# § 253. Duties of chief judge
**1** The chief judge of the Court of International Trade, with the approval of the court, shall supervise the fiscal affairs and clerical force of the court; [^1]
So in original. The semicolon probably should be a period.
**(b)** The chief judge shall promulgate dockets.
**(c)** The chief judge, under rules of the court, may designate any judge or judges of the court to try any case and, when the circumstances so warrant, reassign the case to another judge or judges.
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**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 900; Pub. L. 86–243, § 3, Sept. 9, 1959, 73 Stat. 474; Pub. L. 91–271, title I, § 105, June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 276; Pub. L. 96–417, title V, § 501(3), Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1742; Pub. L. 104–317, title V, § 501(b)(2), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3856.)
### Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 296 (, as added , ).
This section contains a part of , U.S.C., 1940 ed. Other provisions of such section are incorporated in sections 251, 252, 254, 456, 1581, 2071, 2639, and 2640 of this title.
Provision respecting recommendations for appointment, promotions, or otherwise affecting such clerical force, was omitted as unnecessary in view of .
The second paragraph is partly new and conforms with similar provisions of , relating to the chief judges of district courts.
The term “chief judge” was substituted for “presiding judge.” (See Reviser’s Note under .)
Changes were made in phraseology and arrangement.
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
1996— struck out “; precedence of judges” after “chief judge” in section catchline and struck out subsecs. (d) and (e) which read as follows:
“(d) Whenever the chief judge is unable to perform the duties of his office or the office is vacant, his powers and duties shall devolve upon the judge next in precedence who is able to act, until such disability is removed or another chief judge is appointed and duly qualified.
“(e) The chief judge shall have precedence and shall preside at any session which he attends. Other judges shall have precedence and shall preside according to the seniority of their commissions. Judges whose commissions bear the same date shall have precedence according to seniority in age.”
1980—Subsec. (a). redesignated the Customs Court as the Court of International Trade.
1970— reorganized existing provisions into lettered subsecs. (a) to (e) and made minor changes in phraseology.
1959— required the chief judge to supervise the fiscal affairs and clerical force of the court, with the approval of the court.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 1980 Amendment
Amendment by effective , and applicable with respect to civil actions pending on or commenced on or after such date, see , set out as a note under .
### Effective Date of 1970 Amendment
Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .
### Savings Provision
Amendment by not to deprive Customs Court [now Court of International Trade] officers or employees of any rights, privileges, or civil service status, see , set out as a note under .