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Judicial Improvements Act of 1985

Public Law 99-336 · H.R. 3570 · 99th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Jun 19, 1986 · Law

Sponsor: Rep. Robert Kastenmeier (D-WI-2)

Cosponsors (27): Rep. Carlos Moorhead,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Judicial Improvements Act of 1985 - Amends the judicial code to increase the amount that a judicial official has withheld from his or her salary for purposes of the Judicial Survivors' Annuities Fund. Requires funding for the Fund in amounts necessary to reduce to zero the unfunded liability of such Fund. Limits such amounts to nine percent of salary or retirement salary. Authorizes appropriations.

Increases the amount of the annuity received by a surviving widow or widower with children.

Increases the amount of the annuity received by the surviving children of a judicial official leaving no widow or widower.

Revises the formula used to determine the amount of the annuity given a widow or widower of a judicial official.

Makes the benefits conferred by this Act available to any eligible individual.

Permits a judicial officer who has participated in the present annuity program to withdraw, in writing, according to specified procedures. Allows such officer, if eligible, to subsequently join the judicial survivors' annuities program created by this Act.

Permits a judicial officer to provide a survivor annuity for a former spouse.

Entitles a former spouse of a deceased judicial official to a survivor annuity.

Allows a Federal district court to hear and determine cases removed from State courts even where the State court lacked original jurisdiction.

Requires that filing and miscellaneous fees for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia be collected in the same manner as other fees are collected for the other U.S. district courts. Makes conforming changes to the District of Columbia code. States that such requirements are applicable only to civil actions, suits, and proceedings instituted on or after enactment of this Act.

Grants the United States Courts of Appeals jurisdiction to review all rules, regulations or final orders of the Secretary of Transportation with regard to any act or transaction lawful under the Shipping Act, 1916 or any rule, regulation, or final order of the Federal Maritime Commission issued pursuant to: (1) the Shipping Act, 1916; (2) the Merchant Marine Act, 1920; (3) the Intercoastal Shipping Act, 1933; (4) the Shipping Act of 1984; and (5) the Act of November 6, 1966.

Amends the Bankruptcy Amendments and Federal Judgeship Act of 1984 to provide full life insurance coverage for retired Federal judges.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 19 actions.

  1. Jun 19, 1986Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-336.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Jun 11, 1986PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. May 22, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
  5. Apr 11, 1986FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Voice Vote.
  6. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  7. Mar 21, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
  8. Mar 20, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
  9. Mar 4, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  10. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  11. Feb 19, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  12. Dec 20, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
  13. Dec 16, 1985FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
  15. Dec 6, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Appropriations Committee
  16. CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Judiciary Committee
  17. Nov 19, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Judiciary Committee
  18. Oct 16, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
  19. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.