§ 609. Courts' appointive power unaffected The authority of the courts to appoint their own administrative or clerical personnel shall not be limited by any provisions of this chapter. § 610. Courts defined As used in this chapter the word "courts" includes the courts of appeals and district courts of the United States, the District Court for the Territory of Alaska, the United States District Court for the District of the Canal Zone, the District Court of the Virgin Islands, the Court of Claims, the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals, and the Customs Court. * CHAPTER 51. COURT OF CLAIMS Bec. 791. Clerk. 792. Commissioners. 793. Reporter-commissioners; stenographers. 794. Stenographers and clerical employees. 795. Bailiff and messenger. § 791. Clerk (a) The Court of Claims may appoint a clerk and an assistant clerk, each of whom shall be subject to removal by the court. The court shall report any such removal and the cause thereof to Congress as soon as possible. (b) The clerk shall pay into the Treasury all fees, costs and other moneys collected by him. He shall make returns thereof to the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts under regulations prescribed by him. (c) On the first day of every regular session of Congress, the clerk shall transmit to Congress a full and complete statement of all the judgments rendered by the court during the previous year, showing the dates and amounts thereof and the parties in whose favor they were rendered, together with a brief synopsis of the nature of the claims upon which they were rendered, and a statement of the costs taxed in each case. 792. Commissioners (a) The Court of Claims may appoint seven commissioners who shall be subject to removal by the court. (b) Each commissioner shall receive a salary of $7,500 a year, and all necessary traveling expenses, and also his reasonable maintenance expenses actually incurred, not exceeding $7 per day, while taking testimony or transacting other official business at a place other than Washington. (c) Commissioners shall, in accordance with the rules and orders of the court, fix times for hearings, administer oaths, examine witnesses, receive evidence and report findings of fact and recommendations for conclusions of law in cases assigned to them. Each commissioner shall devote all of his time to the duties of his office. § 793. Reporter-commissioners; stenographers The Court of Claims may issue commissions and appoint reporter-commissioners to take testimony to be used in the investigation of claims before it. When testimony is taken for the plaintiff he shall pay the fees of the reporter-commissioner before whom it was taken, and the cost of the commission and notice. When it is taken at the instance of the United States such fees shall be paid out of the contingent fund provided for the court or from other appropriation made by Congress for that purpose. Reporter-commissioners of the Court of Claims who are not stenographers may employ necessary stenographers to take down and write out testimony of witnesses. § 794. Stenographers and clerical employees The Court of Claims shall appoint stenographers and other clerical employees in such numbers as may be necessary each of whom shall be subject to removal by the court. 8795. Bailiff and messenger The Court of Claims may appoint a bailiff and a messenger who shall be subject to removal by the court. The bailiff shall attend the court, preserve order, and perform such other necessary duties as the court directs. CHAPTER 57. GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO COURT OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES § 951. Oath of office of clerks and deputies Each clerk of court and his deputies shall take the following oath or affirmation before entering upon their duties: "I, -, have been appointed do solemly swear (or affirm) that I will truly and faithfully enter and record all orders, decrees, judgments and proceedings of such court, and will faithfully and impartially discharge all other duties of my office according to the best of my abilities and understanding. So help me God." $952. Bonds of clerks and deputies (a) The clerks of all courts other than the Supreme Court shall each give bond to the United States in an amount fixed by the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, and with sureties approved by the court appointing him, conditioned on the faithful and seasonable discharge of the duties of his office. Such bond shall be filed in the Administrative Office. (b) A renewed or augmented bond may be required at any time by the Director. (c) A copy of each bond so furnished shall be kept on file in the office of the clerk furnishing it. (d) In like manner and with like effect, such courts may require deputy clerks and assistants to give bond to the United States for the faithful and seasonable discharge of their duties, without affecting the liability of the clerk for the acts of his deputies or assistants. § 953. Administration of oaths and acknowledgments Each clerk of court and his deputies may administer oaths and affirmations and take acknowledgments. § 954. Death of clerk; duties of and remedies against deputies Upon the death of any clerk of court, his deputy or deputies shall execute the duties of the deceased clerk in his name until his successor is appointed and qualifies. The default or misfeasance of any deputy shall be a breach of the deceased clerk's bond and his executor or administrator shall have like remedies against such deputy for such default or misfeasance as the clerk would have had if the clerk had continued in office. The compensation of a deceased clerk of the Supreme Court may be paid to his personal representatives until his successor is appointed and qualifies. § 955. Practice of law restricted The clerk of each court and his deputies and assistants shall not practice law in any court of the United States. § 956. Powers and duties of clerks and deputies The clerk of each court and his deputies and assistants shall exercise the powers and perform the duties assigned to them by the court. § 962. Traveling expenses Officers and employees of the courts of the United States and of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts necessarily absent from their official stations on official business shall be allowed travel and subsistence expenses pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. § 963. Courts defined As used in this chapter, unless the context indicates otherwise, the words "court" and "courts" include the Supreme Court of the United States and the courts enumerated in section 610 of this title. 89. District Courts; Removal of Cases from State Courts__. 1441 CHAPTER 81. SUPREME COURT * § 1252. Direct appeals from decisions invalidating * Any party may appeal to the Supreme Court from an interlocutory or final judgment, decree or order of any court of the United States, the District Court for the Territory of Alaska, the United States District Court for the District of the Canal Zone and the District Court of the Virgin Islands and any court of record of Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, holding an Act of Congress unconstitutional in any civil action, suit, or proceeding to which the United States or any of its agencies, or any officer or employee thereof, as such officer or employee, is a party. A party who has received notice of appeal under this section shall take any subsequent appeal or cross appeal to the Supreme Court. All appeals or cross appeals taken to other courts prior to such notice shall be treated as taken directly to the Supreme Court. § 1255. Court of Claims; certiorari; certified questions Cases in the Court of Claims may be reviewed by the Supreme Court by the following methods: (1) By writ of certiorari granted on petition of the United States or the claimant; (2) By certification of any question of law by the Court of Claims in any case as to which instructions are desired, and upon such certification the Supreme Court may give binding instructions on such question. § 1346. United States as defendant (a) The district courts shall have original jurisdiction, concurrent with the Court of Claims, of: |