---
kind: "section"
citation: "28 U.S.C. § 374"
title: "28"
title_heading: "Judiciary and Judicial Procedure"
number: "374"
heading: "Residence of retired judges; official station"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/28/374"
units:
  - "Part I — Organization of Courts"
  - "Chapter 17 — Resignation and Retirement of Justices and Judges"
---

# §374. Residence of retired judges; official station


Retired [judges](/usc/28/351.md?p=d-1) of the United States are not subject to restrictions as to residence. The place where a retired [judge](/usc/28/351.md?p=d-1) maintains the actual abode in which he customarily lives shall be deemed to be his official station for the purposes of [section 456 of this title](/usc/28/456.md). The place where a [judge](/usc/28/351.md?p=d-1) or magistrate [judge](/usc/28/351.md?p=d-1) recalled under section [155](/usc/28/155.md), [375](/usc/28/375.md), [636](/usc/28/636.md), or [797](/usc/28/797.md) of this title maintains the actual abode in which the [judge](/usc/28/351.md?p=d-1) or magistrate [judge](/usc/28/351.md?p=d-1) customarily lives shall be deemed to be the official station of such [judge](/usc/28/351.md?p=d-1) or magistrate [judge](/usc/28/351.md?p=d-1) for purposes of [section 604(a)(7) of this title](/usc/28/604.md?p=a-7).


## Source credit

(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 904; Pub. L. 86–312, § 1, Sept. 21, 1959, 73 Stat. 587; Pub. L. 99–651, title II, § 202(b), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3648; Pub. L. 101–650, title III, § 321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 402 (Feb. 11, 1938, ch. 23, 52 Stat. 28).

Sections 44 and 133 of this title require that active circuit and district judges shall reside in the circuit or district to which appointed.

Changes were made in phraseology.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1986—Pub. L. 99–651 inserted last sentence.

1959—Pub. L. 86–312 inserted sentence to provide that place where retired judge maintains actual abode shall be deemed to be his official station and inserted “; official station” in section catchline.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

Words “magistrate judge” substituted for “magistrate” wherever appearing in text pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as a note under section 631 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 99–651 effective Jan. 1, 1987, see section 203 of Pub. L. 99–651, set out as a note under section 155 of this title.