republic-os/legal/us/code/title-28/chapter-43/section-638.md

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LegalText	28 U.S.C. § 638	Dockets and forms; United States Code; seals	us	united_states_code	code_section	28	JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE	43	UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGES	638	28 U.S.C. § 638	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc28@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t28/s638	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-28/usc28.xml	641ec79c26e70d6d96cf5b59451ba9e1e46387b6ee3fcbcb007dfa236a577f22	3390f867a2c02f5d0c496269da780795fe19663a090a3040c64a9ee0a541cdcf	8a988c6900e09691d897ccab407129bfcf19b9c610bb058e2cb3b7ebe417d901	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

28 U.S.C. § 638 - Dockets and forms; United States Code; seals

Text

(a) The Director shall furnish to United States magistrate judges adequate docket books and forms prescribed by the Director. The Director shall also furnish to each such officer a copy of the current edition of the United States Code.

(b) All property furnished to any such officer shall remain the property of the United States and, upon the termination of his term of office, shall be transmitted to his successor in office or otherwise disposed of as the Director orders.

(c) The Director shall furnish to each United States magistrate judge appointed under this chapter an official impression seal in a form prescribed by the conference. Each such officer shall affix his seal to every jurat or certificate of his official acts without fee.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 917; Pub. L. 90–578, title I, § 101, Oct. 17, 1968, 82 Stat. 1114; Pub. L. 101–650, title III, § 321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117.)

Notes

Historical and Revision NotesBased on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 528, 528a (June 28, 1906, ch. 3573, 34 Stat. 546; July 10, 1946, ch. 548, 60 Stat. 525). Section consolidates section 528 and part of section 528a of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., with changes in phraseology necessary to effect consolidation. Provisions of section 528a of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to dockets and forms, are incorporated in section 639 of this title. Words “Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts” were substituted for “Attorney General”, contained in section 528 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., in view of Act Aug. 7, 1939, ch. 501, § 6, 53 Stat. 1226, 28 U.S.C., 1940 ed., following § 446, giving the Directors supervision of court administrative matters. Changes in phraseology were made.

Editorial Notes

Amendments1968—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 90–578 incorporated in provisions designated as subsec. (a) provisions of first par. of former section 639 of this title, substituting “United States magistrates” for prior designation as “United States Commissioners”, specifying that the copy of the United States Code be a current edition, and dispensing with approval by the chief judge of the district court for a copy of such Code. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 90–578 incorporated in provisions designated as subsec. (b) provisions of the second par. of former section 639 of this title. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 90–578 designated existing provisions as subsec. (c), and substituted “United States magistrate” for “United States commissioner”, provision for appointment under this chapter rather than after July 10, 1946, provision that the form of the seal be prescribed by the conference rather than the Director, and “without fee” for “without additional fee”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name “United States magistrate judges” and “United States magistrate judge” substituted for “United States magistrates” and “United States magistrate”, respectively, in subsecs. (a) and (c) pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as a note under section 631 of this title.

Effective Date of 1968 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 90–578 effective Oct. 17, 1968, except when a later effective date is applicable, which is the earlier of date when implementation of amendment by appointment of magistrates [now United States magistrate judges] and assumption of office takes place or third anniversary of enactment of Pub. L. 90–578 on Oct. 17, 1968, see section 403 of Pub. L. 90–578, set out as a note under section 631 of this title.