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190 WY v0.a IG, u / 98_ 027394 Reports of the Proceedings of the Judicial Conference of the United States Activities of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts Judicial Business of the United States Courts Prepared by: Office of Public Affairs &® ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES Courts THURGOOD MARSHALL FEDERAL JUDICIARY BUILDING WASHINGTON, D.C. 20544 CONTENTS Section |: Reports of the Judicial Conference rn 1-100 Section 2: Activities of the Administrative Office Of the United States Courts o.....cccccccccccccccsccscssssssssssesssessesveecsveevsneen 1-65 — Section 3: — Judicial Business Of the United States Courts .o..c.ccccccccccccccccssscssscsssssssscssessceesereneenns 1-395 SECTION 1 Reports of the Proceedings of the Judicial Conference of the United States Reports MARCH 12, 1996 SEPTEMBER 17, 1996 REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE JUDICIAL CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 12, 1996 WASHINGTON, D.C. REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE JUDICIAL CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 12, 1996 WASHINGTON, D.C. JUDICIAL CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED STATES CHIEF JUSTICE WILLIAM H. REHNQUIST, PRESIDING LEONIDAS RALPH MECHAM, SECRETARY REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE JUDICIAL CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 12, 1996 Contents DPPC? cochestteesocbeseeesecesecsececeebesessetes l PPT TT TUCT TET TET TTTTET LILLIE Tie 3 DD Dhescddeededeseeesercbeseeeecesecaseneseeesenseeceses 4 ED dc ccereadocereeeeeeseceeceueeeecereeceeves 4 Fiscal Year 1996 Spending Plan .....0.. ccc. ee.e e.ee. e.e e ee 4 DPE pcs ecesidebseeeeeocereeesescerpeeseseees 4 Reimbursement of Relocation Expenses .......... 0.0000 e eee ees 5 Courthouse Construction 2... 0.0... ceeeee eee ees 5 Judicial Questionnaire from Senator Grassley .....0..00 .cce.ee.uue s 6 Miscellaneous Actions ......... 00. ccc ee ee eee eee eens 6 Committee on the Administrative Office ...0.... c.cc. .eee. e ee 8 Committee Activities 0.0.0.0... cc eee eee eee eens 8 Committee on Automation and Technology ........00. c.ece. e.e e.ee0 e ee 9 Long Range Plan for Automation ....0..... ccc. ce.e ee.e ee .ee eee 9 Committee on the Administration of the Bankruptcy System ................ 9 Bankruptcy Estate Administration .....0..000. c. cec.e .e.e en s 9 Chapter 11 Quarterly Fees... 01... ceeeee eens 10 Periodic Revision of Dollar Amounts in the Bankruptcy Code 2.0... . ccc cece ee eee eee eens 10 Regulations for the Selection of United States Bankruptcy Judges 2.0.1ee.e .ee.e ee ns 1] Background Investigations of Bankruptcy Judge Nominees 2.0... 6. ceeee eee eee eee ees 1] Ad Hoc Recall Regulations ...0.... .cece. ce.ce .eee .ee e 11 Committee on the Budget «0.0.ee.e .ee ee e 12 Committee Activities... 0... eeee ee eee 12 Committee on Codes of Conduct ...0.... cc.c e.ee. .ee e.ee ees 12 Ethics Reform Act Outside Employment Regulations................ 12 Code of Conduct for United States Judges .....0..0..0 .ce.e e.ee ee 13 Committee AGUVIIGS 00 ccc c eee ree eeeeeeens 13 Committee on Court Administration and Case Management ................ 13 Services to Persons with Communications Disabilities ............... 13 Ee a ee ee 14 Residency Requirement for District Judges... 0.06 eee 14 Fe ee ee re 15 Miscellaneous Fee Schedules - Registry Funds ................0.04. 15 Miscellaneous Fee Schedules - Search Fee .......... 0.000000 ee een 16 Miscellaneous Fee Schedules - Electronic Public EEE ES Ee 16 Closed Circuit Televising of Court Proceedings ................... 