TITLE 38 - US CODE - SUBCHAPTER III - MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

38 USC 7281 - Employees

(a) The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims may appoint a clerk without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service. The clerk shall serve at the pleasure of the Court.
(b) The judges of the Court may appoint law clerks and secretaries, in such numbers as the Court may approve, without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service. Any such law clerk or secretary shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing judge.
(c) The clerk, with the approval of the Court, may appoint necessary deputies and employees without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service.
(d) The Court may fix and adjust the rates of basic pay for the clerk and other employees of the Court without regard to the provisions of chapter 51, subchapter III of chapter 53, or section 5373 of title 5. To the maximum extent feasible, the Court shall compensate employees at rates consistent with those for employees holding comparable positions in the judicial branch.
(e) In making appointments under subsections (a) through (c) of this section, preference shall be given, among equally qualified persons, to persons who are preference eligibles (as defined in section 2108 (3) of title 5).
(f) The Court may procure the services of experts and consultants under section 3109 of title 5.
(g) The chief judge of the Court may exercise the authority of the Court under this section whenever there are not at least two other judges of the Court.
(h) The Court shall not be considered to be an agency within the meaning of section 3132 (a)(1) of title 5.
(i) The Court may accept and utilize voluntary services and uncompensated (gratuitous) services, including services as authorized by section 3102 (b) of title 5 and may accept, hold, administer, and utilize gifts and bequests of personal property for the purposes of aiding or facilitating the work of the Court. Gifts or bequests of money to the Court shall be covered into the Treasury.

38 USC 7282 - Budget and expenditures

(a) The budget of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims as submitted by the Court for inclusion in the budget of the President for any fiscal year shall be included in that budget without review within the executive branch.
(b) The Court may make such expenditures (including expenditures for personal services and rent at the seat of Government and elsewhere, and for law books, books of reference, and periodicals) as may be necessary to execute efficiently the functions vested in the Court.
(c) All expenditures of the Court shall be allowed and paid upon presentation of itemized vouchers signed by the certifying officer designated by the chief judge. Except as provided in section 7285 of this title, all such expenditures shall be paid out of moneys appropriated for purposes of the Court.

38 USC 7283 - Disposition of fees

Except for amounts received pursuant to section 7285 of this title, all fees received by the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims shall be covered into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

38 USC 7284 - Fee for transcript of record

The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims may fix a fee, not in excess of the fee authorized by law to be charged and collected therefor by the clerks of the district courts, for comparing, or for preparing and comparing, a transcript of the record of any proceeding before the Court, or for copying any record, entry, or other paper and the comparison and certification thereof.

38 USC 7285 - Practice and registration fees

(a) The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims may impose a periodic registration fee on persons admitted to practice before the Court. The frequency and amount of such fee shall be determined by the Court, except that such amount may not exceed $30 per year. The Court may also impose a registration fee on persons (other than judges of the Court) participating at judicial conferences convened pursuant to section 7286 of this title or in any other court-sponsored activity.
(b) Amounts received by the Court under subsection (a) of this section shall be available to the Court for the following purposes:
(1) Conducting investigations and proceedings, including employing independent counsel, to pursue disciplinary matters.
(2) Defraying the expenses of
(A) judicial conferences convened pursuant to section 7286 of this title; and
(B) other activities and programs of the Court that are intended to support and foster communication and relationships between the Court and persons practicing before the Court or the study, understanding, public commemoration, or improvement of veterans law or of the work of the Court.

38 USC 7286 - Judicial Conference of the Court

The Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims may summon the judges of the Court to an annual judicial conference, at a time and place that the Chief Judge designates, for the purpose of considering the business of the Court and recommending means of improving the administration of justice within the Courts jurisdiction. The Court shall provide by its rules for representation and active participation at such conference by persons admitted to practice before the Court and by other persons active in the legal profession.

38 USC 7287 - Administration

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims may exercise, for purposes of management, administration, and expenditure of funds of the Court, the authorities provided for such purposes by any provision of law (including any limitation with respect to such provision of law) applicable to a court of the United States (as that term is defined in section 451 of title 28), except to the extent that such provision of law is inconsistent with a provision of this chapter.