(a) The judicial authority under this part is vested in the Wake Island Court and the Wake Island Court of Appeals.

(b) The Wake Island Court and the Wake Island Court of Appeals shall each have a seal approved by the General Counsel.

(c) Judges and Clerks of the Courts may administer oaths.

(a) The trial judicial authority for Wake Island is vested in the Wake Island Court.

(b) The Wake Island Court consists of one or more Judges, appointed by the General Counsel as needed. The term of a Judge shall be for one year, but he may be re-appointed. When the Wake Island Court consists of more than one Judge, the General Counsel shall designate one of the Judges as the Chief Judge who will assign matters to Judges, determine when the Court will sit individually or en banc, and prescribe rules of the Court not otherwise provided for in this Code. If there is only one Judge appointed, that Judge shall be the Chief Judge.

(c) Sessions of the Court are held on Wake Island or Hawaii at times and places designated by the Chief Judge.

There is an Island Attorney, appointed by the General Counsel as needed. The Island Attorney shall serve at the pleasure of the General Counsel. The Island Attorney represents the United States in the Wake Island Court and in the Wake Island Court of Appeals.

There is a Public Defender, appointed by the General Counsel as needed. The Public Defender shall serve at the pleasure of the General Counsel. The Public Defender represents any person charged with an offense under this part who requests representation and who is not able to afford his own legal representation.

There is a Clerk of the Court, who is appointed by the Chief Judge. The Clerk shall serve at the pleasure of the Chief Judge. The Clerk maintains a public docket containing such information as the Chief Judge may prescribe, administers oaths, and performs such other duties as the Court may direct. The Clerk is an officer of the Court.

(a) The Wake Island Court has jurisdiction over all offenses under this part and all actions of a civil nature, cognizable at law or in equity, where the amount in issue is not more than $1,000, exclusive of interests and costs, but not including changes of name or domestic relations matters.

(b) The United States is not subject to suit in the Court.

(c) The United States may intervene in any matter in which the Island Attorney determines it has an interest.

(a) The appellate judicial authority for Wake Island is vested in the Wake Island Court of Appeals.

(b) The Wake Island Court of Appeals consists of a Chief Judge and two Associate Judges, appointed by the General Counsel as needed. The term of a judge shall be for one year, but he may be reappointed. The Chief Judge assigns matters to Judges, determines whether the Court sits individually or en banc, and prescribes rules of the Court not otherwise provided for in this part.

(c) Sessions of the Court of Appeals are held in the National Capital Region at times and places designated by the Chief Judge. The Court may also hold sessions at Wake Island or in Hawaii.

(d) A quorum of the Court of Appeals will consist of one Judge when sitting individually and three Judges when sitting en banc.

(e) The address of the Court of Appeals is—Wake Island Court of Appeals, SAF/GC, Room 4E856, 1740 Air Force Pentagon, Washington, DC 20330-1740.

There is a Clerk of the Court of Appeals, who is appointed by the Chief Judge. The Clerk serves at the pleasure of the Chief Judge. The Clerk maintains a public docket containing such information as the Chief Judge may prescribe, administers oaths, and performs such other duties as the Court directs. The Clerk is an officer of the Court.

The Court of Appeals has jurisdiction over all appeals from the Wake Island Court.

(a) No person may be appointed a Judge, Island Attorney, or Public Defender under this part who is not a member of the bar of a State, Commonwealth, or Territory of the United States or of the District of Columbia.

(b) Any person, other than an officer or employee of the Department of the Air Force, appointed as a Judge, Island Attorney, Public Defender, or to any other office under this part shall, prior to entering upon the duties of that office, take an oath, prescribed by the General Counsel, to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. Such oath may be administered by any officer or employee of the Department of the Air Force.

(c) Civilian officers and employees of the Department of the Air Force may be appointed as a Judge, Island Attorney, Public Defender, or Clerk, as an additional duty and to serve without additional compensation. Officers and employees of the Department of the Air Force, both civilian and military, who serve in positions designated as providing legal services to the Department and who are admitted to practice law in an active status before the highest court of a State, Commonwealth, or territory of the United States, or of the District of Columbia, and are in good standing therewith, are admitted to the Bar of the Wake Island Court and the Wake Island Court of Appeals.

(d) No person may practice law before the Wake Island Court or the Wake Island Court of Appeals who is not admitted to Bar of those courts. Any person admitted to practice law in an active status before the highest court of a State, Commonwealth, or territory of the United States, or of the District of Columbia, and in good standing therewith, may be admitted to the Bar of the Wake Island Court and the Wake Island Court of Appeals. Upon request of the applicant, the Court, on its own motion, may grant admission. A grant of admission by either court constitutes admission to practice before both courts.