II

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1145

To provide for the appointment of additional Federal circuit and district

judges, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MAY 27, 1999

Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. REID, Mr. ROBB,

Mr. AKAKA, Mr. SCHUMER, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, and Mr. EDWARDS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To provide for the appointment of additional Federal circuit

and district judges, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Judgeship Act

5 of 1999’’.

6 SEC. 2. CIRCUIT JUDGES FOR THE CIRCUIT COURT OF AP7 PEALS.

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall appoint, by

9 and with the advice and consent of the Senate—
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1 (1) 1 additional circuit judge for the first cir2 cuit court of appeals;

3 (2) 2 additional circuit judges for the second

4 circuit court of appeals;

5 (3) 2 additional circuit judges for the sixth cir6 cuit court of appeals; and

7 (4) 2 additional circuit judges for the ninth cir8 cuit court of appeals.

9 (b) TEMPORARY JUDGESHIPS.—The President shall

10 appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the

11 Senate—

12 (1) 1 additional circuit judge for the sixth cir13 cuit court of appeals; and

14 (2) 3 additional circuit judges for the ninth cir15 cuit court of appeals.

16 Seven years after the confirmation date of the first judge

17 named to fill a temporary judgeship created in the circuit

18 by this subsection, vacancies in the judicial circuits named

19 in this subsection shall be filled only when the number

20 of active judges on the circuit is less than the number of

21 judgeships authorized for the circuit by section 44 of title

22 28, United States Code.

23 (c) TABLES.—In order that the table contained in

24 section 44 of title 28, United States Code, will, with re25 spect to each judicial circuit, reflect the changes in the
3

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1 total number of permanent circuit judgeships authorized

2 as a result of subsection (a) of this section, such table

3 is amended to read as follows:

‘‘Circuits Number of Judges

District of Columbia ................................................................ 12

First ......................................................................................... 7

Second ...................................................................................... 15

Third ........................................................................................ 14

Fourth ...................................................................................... 15

Fifth ......................................................................................... 17

Sixth ......................................................................................... 18

Seventh ..................................................................................... 11

Eighth ...................................................................................... 11

Ninth ........................................................................................ 30

Tenth ........................................................................................ 12

Eleventh ................................................................................... 12

Federal ..................................................................................... 12.’’.

4 SEC. 3. DISTRICT JUDGES FOR THE DISTRICT COURTS.

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall appoint, by

6 and with the advice and consent of the Senate—

7 (1) 1 additional district judge for the northern

8 district of Alabama;

9 (2) 1 additional district judge for the middle

10 district of Alabama;

11 (3) 3 additional district judges for the district

12 of Arizona;

13 (4) 1 additional district judge for the eastern

14 district of California;

15 (5) 3 additional district judges for the southern

16 district of California;

17 (6) 1 additional district judge for the district of

18 Colorado;
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1 (7) 5 additional district judges for the middle

2 district of Florida;

3 (8) 2 additional district judges for the southern

4 district of Florida;

5 (9) 1 additional district judge for the district of

6 Maryland;

7 (10) 2 additional district judges for the district

8 of Nevada;

9 (11) 1 additional district judge for the district

10 of New Mexico;

11 (12) 3 additional district judges for the eastern

12 district of New York;

13 (13) 1 additional district judge for the western

14 district of North Carolina;

15 (14) 1 additional district judge for the district

16 of South Carolina;

17 (15) 1 additional district judge for the northern

18 district of Texas;

19 (16) 2 additional district judges for the south20 ern district of Texas;

21 (17) 2 additional district judges for the western

22 district of Texas; and

23 (18) 2 additional district judges for the eastern

24 district of Virginia.
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1 (b) TEMPORARY JUDGESHIPS.—The President shall

2 appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the

3 Senate—

4 (1) 1 additional district judge for the northern

5 district of Alabama;

6 (2) 1 additional district judge for the southern

7 district of Alabama;

8 (3) 1 additional district judge for the eastern

9 district of Arkansas;

10 (4) 3 additional district judges for the district

11 of Arizona;

12 (5) 1 additional district judge for the eastern

13 district of California;

14 (6) 1 additional district judge for the northern

15 district of California;

16 (7) 1 additional district judge for the southern

17 district of California;

18 (8) 1 additional district judge for the district of

19 Colorado;

20 (9) 1 additional district judge for the district of

21 Hawaii;

22 (10) 1 additional district judge for the southern

23 district of Indiana;

