Federal Judicial Center

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Federal Judicial Center

Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building
Agency overview
Formed	December 20, 1967
Jurisdiction	United States Judiciary
Headquarters	Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building Washington, D.C.
Employees	128 (2015)
Annual budget	$27 million (2016)
Agency executive	John S. Cooke, Director
Parent agency	Judicial Conference of the United States
Website	www.fjc.gov

The Federal Judicial Center is the education and research agency of the United States federal courts. It was established by Pub. L. 90–219 in 1967,^[1] at the recommendation of the Judicial Conference of the United States.

According to 28 U.S.C. § 620, the main areas of responsibility for the Center include:^{[1]: p. 1}

1. conducting and promoting "research and study of the operation of the courts of the United States," and to act to encourage and coordinate the same by others;
2. developing "recommendations for improvement of the administration and management of [U.S.] courts," and presenting these to the Judicial Conference of the U.S.; and
3. through all means available, see to conducting programs for the "continuing education and training for personnel" of the U.S. judiciary, for all employees in the justice system, from judges through probation officers and mediators.^[2]

In addition to these major provisions, §620 (b)(4)(5)(6) sets forth the additional provisions that the FJC will (i) provide staff and assistance to the Judicial Conference and component bodies, (ii) coordinate programs and research on the administration of justice with the State Justice Institute, and (iii) cooperatively assist other government agencies in providing advice, and receiving advice, regarding judicial administration in foreign countries, in each of these cases, to the extent it is "consistent with the performance of the other functions set forth" earlier.^{[1]: p. 1}

The Code also states (§621) that the Chief Justice of the United States is the permanent Chair of the Center's board, and that it includes the director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts and seven federal judges elected by the Judicial Conference.^{[1]: p. 2} The Board appoints the Center's director and deputy director; the director appoints the Center's staff. Since its founding in 1967, the Center has had eleven directors. The current director is John S. Cooke. The deputy director is Clara Altman.^[3]