QUALIFICATION OF CHIEF JUDGE OF COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE.

SEC. 501. QUALIFICATION OF CHIEF JUDGE OF COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE. (a)In General.—Chapter 11 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section: “§ 258. Chief judges; precedence of judges “(a)(1) The chief judge of the Court of International Trade shall be the judge of the court in regular active service who is senior in commission of those judges who— “(A) are 64 years of age or under; “(B) have served for 1 year or more as a judge of the court; and “(C) have not served previously as chief judge. “(2)(A) In any case in which no judge of the court meets the qualifications under paragraph (1), the youngest judge in regular active service who is 65 years of age or over and who has served as a judge of the court for 1 year or more shall act as the chief judge. “(B) In any case under subparagraph (A) in which there is no judge of the court in regular active service who has served as a judge of the court for 1 year or more, the judge of the court in regular active service who is senior in commission and who has not served previously as chief judge shall act as the chief judge. “(3)(A) Except as provided under subparagraph (C), the chief judge serving under paragraph (1) shall serve for a term of 7 years and shall serve after expiration of such term until another judge is eligible under paragraph (1) to serve as chief judge. 110 STAT. 3856 “(B) Except as provided under subparagraph (C), a judge of the court acting as chief judge under subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (2) shall serve until a judge meets the qualifications under paragraph (1). “(C) No judge of the court may serve or act as chief judge of the court after attaining the age of 70 years unless no other judge is qualified to serve as chief judge under paragraph (1) or is qualified to act as chief judge under paragraph (2). “(b) The chief judge shall have precedence and preside at any session of the court which such judge attends. Other judges of the court shall have precedence and preside according to the seniority of their commissions. Judges whose commissions bear the same date shall have precedence according to seniority in age. “(c) If the chief judge desires to be relieved of the duties as chief judge while retaining active status as a judge of the court, the chief judge may so certify to the Chief Justice of the United States, and thereafter the chief judge of the court shall be such other judge of the court who is qualified to serve or act as chief judge under subsection (a). “(d) If a chief judge is temporarily unable to perform the duties as such, such duties shall be performed by the judge of the court in active service, able and qualified to act, who is next in precedence.”. (b)Technical and Conforming Amendments.—Chapter 11 of title 28, United States Code, is amended— (1) in section 251 by striking out subsection (b) and redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b); (2) in section 253— (A) by amending the section heading to read as follows: “§ 253. Duties of chief judge”; and (B) by striking out subsections (d) and (e); and (3) in the table of sections for chapter 11 of title 28, United States Code— (A) by amending the item relating to section 253 to read as follows: “253. Duties of chief judge.”; and (B) by adding at the end thereof the following: “258. Chief judges; precedence of judges.”. (c)Application.—(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 258(a) of title 28, United States Code (as added by subsection (a) of this section), the chief judge of the United States Court of International Trade who is in office on the day before the date of enactment of this Act shall continue to be such chief judge on or after such date until any one of the following events occurs: (A) The chief judge is relieved of his duties under section 258(c) of title 28, United States Code. (B) The regular active status of the chief judge is terminated. (C) The chief judge attains the age of 70 years. (D) The chief judge has served for a term of 7 years as chief judge. (2) When the chief judge vacates the position of chief judge under paragraph (1), the position of chief judge of the Court of 110 STAT. 3857International Trade shall be filled in accordance with section 258(a) of title 28, United States Code.