24 (11) 1 additional district judge for the eastern

25 district of Kentucky;
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1 (12) 1 additional district judge for the district

2 of Minnesota;

3 (13) 1 additional district judge for the western

4 district of Missouri;

5 (14) 1 additional district judge for the district

6 of Nevada;

7 (15) 1 additional district judge for the district

8 of New Mexico;

9 (16) 1 additional district judge for the northern

10 district of New York;

11 (17) 1 additional district judge for the western

12 district of New York;

13 (18) 1 additional district judge for the western

14 district of North Carolina;

15 (19) 1 additional district judge for the southern

16 district of Ohio;

17 (20) 1 additional district judge for the district

18 of Oregon;

19 (21) 1 additional district judge for the eastern

20 district of Tennessee;

21 (22) 1 additional district judge for the eastern

22 district of Texas; and

23 (23) 1 additional district judge for the western

24 district of Washington.
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1 Seven years after the confirmation date of the first judge

2 named to fill a temporary judgeship created in the district

3 by this subsection, vacancies in the judicial districts

4 named in this subsection shall be filled only when the

5 number of active judges on the district is less than the

6 number of judgeships authorized for the district by section

7 133 of title 28, United States Code.

8 (c) EXISTING JUDGESHIPS.—The existing judgeships

9 for the eastern district of California, the district of Ha10 waii, the central district of Illinois, the southern district

11 of Illinois, the district of Kansas, the eastern district of

12 Missouri, the district of Nebraska, the northern district

13 of New York, the northern district of Ohio, and the east14 ern district of Virginia authorized by section 203(c) of the

15 Judicial Improvements Act of 1990 (Public Law 101–650,

16 104 Stat. 5089) as amended by Public Law 105–53, as

17 of the effective date of this Act, shall be authorized under

18 section 133 of title 28, United States Code, and the in19 cumbents in those offices shall hold the office under sec20 tion 133 of title 28, United States Code, as amended by

21 this Act.

22 (d) TABLES.—In order that the table contained in

23 section 133 of title 28, United States Code, will, with re24 spect to each judicial district, reflect the changes in the

25 total number of permanent district judgeships authorized
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1 as a result of subsections (a) and (c) of this section, such

2 table is amended to read as follows:

‘‘Districts Judges

Alabama:

Northern ........................................................................................... 8

Middle ............................................................................................... 4

Southern ............................................................................................ 3

Alaska ....................................................................................................... 3

Arizona ...................................................................................................... 11

Arkansas:

Eastern ............................................................................................. 5

Western ............................................................................................. 3

California:

Northern ........................................................................................... 14

Eastern ............................................................................................. 8

Central .............................................................................................. 27

Southern ............................................................................................ 11

Colorado .................................................................................................... 8

Connecticut ............................................................................................... 8

Delaware ................................................................................................... 4

District of Columbia ................................................................................. 15

Florida:

Northern ........................................................................................... 4

Middle ............................................................................................... 16

Southern ............................................................................................ 18

Georgia:

Northern ........................................................................................... 11

Middle ............................................................................................... 4

Southern ............................................................................................ 3

Hawaii ....................................................................................................... 4

Idaho ......................................................................................................... 2

Illinois:

Northern ........................................................................................... 22

Central .............................................................................................. 4

Southern ............................................................................................ 4

Indiana:

Northern ........................................................................................... 5

Southern ............................................................................................ 5

Iowa:

Northern ........................................................................................... 2

Southern ............................................................................................ 3

Kansas ...................................................................................................... 6

Kentucky:

Eastern ............................................................................................. 4

Western ............................................................................................. 4

Eastern and Western ........................................................................ 1

Louisiana:

Eastern ............................................................................................. 12

Middle ............................................................................................... 3

Western ............................................................................................. 7

Maine ........................................................................................................ 3

Maryland ................................................................................................... 11

Massachusetts ........................................................................................... 13
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Michigan:

Eastern ............................................................................................. 15

Western ............................................................................................. 4

Minnesota .................................................................................................. 7

Mississippi:

Northern ........................................................................................... 3

Southern ............................................................................................ 6

Missouri:

Eastern ............................................................................................. 7

Western ............................................................................................. 5

Eastern and Western ........................................................................ 2

Montana .................................................................................................... 3

Nebraska ................................................................................................... 4

Nevada ...................................................................................................... 6

New Hampshire ........................................................................................ 3

New Jersey ................................................................................................ 17

New Mexico ............................................................................................... 6

