1, 1992, on number and
frequency of conflicts among judicial circuits in interpreting law that
remain unresolved because they are not heard by the Supreme Court, and
further directed Board to study full range of structural alternatives
for Federal Courts of Appeals and submit report on the study to Congress
and Judicial Conference of the United States, no later than 2 years and
9 months after Dec. 1, 1990.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in title 42 section 14001.