Us Code § 458 - Relative of justice or judge ineligible to appointment
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 458 — Relative of justice or judge ineligible to appointment, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 458. Relative of justice or judge ineligible to appointment
(a)(1) No person shall be appointed to or employed in any office or duty in any court who is related by affinity or consanguinity within the degree of first cousin to any justice or judge of such court.
(2) With respect to the appointment of a judge of a court exercising judicial power under article III of the United States Constitution (other than the Supreme Court), subsection (b) shall apply in lieu of this subsection.
(b)(1) In this subsection, the term—
(A) "same court" means—
(i) in the case of a district court, the court of a single judicial district; and
(ii) in the case of a court of appeals, the court of appeals of a single circuit; and
(B) "member"—
(i) means an active judge or a judge retired in senior status under section 371(b); and
(ii) shall not include a retired judge, except as described under clause (i).
(2) No person may be appointed to the position of judge of a court exercising judicial power under article III of the United States Constitution (other than the Supreme Court) who is related by affinity or consanguinity within the degree of first cousin to any judge who is a member of the same court.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 908; Pub. L. 105–300, §1(a), Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2836.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §126 (Mar. 3, 1887, ch. 373, §7, 24 Stat. 555; Aug. 13, 1888, ch. 866, §7, 25 Stat. 437; Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, §67, 36 Stat. 1105; Dec. 21, 1911, ch. 4, 37 Stat. 46).
A provision referring to circuit court employees as of December 21, 1911, was omitted as obsolete.
Changes in phraseology were made.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1998—Pub. L. 105–300 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a)(1) and added subsecs. (a)(2) and (b).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1998 Amendment
Pub. L. 105–300, §1(b), Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2837, provided that: "This Act [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 27, 1998] and shall apply only to any individual whose nomination is submitted to the Senate on or after such date."
About This Section
28 U.S.C. § 458 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. § 458. 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.