Us Code § 2072 - Rules of procedure and evidence; power to prescribe
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 2072 — Rules of procedure and evidence; power to prescribe, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 2072. Rules of procedure and evidence; power to prescribe
(a) The Supreme Court shall have the power to prescribe general rules of practice and procedure and rules of evidence for cases in the United States district courts (including proceedings before magistrate judges thereof) and courts of appeals.
(b) Such rules shall not abridge, enlarge or modify any substantive right. All laws in conflict with such rules shall be of no further force or effect after such rules have taken effect.
(c) Such rules may define when a ruling of a district court is final for the purposes of appeal under section 1291 of this title.
(Added Pub. L. 100–702, title IV, §401(a), Nov. 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 4648; amended Pub. L. 101–650, title III, §§315, 321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5115, 5117.)
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 2072, acts June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 961; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, §103, 63 Stat. 104; July 18, 1949, ch. 343, §2, 63 Stat. 446; May 10, 1950, ch. 174, §2, 64 Stat. 158; July 7, 1958, Pub. L. 85–508, §12(m), 72 Stat. 348; Nov. 6, 1966, Pub. L. 89–773, §1, 80 Stat. 1323, authorized the Supreme Court to prescribe rules of civil procedure, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 100–702, §§401(a), 407, effective Dec. 1, 1988.
Amendments
1990—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–650 added subsec. (c).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
Words "magistrate judges" substituted for "magistrates" in subsec. (a) pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as a note under section 631 of this title.
Effective Date
Section effective Dec. 1, 1988, see section 407 of Pub. L. 100–702, set out as an Effective Date of 1988 Amendment note under section 2071 of this title.
Applicability to Virgin Islands
Rules of civil procedure promulgated under this section as applicable to the District Court of the Virgin Islands, see section 1615 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.
Court Rules
Admiralty Rules
The Rules of Practice in Admiralty and Maritime Cases, promulgated by the Supreme Court on Dec. 20, 1920, effective Mar. 7, 1921, as revised, amended, and supplemented, were rescinded, effective July 1, 1966, in accordance with the general unification of civil and admiralty procedure which became effective July 1, 1966. Provision for certain distinctly maritime remedies were preserved however, in the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims, Rules A to F, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Appendix to this title. The Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims were subsequently renamed the Supplemental Rules for Admiralty or Maritime Claims and Asset Forfeiture Actions.
About This Section
28 U.S.C. § 2072 is part of Title 28 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 28 U.S.C. § 2072. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.