B-56200, JUL. 6, 1965

B-56200, JUL. 6, 1965

TO MR. GEORGE E. HUTCHINSON, CLERK, UNITED STATES COURT OF CUSTOMS AND PATENT APPEALS:

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 22, 1965, ASKING OUR DECISION AS TO WHETHER FEES PAID BY ATTORNEYS AT THE TIME OF THEIR ADMISSION TO PRACTICE BEFORE THE UNITED STATES COURT OF CUSTOMS AND PATENT APPEALS MAY BE USED TO SUPPORT THE LAW LIBRARY WHICH THE COURT WILL SHARE WITH THE COURT OF CLAIMS IN THE NEW BUILDING NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

IN PRESENTING THE MATTER, YOU REFER TO OUR EARLIER DECISIONS OF JUNE 8, 1951; MARCH 31, 1959; AND MAY 4, 1965, B-56200, IN WHICH WE STATED THAT WE WOULD NOT QUESTION THE USE OF SUCH ADMISSION FEES TO MAINTAIN LIBRARIES IN THE UNITED STATES CIRCUIT COURTS OF APPEALS, THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTS, AND THE COURT OF CLAIMS, RESPECTIVELY.

THE LEGAL ISSUES INVOLVED CONCERNING YOUR QUESTION RELATIVE TO FEES RECEIVED FROM ATTORNEYS ADMITTED TO PRACTICE BEFORE THE UNITED STATES COURT OF CUSTOMS AND PATENT APPEALS, DO NOT APPEAR TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT FROM THOSE CONSIDERED IN THE ABOVE DECISIONS, AND WE STATED IN OUR DECISION OF MAY 4, 1965, CONCERNING THE COURT OF CLAIMS, THAT-- "NOR DOES THERE APPEAR TO BE ANY SOUND REASON FOR NOT PERMITTING A UNIFORM PRACTICE IN ALL THE COURTS ESTABLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF CONGRESS.'

ACCORDINGLY, AND FOR THE REASONS STATED IN THOSE EARLIER DECISIONS, WE WILL NOT OBJECT TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SIMILAR PRACTICE BY THE UNITED STATES COURT OF CUSTOMS AND PATENT APPEALS.