
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 48USC864]

 
              TITLE 48--TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS
 
                         CHAPTER 4--PUERTO RICO
 
                      SUBCHAPTER IV--THE JUDICIARY
 
Sec. 864. Appeals, certiorari, removal of causes, etc.; use of 
        English language
        
    The laws of the United States relating to appeals, certiorari, 
removal of causes, and other matters or proceedings as between the 
courts of the United States and the courts of the several States shall 
govern in such matters and proceedings as between the United States 
District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and the courts of Puerto 
Rico.
    All pleadings and proceedings in the United States District Court 
for the District of Puerto Rico shall be conducted in the English 
language.

(Apr. 12, 1900, ch. 191, Sec. 35, 31 Stat. 85; Mar. 2, 1917, ch. 145, 
Sec. 42, 39 Stat. 966; Feb. 13, 1925, ch. 229, Sec. 13, 43 Stat. 942; 
Jan. 31, 1928, ch. 14, Sec. 1, 45 Stat. 54; May 17, 1932, ch. 190, 47 
Stat. 158; June 25, 1948, ch. 646, Sec. 21, 62 Stat. 990.)

                       References in Text

    The laws of the United States relating to appeals, certiorari, 
removal of causes, and other matters or proceedings, referred to in 
text, are classified to Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

                          Codification

    ``United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico'' 
substituted in text for ``District Court of the United States for Puerto 
Rico'' in view of section 132(a) of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial 
Procedure, which states that ``There shall be in each judicial district 
a district court which shall be a court of record known as the United 
States District Court for the district'' and section 119 of Title 28, 
which states that ``Puerto Rico constitutes one judicial district.''


                            Prior Provisions

    Act Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, Sec. 244, 36 Stat. 1157, related to 
direct appeals from The Supreme Court and the United District Court for 
Puerto Rico to the United States Supreme Court, prior to repeal by act 
Jan. 28, 1915, ch. 22, Sec. 3, 38 Stat. 804.
    Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act 
Apr. 12, 1900, ch. 191, Sec. 34, 31 Stat. 84.


                               Amendments

    1948--Act June 25, 1948, amended section generally, and struck out 
provisions relating to the term of district court and appeals to the 
circuit court.
    1928--Act Jan. 31, 1928, abolished writ of error in civil and 
criminal cases and made all relief formerly obtained by writ of error 
obtainable by appeal.
    1925--Act Feb. 13, 1925, ch. 229, Sec. 13, repealed provisions of 
this section permitting a direct review by the Supreme Court of cases in 
the courts in Puerto Rico.

                         Change of Name

    ``Puerto Rico'' substituted in text for ``Porto Rico'' pursuant to 
act May 17, 1932, which is classified to section 731a of this title.


                    Effective Date of 1948 Amendment

    Amendment by act June 25, 1948, effective Sept. 1, 1948, see section 
38 of that act, set out as an Effective Date note preceding section 1 of 
Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.


                                 Repeals

    Section 39 of act June 25, 1948, repealed section 1 of act Feb. 13, 
1925, ch. 229, 43 Stat. 936, formerly cited as a credit to this section, 
which authorized review in the Circuit Court of Appeals in the First 
Circuit.


                    Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

    Application of rules, see rule 1, Title 28, Appendix, Judiciary and 
Judicial Procedure.


                   Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure

    Application of rules, see note by Advisory Committee under rule 54, 
Title 18, Appendix, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.


                            Cross References

    Removal of cases from State courts, see section 1441 et seq. of 
Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.
    Review generally, see section 2101 et seq. of Title 28.
    Supreme Court, jurisdiction and venue generally, see section 1251 et 
seq. of Title 28.