New York:

Northern ........................................................................................... 5

Southern ............................................................................................ 28

Eastern ............................................................................................. 18

Western ............................................................................................. 4

North Carolina:

Eastern ............................................................................................. 4

Middle ............................................................................................... 4

Western ............................................................................................. 4

North Dakota ............................................................................................ 2

Ohio:

Northern ........................................................................................... 12

Southern ............................................................................................ 8

Oklahoma:

Northern ........................................................................................... 3

Eastern ............................................................................................. 1

Western ............................................................................................. 6

Northern, Eastern, and Western ...................................................... 1

Oregon ....................................................................................................... 6

Pennsylvania:

Eastern ............................................................................................. 22

Middle ............................................................................................... 6

Western ............................................................................................. 10

Puerto Rico ............................................................................................... 7

Rhode Island ............................................................................................. 3

South Carolina .......................................................................................... 10

South Dakota ............................................................................................ 3

Tennessee:

Eastern ............................................................................................. 5

Middle ............................................................................................... 4

Western ............................................................................................. 5

Texas:

Northern ........................................................................................... 13

Southern ............................................................................................ 20

Eastern ............................................................................................. 7

Western ............................................................................................. 12

Utah .......................................................................................................... 5

Vermont .................................................................................................... 2
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Virginia:

Eastern ............................................................................................. 12

Western ............................................................................................. 4

Washington:

Eastern ............................................................................................. 4

Western ............................................................................................. 7

West Virginia:

Northern ........................................................................................... 3

Southern ............................................................................................ 5

Wisconsin:

Eastern ............................................................................................. 4

Western ............................................................................................. 2

Wyoming ................................................................................................... 3.’’.

1 SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF ARTICLE III COURTS IN THE

2 NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS AND THE VIR3 GIN ISLANDS.

4 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF JUDICIAL DISTRICTS.—

5 (1) NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS.—Chapter 5

6 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by in7 serting after section 114 the following new section:

8 ‘‘§ 114A. Northern Mariana Islands

9 ‘‘The Northern Mariana Islands constitutes 1 judicial

10 district. Court shall be held at Saipan.’’.

11 (2) VIRGIN ISLANDS.—Chapter 5 of title 28,

12 United States Code, is amended by inserting after

13 section 126 the following new section:

14 ‘‘§ 126A. Virgin Islands

15 ‘‘The Virgin Islands constitutes 1 judicial district com16 prising 2 divisions.

17 ‘‘(1) The Saint Croix Division comprises the Island of

18 Saint Croix and adjacent islands and cays.
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1 ‘‘Court for the Saint Croix Division shall be held at

2 Christiansted.

3 ‘‘(2) The Saint Thomas and Saint John Division com4 prises the Islands of Saint Thomas and Saint John

5 and adjacent islands and cays.

6 ‘‘Court for the Saint Thomas and Saint John Division

7 shall be held at Charlotte-Amalie.’’.

8 (3) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMEND9 MENT.—The table of contents for chapter 5 of title

10 28, United States Code, is amended—

11 (A) by inserting after the item relating to

12 section 114 the following:

‘‘114A. Northern Mariana Islands.’’;

13 and

14 (B) by inserting after the item relating to

15 section 126 the following:

‘‘126A. Virgin Islands.’’.

16 (b) COMPOSITION OF NINTH CIRCUIT.—Section 41

17 of title 28, United States Code, is amended in the matter

18 relating to the ninth circuit by inserting ‘‘, Northern Mar19 iana Islands’’ after ‘‘Hawaii’’.

20 (c) NUMBER OF JUDGES.—Section 133(a) of title 28,

21 United States Code, is amended—

22 (1) by inserting after the item relating to North

23 Dakota the following:

‘‘Northern Mariana Islands ..................................................... 1’’;
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1 and

2 (2) by inserting after the item relating to

3 Vermont the following:

‘‘Virgin Islands ........................................................................ 2’’.

4 (d) BANKRUPTCY JUDGES.—Section 152(a)(2) of

5 title 28, United States Code, is amended—

6 (1) by inserting after the item relating to North

7 Dakota the following:

‘‘Northern Mariana Islands ..................................................... 0’’;

8 and

9 (2) by inserting after the item relating to

10 Vermont the following:

‘‘Virgin Islands ........................................................................ 0’’.