16 ee 17 EE ee ee 17 Universal Pretrial Drug Testing ....0.0..00 .ccc. cec.e e.ee e ee 17 DE Sic Sebi ede decebeeuccesesdcesdebeseeseecesdée 18 CO EE ee ee ee ee ee ee. 18 ese sc heer ehee ees eeeceabeeeeerereesedeenes 18 Committee on Defender Services .....cc.c c.cc e.ee .e c.ere .eee. eee es 19 Defender Organization Funding Requests ..................2.0055 19 Community Defender Organizations .........0.0.00.0 .ee .e e.ue e 19 TF PTT TT TEE LELELELEELELTLETTTeTeLeE 20 Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction ....0.0..00 .cc c.ece .eee .ee e ens 20 TET EEEELELELELELTLLEETTLE ELEELE 20 Child Custody Orders .. 0.0... . cecee ee eee 20 National Center for State Courts .. 0.0... ceee ee ee 21 Committee on Financial Disclosure .....0..00.00. ce.ce .eee. ee.e e ee 22 SL ETT eer eee eT eee es ee ee eee eee 22 Committee on Intercircuit Assignments .....0..00.00 .e.e .e.e 22 Te PPOV TT TTT TEC ELULECTCEL TTTELTUEL LTUTT 22 Committee on International Judicial Relations ..................00 0cu0e s 22 ED + ceed cceseeeccdioretesesceceeseeeseeeens 22 Committee on the Judicial Branch .....0.0.... c.cc. .ee.e ee.e e ee 23 | OPTI ELTLLE TLE LELELELEE LLL ee 23 Tr rts errr rrre rey TT eer reTrT. Ter? tt 23 Committee on Judicial Resources ...... 2.2... 0... eens 24 Biennial Survey of Judgeship Needs ........... 2.00.00 24 Court Reporting Resources for Senior Judges ..................0.5. 24 Realtime Court Reporting ....... 0.0.0.0... 0c ccc eee eee eee 26 EST TTT OCTET CTETLCETEELELETECELEELETLT 26 Pay-For-Performance Structure .... 2... ...0 0.0.0. cece eee eee 27 Voluntary Early Retirement Authority .................0.0000004 27 PTT UT TTY CETEE TEU ET EERE TCELUE LL LLL 28 Child Support Enforcement Program ............0.0.00000 0e0e 0ee e 28 Committee on the Administration of the Magistrate Eeee ee 28 Principles of Magistrate Judge Utilization .. 0.0.0.0... 0000000 cee, 28 ee ee 29 i ooo a ck eee eee 0900940444080 4008080 8 30 Selection of Magistrate Judges 2.0... cette eee eens 30 Background Investigations of Magistrate ee eee ee eee eek baeeseeseshhetesenebas 30 Changes in Magistrate Judge Positions ..........0c. c.e .ee.e e0e e 30 Committee to Review Circuit Council Conduct and CE cece ede che bobo eke 040008 0440067050000000084 33 he . cheek eke bebe e's eekenndenenseteaen 33 Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure .........0.00. c.ec.e e.ee e 34 Official Bankruptcy Forms .... 0.0.0.0... 0. ceeee eee 34 D(@'? het cebeteeekecbo be00b0¢0a9¢c60e00e860s00s00 5 34 Committee on Security, Space and Facilities ...... 0.0.00c. e0ee. .ee.e 35 Space Rental Cost Reduction Plan .....0..00.000. e.ee. e.en s 35 The Public Buildings Reform Act of 1995 ......0.0..0 .cc. ee.e 35 United States Courts Design Guide .....6 c.cc. .e.e0ns 35 Courthouse Construction Projects ...... 0... 0. cece eee eee 36 24-Hour Court Security Officer Coverage .........00. ce.c.e e.ee e 37 PPT TCT CETECTETI CTL ELECT LELELTETL LE eLeTi ly 37 Release of Conference Action ......... 0.00. cece cee eee ee eee ees 37 REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE JUDICIAL CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED STATES March 12, 1996 The Judicial Conference of the United States convened in Washington, D.C., on March 12, 1996, pursuant to the call of the Chief Justice of the United States issued under 28 U.S.C. § 331. The Chief Justice presided, and the following members of the Conference were present: First Circuit: Chief Judge Juan R. Torruella Chief Judge Joseph L. Tauro, District of Massachusetts Second Circuit: Chief Judge Jon O. Newman Chief Judge Peter C. Dorsey, District of Connecticut Third Circuit: Chief Judge Dolores K. Sloviter Chief Judge Edward N. Cahn, Eastern District of Pennsylvania Fourth Circuit: Chief Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson, III Judge W. Earl Britt, Eastern District of North Carolina Fifth Circuit: Chief Judge Henry A. Politz Chief Judge William H. Barbour, Southern District of Mississippi