Vacancies — Us Code Code § 508

Us Code Code § 508 — Vacancies. Reproduced from the official United States Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.

§ 508. Vacancies

(a) In case of a vacancy in the office of Attorney General, or of his absence or disability, the Deputy Attorney General may exercise all the duties of that office, and for the purpose of section 3345 of title 5 the Deputy Attorney General is the first assistant to the Attorney General.

(b) When by reason of absence, disability, or vacancy in office, neither the Attorney General nor the Deputy Attorney General is available to exercise the duties of the office of Attorney General, the Associate Attorney General shall act as Attorney General. The Attorney General may designate the Solicitor General and the Assistant Attorneys General, in further order of succession, to act as Attorney General.

(Added Pub. L. 89–554, §4(c), Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 612; amended Pub. L. 95–139, §2, Oct. 19, 1977, 91 Stat. 1171.)

Historical and Revision Notes
DerivationU.S. CodeRevised Statutes and

Statutes at Large

[Uncodified]. R.S. §347 (last sentence).
1953 Reorg. Plan No. 4, §1, eff. June 20, 1953, 67 Stat. 636.

The last sentence of R.S. §347 is cited as authority inasmuch as the function contained therein was the function transferred to the Deputy Attorney General by 1953 Reorg. Plan No. 4. The word "may" is substituted for "have the power". The words "During any period of time" are omitted as unnecessary.


Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 508, acts June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 910; Mar. 2, 1955, ch. 9, §2(a), 69 Stat. 10; Oct. 11, 1962, Pub. L. 87–793, §1003(a), 76 Stat. 865; Aug. 14, 1964, Pub. L. 88–426, title III, §306(a)(1), 78 Stat. 428; Oct. 6, 1964, Pub. L. 88–631, §3(b), 78 Stat. 1008, related to salaries of United States attorneys, assistant United States attorneys, and special attorneys, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 89–554, §8(a), and reenactment in section 548 of this title by section 4(c) of Pub. L. 89–554.

Amendments

1977—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–139 substituted "the Associate Attorney General shall act as Attorney General. The Attorney General may designate the Solicitor General and the Assistant Attorneys General, in further order of succession, to act as Attorney General" for "the Assistant Attorneys General and the Solicitor General, in such order of succession as the Attorney General may from time to time prescribe, shall act as Attorney General".

About This Section

28 U.S.C. § 508 is part of Title 28 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 28 U.S.C. § 508. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

How to Read This Statute

Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

At a glance

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Common questions

What is the source of United States Code § 508?

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What subject does United States Code § 508 address?

It addresses "Vacancies". Read the section together with the surrounding provisions listed under "Nearby provisions" for the full picture.

Is United States Code § 508 still in force?

Statutes are amended, repealed, and renumbered every session. Confirm the current version at the official Us Code source before relying on this text.

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