28 U.S.C. § 136 — Chief judges; precedence of district judges

(a) (1) In a district with more than one district judge, the chief judge is the district judge in regular active service who is most senior in commission among judges who (A) are 64 years of age or under, (B) have served as a district judge for one year or more, and (C) have not previously served as chief judge. (2)(A) If no judge meets those qualifications, the youngest district judge in regular active service who is 65 or older and has served one year or more acts as chief judge instead. (B) If even that produces no one — meaning no district judge in active service has served one year or more — the district judge in regular active service who is senior in commission and has not previously served as chief judge acts as chief judge. (3)(A) Except as provided in (C), a chief judge appointed under (1) serves a seven-year term, and continues serving after the term ends until another judge becomes eligible under (1) to take over. (B) Except as provided in (C), a judge acting as chief judge under (2)(A) or (2)(B) continues serving until a judge is appointed who meets the (1) qualifications. (C) No district judge may serve or act as chief judge after turning 70, unless no other district judge qualifies under (1) or (2). (b) The chief judge has precedence and presides at any session the chief judge attends. Other district judges have precedence and preside according to the seniority of their commissions. Judges commissioned on the same date rank by seniority in age. (c) A judge whose commission covers more than one district is junior to all district judges, except in the one district where that judge lived when starting the job. (d) A chief judge who wants to be relieved of chief-judge duties, while keeping active status as a district judge, may certify that to the Chief Justice of the United States. After that, the chief judge becomes whichever other district judge is qualified to serve or act as chief judge under subsection (a). (e) If a chief judge is temporarily unable to perform chief-judge duties, those duties are performed by the district judge in active service — present in the district, able, and qualified to act — who is next in precedence.