---
kind: "section"
citation: "37 C.F.R. § 235.1"
title: "37"
number: "235.1"
heading: "District court referrals."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/37/235.1"
---

# §235.1. District court referrals.

- (a) **General.** This section governs circumstances where a district court has referred a proceeding to the Board under 17 U.S.C. [1509(b)](/usc/17/1509.md?p=b) and [28](/usc/17/28.md) U.S.C. 651, as well as the Copyright Claims Board's (Board's) authority to suspend or amend certain regulations under this chapter after such a referral.
- (b) **Amending or suspending procedural rules.**
  - (1) When a district court has referred a proceeding to the Board, the Board may suspend or amend rules governing its proceedings in the interests of justice, fairness, and efficiency, except as identified in [paragraph (b)(2)](#b-2) of this section.
  - (2) The Board may not suspend or amend the rules governing the following parts and sections: 37 CFR parts [227](/cfr/37/part227.md) through [232](/cfr/37/part232.md) and 234, 37 CFR [220.1 through 220.4](/cfr/37/220.1..220.4.md), [37](/cfr/37/37.md) CFR 222.1, 37 CFR [223.3](/cfr/37/223.3.md), or [37](/cfr/37/37.md) CFR 224.2.
- (c) **Requirement to contact the Board.** When a district court has referred a proceeding to the Board, the parties to that case should email the Board (at asktheboard@ccb.gov) as soon as possible for further instructions. The Board will issue the parties instructions on how to continue proceedings before the Board, including how to open a docket in eCCB without following the standard process to file a claim and pay a fee.
- (d) **Fees.** When a district court has referred a proceeding to the Board, a claimant is not required to pay the Board a fee to initiate a claim under [37 CFR 201.3(g)(1)](/cfr/37/201.3.md?p=g-1).

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: 17 U.S.C. 702, 1509(b), 1510.

### Source

Source: 87 FR 77522, Dec. 19, 2022, unless otherwise noted.