11 (e) ASSIGNMENT OF JUDGES.—

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 13 of title 28,

13 United States Code, is amended by adding after sec14 tion 297 the following:

15 ‘‘§ 298. Assignment to the United States District

16 Court for the Northern Mariana Islands

17 ‘‘In addition to the judges authorized to be des18 ignated by sections 291 and 292, the Chief Judge of the

19 United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit may

20 assign judges of courts of record of the Northern Mariana

21 Islands or Guam, including a judge of the District Court

22 of Guam who is appointed by the President or a recalled

23 senior judge of the District Court of Guam, to serve tem-
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1 porarily as a judge in the United States District Court

2 for the Northern Mariana Islands whenever such an as3 signment is necessary for the proper dispatch of the busi4 ness of the court. Such designated judges shall have the

5 powers of a magistrate judge.’’.

6 (2) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMEND7 MENT.—The table of sections for chapter 13 of title

8 28, United States Code, is amended by adding after

9 the item relating to section 297 the following:

‘‘298. Assignment to the United States District Court for the Northern Mariana

Islands.’’.

10 (f) JUDICIAL CONFERENCES OF CIRCUITS.—Section

11 333 of title 28, United States Code, is amended in the

12 third sentence of the first undesignated paragraph by

13 striking ‘‘, the District Court of the Virgin Islands, and

14 the District Court of the Northern Mariana Islands may

15 also be summoned biennially, and may be summoned an16 nually, to the conferences of their respective circuits’’ and

17 inserting ‘‘may also be summoned biennially, and may be

18 summoned annually, to the conference of the ninth cir19 cuit’’.

20 (g) JUDGES IN TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS.—

21 Section 373 of title 28, United States Code, is amended—

22 (1) in subsection (a) by striking ‘‘, the District

23 Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Dis24 trict Court of the Virgin Islands’’; and
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1 (2) in subsection (e) by striking ‘‘, the District

2 Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Dis3 trict Court of the Virgin Islands’’.

4 (h) ANNUITIES FOR SURVIVORS OF CERTAIN JUDI5 CIAL OFFICIALS OF THE UNITED STATES.—Section

6 376(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended—

7 (1) in paragraph (1)(B) by striking ‘‘, the Dis8 trict Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the

9 District Court of the Virgin Islands’’; and

10 (2) in paragraph (2)(B) by striking ‘‘, the Dis11 trict Court of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the

12 District Court of the Virgin Islands,’’.

13 (i) AUTHORITY OF ATTORNEY GENERAL.—Section

14 526(a)(2) of title 28, United States Code, is amended by

15 striking ‘‘and of the district court of the Virgin Islands’’.

16 (j) COURTS DEFINED.—Section 610 of title 28,

17 United States Code, is amended—

18 (1) by striking ‘‘the United States District

19 Court for the District of the Canal Zone,’’; and

20 (2) by striking ‘‘the District Court of the Virgin

21 Islands,’’.

22 (k) UNITED STATES MAGISTRATES.—Section 631 of

23 title 28, United States Code, is amended—

24 (1) in subsection (a)—
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1 (A) by striking ‘‘and the district court of

2 the Virgin Islands’’ in the first sentence; and

3 (B) by striking the second sentence; and

4 (2) in subsection (b)(1) by inserting ‘‘the Com5 monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,’’ after

6 ‘‘Puerto Rico,’’.

7 (l) COURT REPORTERS.—Section 753(a) of title 28,

8 United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘, the United

9 States District Court for the District of the Canal Zone,

10 the District Court of Guam, and the District Court of the

11 Virgin Islands’’ and inserting ‘‘and the District Court of

12 Guam’’.

13 (m) FINAL DECISIONS OF DISTRICT COURTS.—Sec14 tion 1291 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by

15 striking ‘‘, the United States District Court for the Dis16 trict of the Canal Zone, the District Court of Guam, and

17 the District Court of the Virgin Islands,’’ and inserting

18 ‘‘and the District Court of Guam,’’.

19 (n) INTERLOCUTORY DECISIONS.—Section 1292 of

20 title 28, United States Code, is amended—

21 (1) in subsection (a) by striking ‘‘, the United

22 States District Court for the District of the Canal

23 Zone, the District Court of Guam, and the District

24 Court of the Virgin Islands,’’ and inserting ‘‘and the

25 District Court of Guam,’’; and
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1 (2) in subsection (d)(4) by striking ‘‘, the Dis2 trict Court of Guam, the District Court of the Vir3 gin Islands, or the District Court for the Northern

4 Mariana Islands,’’ and inserting ‘‘or the District

5 Court of Guam’’.

6 (o) JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES COURT

7 OF APPEALS FOR THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT.—Section

8 1295(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended in

9 paragraphs (1) and (2) by striking ‘‘, the United States

10 District Court for the District of the Canal Zone, the Dis11 trict Court of Guam, or the District Court for the North12 ern Mariana Islands’’ and inserting ‘‘or the District Court

13 of Guam’’.

