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S 787 108th Congress Senate

Fair and Independent Federal Judiciary Act of 2003

Official title: A bill to provide for the fair treatment of the Federal judiciary relating to compensation and benefits, and to instill greater public confidence in the Federal courts.

Introduced: May 14, 2003 See on congress.gov
Law Cost of living adjustmentsEconomics and Public FinanceEducationFederal advisory bodies
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Government Operations and PoliticsGovernment trust fundsHigher educationJudicial compensationJudicial ethicsLabor and EmploymentLegal educationSurvivors' benefits
This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 3, 2003
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4840-4841)
Apr 3, 2003
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4839-4840)
Apr 3, 2003
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action April 3, 2003

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4840-4841)

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Fair and Independent Federal Judiciary Act of 2003 - Increases salaries for justices of the Supreme Court and for district court and other specified judges. Repeals Federal law that requires specific congressional authorization for salary increases for Federal judges and Supreme Court justices.

Modifies provisions regarding survivor annuity benefits, including to increase the notification period for survivor annuity coverage for a judge of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

Directs the President to appoint members to the Citizens' Commission on Public Service and Compensation pursuant to the Federal Salary Act of 1967.

Amends the Federal judicial code to: (1) establish within the Treasury a Judicial Education Fund for the payment of necessary expenses incurred by a judge or justice in attending a private judicial seminar approved by the Board of the Federal Judicial Center; and (2) require each justice, judge, and magistrate of the United States to maintain a list (to be made available to the public) of all financial interests that would require disqualification.

Directs the Judicial Conference of the United States to promulgate regulations to prohibit the solicitation or acceptance of anything of value in connection with a private judicial seminar, with exceptions.

Requires a judge to avoid all impropriety and appearance of impropriety. Makes the prohibition against behaving with impropriety applicable to both the professional and personal conduct of a judge. Prohibits a judge from holding membership in any organization, except for religious or fraternal organizations, that practices discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, or national origin.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 787: Fair and Independent Federal Judiciary Act of 2003. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-787/
MLA
"S. 787: Fair and Independent Federal Judiciary Act of 2003." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-787/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 787, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-787/.
Markdown link
[S. 787: Fair and Independent Federal Judiciary Act of 2003](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-787/)
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