Public Law 117-125 passed May 13, 2022

Courthouse Ethics and Transparency Act

Periodic Transaction Reports and Online Publication of Financial Disclosure Reports of Federal Judges.

Section 103(1) of Ethics and Government Act of 1978 (5 USC App.) amended-

• Adding at the end of the following:

  • (11) Each judicial officer

  • (12) Each bankruptcy judge appointed under Section 152 of Title 28, United States Code.

  • (13) Each United States magistrate judge appointed under section 631 of Title 28, United States Code.

Effective Date

Effective 90 days after the enactment of this Act.

Online Publication of Financial Disclosure Reports of Federal Judges

Section 105 of Ethics and Government Act of 1978 (5 USC App.) amended-

• Redesigning subsection (c) and (d) as (d) and (e)

• Insert after subsection (b):

  • Online Publication of Financial Disclosure Reports of Federal Judges-

  • “Establishment of Database-

    • Subject to paragraph (4), no later than 180 days after the enactment of the Courthouse Ethics and Transparency Act, the Administrative Office of the United States Courts will establish a searchable internet database to enable public access to any report required to file under this title by a judicial officer, bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge.

  • Availability

    • No later than 90 days after the date on which a report is required under this title by a judicial officer, bankruptcy judge or magistrate judge, the Administrative Office of the United States Courts will make the report available on the database in full-text searchable, sortable and downloadable format for the public.

  • Redaction

    • Any report made available shall NOT contain any information redacted.

  • Additional Time

    • The requirements of this subsection may be implemented after the date described if the Administrative Office of the United States Courts identifies in writing the relevant committees of Congress the additional time needed.

    • Publication Requirements

      • The Administrative Office of the United States Courts shall continue to make reports available to the public during the period in which the database is being established.

Technical and Conforming Amendments

Section 103(1) of the Ethics in Government Act if 1978 (5 USC App) amended-

• Paragraph (9), strike “as defined under section 109(12)”.

• Paragraph (10), strike “as defined under section 109(13)”.

Section 105 of the Ethics in Government Act if 1978 (5 USC App) amended-

• Subsection (a)(1), strike “be revealing”, insert “by revealing”

• Subsection (b) paragraph (1) first sentence, strike “be,,” insert “be,”

• Third sentence, strike “may be may” insert “may be, may”

• Paragraph (3)(A), strike “described in section 109(8) or 109(10) of this Act” insert “who is a judicial officer or a judicial employee”.

Section 107(a)(1) of the Ethics in Government Act if 1978 (5 USC App) amended-

• Last sentence, strike “and(d)” insert “and(e)”.