14 (p) DIVERSITY JURISDICTION.—Section 1332(d) of

15 title 28, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘and

16 the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico’’ and inserting ‘‘the

17 Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Commonwealth of

18 the Northern Mariana Islands’’.

19 (q) UNITED STATES AS DEFENDANT.—Section

20 1346(b) of title 28, United States Code, is amended by

21 striking ‘‘, together with the United States District Court

22 for the District of the Canal Zone and the District Court

23 of the Virgin Islands,’’.

24 (r) CIVIL COMMITMENT.—Section 2901(e) of title 28,

25 United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘the Canal
17

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1 Zone, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico’’, and insert2 ing ‘‘the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the Common3 wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’’.

4 (s) ADEQUATE REPRESENTATION OF DEFEND5 ANTS.—Section 3006A(j) of title 18, United States Code,

6 is amended by striking ‘‘, the District Court of the Virgin

7 Islands, the District Court for the Northern Mariana Is8 lands,’’.

9 (t) SAVINGS PROVISIONS.—The amendments made

10 by this section shall not affect the rights of any judge who

11 may have retired before the effective date of this section.

12 Service as a judge of the District Court for the Northern

13 Mariana Islands or the District Court of the Virgin Is14 lands before the effective date of this section shall be in15 cluded in calculating service under sections 371, 372, 373,

16 and 376 of title 28, United States Code, as appropriate.

17 The term of office of an incumbent judge of the District

18 Court for the Northern Mariana Islands or of the District

19 Court of the Virgin Islands shall terminate upon a vacancy

20 in the office by expiration of the term or otherwise. Upon

21 termination of an incumbent judge, the President shall ap22 point, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,

23 a judge who shall hold office during good behavior.

24 (u) AMENDMENTS TO ACT TO CREATE THE DISTRICT

25 COURT OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS.—
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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Act of November 8,

2 1977 (Public Law 95–157; 91 Stat. 1265) is

3 amended—

4 (A) in section 4(a) (48 U.S.C. 1824(a))—

5 (i) by striking ‘‘(a)’’;

6 (ii) by striking ‘‘, except as otherwise

7 provided in article IV of the covenant’’;

8 (iii) by striking all beginning with ‘‘,

9 unless those cases are reviewable in the

10 District Court for the Northern Mariana

11 Islands’’ through the period and inserting

12 a period; and

13 (iv) by striking subsection (b); and

14 (B) by striking—

15 (i) the first section (48 U.S.C. 1821);

16 (ii) section 2 (48 U.S.C. 1822);

17 (iii) section 3 (48 U.S.C. 1823);

18 (iv) section 5 (48 U.S.C. 1825); and

19 (v) section 6 (48 U.S.C. 1826).

20 (2) SUPERSEDING PROVISIONS.—To the extent

21 that the amendments made by this subsection are

22 inconsistent with article IV of the Covenant to Es23 tablish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

24 Islands in Political Union with the United States of
19

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1 America (48 U.S.C. 1801 note), article IV is super2 seded.

3 (v) AMENDMENTS TO REVISED ORGANIC ACT OF THE

4 VIRGIN ISLANDS.—

5 (1) REPEALS.—Sections 24, 25, 26, and 27 of

6 the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands (48

7 U.S.C. 1614, 1615, 1616, and 1617) are repealed.

8 (2) RIGHTS AND PROHIBITIONS.—Section 3 of

9 the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands (48

10 U.S.C. 1561) is amended in the 23d undesignated

11 paragraph—

12 (A) by inserting ‘‘article III;’’ after ‘‘sec13 tion 9, clauses 2 and 3;’’ and

14 (B) by striking ‘‘That all offenses against

15 the laws of the United States and the laws of

16 the Virgin Islands which are prosecuted in the

17 district court pursuant to sections 1612(a) and

18 (c) of this title may be had by indictment by

19 grand jury or by information, and that all of20 fenses against the laws of the Virgin Islands

21 which are prosecuted in the district court pur22 suant to section 1612(b) of this title or’’ and

