§ 1617. United States attorney; appointment; duties

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

1. 1954

   Pub. L. 83–558 § 27 · 68 Stat. 587

   Enacted · 48 U.S.C. § 1617

   July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 27, 68 Stat. 507

   Source evidence

   Code source credit
   July 22, 1954, ch. 558, § 27, 68 Stat. 507

2. 1958

   Pub. L. 85–851 § 9 · 72 Stat. 1094

   Substituted · 48 U.S.C. § 1617

   Pub. L. 85–851 substituted “United States attorney” for “district attorney” wherever appearing

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Pub. L. 85–851 substituted “United States attorney” for “district attorney” wherever appearing.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   Sec. 9. Wherever the term “district attorney” appears in the seventh 48 USC 1617. and eighth sentences of section 27 of said Act the following term shall be substituted: “United States attorney”.

3. 1959

   Virgin Islands Organic Act Amendments of 1959

   Pub. L. 86–289 § 4 · 73 Stat. 568

   Substituted · 48 U.S.C. § 1617

   Pub. L. 86–289 substituted provisions making chapter 31 of title 28 applicable to United States attorney and by provisions specifying his duties, for provisions which prescribed his term of office and provided for his compensation, provided for appointment and compensation of his assistant and employees, and provided that he or his assistant conduct all legal proceedings in which the United States Government or the government of the Virgin Islands is a party in the District Court and inferior courts

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Pub. L. 86–289 substituted provisions making chapter 31 of title 28 applicable to United States attorney and by provisions specifying his duties, for provisions which prescribed his term of office and provided for his compensation, provided for appointment and compensation of his assistant and employees, and provided that he or his assistant conduct all legal proceedings in which the United States Government or the government of the Virgin Islands is a party in the District Court and inferior courts.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   Sec. 4. Section 27 of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands (48 U.S.C. 1617) is amended to read as follows: “Sec. 27. The President shall, by and with the advice and consent U. S. attorney. Appointment. of the Senate, appoint a United States attorney for the Virgin Islands to whose office the provisions of chapter 31 of title 28, United States 62 Stat. 909. 28 USC 501. Code, shall apply, except that the Attorney General shall not appoint more than one assistant United States attorney for the Virgin Islands. Except as otherwise provided by law it shall be the duty of the United States attorney to prosecute all offenses against the United States and to conduct all legal proceedings, civil and criminal, to which the Government of the United States is a party in the district court and in the inferior courts of the Virgin Islands. He shall also prosecute in the district court in the name of the government of the Virgin Islands all offenses against the laws of the Virgin Islands which are cognizable by that court unless, at his request or with his consent, the prosecution of any such case is conducted by the attorney general of the Virgin Islands. The United States attorney may, when requested by the Governor or the attorney general of the Virgin Islands, conduct any other legal proceedings to which the government of the Virgin Islands is a party in the district court or the inferior courts of the Virgin Islands. In the case of a vacancy in the office of United States attorney, the District Court of the Virgin Islands may appoint a United States attorney to serve until the vacancy is filled. The order of appointment by the court shall be filed with the clerk of the court.”

4. 1971

   Pub. L. 92–24 · 85 Stat. 76

   1. Substituted · 48 U.S.C. § 1617

      Pub. L. 92–24 substituted “chapter 35” for “chapter 31”

   2. Struck · 48 U.S.C. § 1617

      Pub. L. 92–24 struck out “except that the Attorney General shall not appoint more than one assistant United States attorney for the Virgin Islands” after “shall apply”

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Pub. L. 92–24 substituted “chapter 35” for “chapter 31” and struck out “except that the Attorney General shall not appoint more than one assistant United States attorney for the Virgin Islands” after “shall apply”.

5. 1984

   Pub. L. 98–454 title VII § 708 · 98 Stat. 1732

   1. Substituted · 48 U.S.C. § 1617

      Pub. L. 98–454 substituted “courts established by local law” for “inferior courts of the Virgin Islands” wherever appearing

   2. Struck · 48 U.S.C. § 1617

      Pub. L. 98–454 struck out provisions relating to vacancies in the office of United States attorney for the Virgin Islands

   Source evidence

   Code amendment note
   Pub. L. 98–454 substituted “courts established by local law” for “inferior courts of the Virgin Islands” wherever appearing and struck out provisions relating to vacancies in the office of United States attorney for the Virgin Islands.

   Enacted provision · exact public law section
   Sec. 708. Section 27 of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands (68 Stat. 507; 48 U.S.C. 1617) is amended by substituting the words “courts established by local law” for “inferior courts of the Virgin Islands” wherever they appear, and by deleting the last two sentences

   Effective date note
   Amendment by Pub. L. 98–454 effective on ninetieth day following Oct. 5, 1984, see section 1005 of Pub. L. 98–454, set out as a note under section 1424 of this title.

4 of 7 references resolved to an enrolled provision · 3 partial