---
kind: "section"
citation: "48 U.S.C. § 2168"
title: "48"
title_heading: "Territories and Insular Possessions"
number: "2168"
heading: "Selection of presiding judge"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/48/2168"
units:
  - "Chapter 20 — Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability"
  - "Subchapter III — Adjustments of Debts"
---

# §2168. Selection of presiding judge

- (a) For cases in which the [debtor](/usc/48/2161.md?p=c-2) is a [territory](/usc/48/2104.md?p=20), the Chief Justice of the United States shall designate a district court judge to sit by designation to conduct the case.
- (b) For cases in which the [debtor](/usc/48/2161.md?p=c-2) is not a [territory](/usc/48/2104.md?p=20), and no motion for joint administration of the [debtor](/usc/48/2161.md?p=c-2)’s case with the case of its [affiliate](/usc/48/2161.md?p=c-1) [territory](/usc/48/2104.md?p=20) has been filed or there is no case in which the [affiliate](/usc/48/2161.md?p=c-1) [territory](/usc/48/2104.md?p=20) is a [debtor](/usc/48/2161.md?p=c-2), the chief judge of the court of appeals for the circuit embracing the district in which the case is commenced shall designate a district court judge to conduct the case.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 114–187, title III, § 308, June 30, 2016, 130 Stat. 582.)