23 inserting ‘‘That all offenses against the laws of

24 the Virgin Islands which are prosecuted’’.
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1 (3) JURISDICTION.—Section 21 of the Revised

2 Organic Act of the Virgin Islands (48 U.S.C. 1611)

3 is amended to read as follows:

4 ‘‘SEC. 21. JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE VIRGIN

5 ISLANDS.

6 ‘‘(a) JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE VIRGIN

7 ISLANDS.—The judicial power of the Virgin Islands shall

8 be vested in such trial and appellate courts as may have

9 been or may hereafter be established by local law. The

10 local courts of the Virgin Islands shall have jurisdiction

11 over all causes of action in the Virgin Islands over which

12 any court established by the Constitution and laws of the

13 United States does not have exclusive jurisdiction.

14 ‘‘(b) PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE.—The rules gov15 erning the practice and procedure of the courts established

16 by local law and those prescribing the qualifications and

17 duties of the judges and officers thereof, oaths and bonds,

18 and the times and places of holding court shall be gov19 erned by local law or the rules promulgated by those

20 courts.’’.

21 (4) INCOME TAX MATTERS.—Section 22 of the

22 Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands (48

23 U.S.C. 1612) is amended to read as follows:
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1 ‘‘SEC. 22. JURISDICTION OVER INCOME TAX MATTERS.

2 The United States District Court for the District of

3 the Virgin Islands shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all

4 criminal and civil proceedings in the Virgin Islands with

5 respect to the income tax laws applicable to the Virgin

6 Islands, except the ancillary laws relating to the income

7 tax enacted by the legislature of the Virgin Islands. Any

8 act or failure to act with respect to the income tax laws

9 applicable to the Virgin Islands which would constitute a

10 criminal offense described in chapter 75 of subtitle F of

11 the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall constitute an of12 fense against the Government of the Virgin Islands and

13 may be prosecuted in the name of the Government of the

14 Virgin Islands by the appropriate officers thereof in the

15 United States District Court for the District of the Virgin

16 Islands without the request or consent of the United

17 States Attorney for the Virgin Islands.’’.

18 (5) APPELLATE JURISDICTION.—Section 23A of

19 the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands (48

20 U.S.C. 1613a) is amended—

21 (A) by striking ‘‘District Court of the Vir22 gin Islands’’ each place it appears and inserting

23 ‘‘United States District Court for the District

24 of the Virgin Islands’’; and

25 (B) in subsection (b) by striking ‘‘pursuant

26 to section 24(a) of this title: Provided, that no
22

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1 more than one of them may be a judge of a

2 court established by local law.’’ and inserting

3 ‘‘pursuant to chapter 13 of title 28, United

4 States Code, or a recalled senior judge of the

5 former District Court of the Virgin Islands.

6 The chief judge of the United States Court of

7 Appeals for the Third Circuit may assign to the

8 appellate division a judge of a court of record

9 of the Virgin Islands, except that no more than

10 1 of the judges sitting in the appellate division

11 at any session may be a judge of a court estab12 lished by local law.’’.

13 (w) ADDITIONAL REFERENCES.—Any reference in

14 any provision of law to the ‘‘District Court for the North15 ern Mariana Islands’’ shall, after the effective date of this

16 section, be deemed to be a reference to the United States

17 District Court for the District of the Northern Mariana

18 Islands. Any reference in any provision of law to the ‘‘Dis19 trict Court of the Virgin Islands’’ shall, after the effective

20 date of this section, be deemed to be a reference to the

21 United States District Court for the District of the Virgin

22 Islands.

23 (x) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section and the amend24 ments made by this section shall take effect at the end

25 of the 90-day period beginning on the date of enactment.
23

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1 Any complaint or proceeding pending in the District Court

2 of the Virgin Islands on the effective date of this section

3 may be pursued to final determination in the United

4 States District Court for the District of the Virgin Is5 lands, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third

6 Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fed7 eral Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

8 Any complaint or proceeding pending in the District Court

9 for the Northern Mariana Islands on the effective date of

10 this section may be pursued to final determination in the

11 United States District Court for the District of the North12 ern Mariana Islands, the United States Court of Appeals

13 for the Ninth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the

14 United States.

15 SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

16 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums

17 as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this

18 Act, including such sums as may be necessary to provide

19 appropriate space and facilities for the judicial positions

20 created by this Act.

21 SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

22 This Act shall take effect on the date of the enact23 ment of this Act.

Æ