§ 613 — Disbursing And Certifying Officers

(a) The Director may designate in writing officers and employees of the judicial branch of the Government, including the courts as defined in section 610 other than the Supreme Court, to be disbursing officers in such numbers and locations as the Director considers necessary. Such disbursing officers shall— (1) disburse moneys appropriated to the judicial branch and other funds only in strict accordance with payment requests certified by the Director or in accordance with subsection (b); (2) examine payment requests as necessary to ascertain whether they are in proper form, certified, and approved; and (3) be held accountable for their actions as provided by law, except that such a disbursing officer shall not be held accountable or responsible for any illegal, improper, or incorrect payment resulting from any false, inaccurate, or misleading certificate for which a certifying officer is responsible under subsection (b). (1) The Director may designate in writing officers and employees of the judicial branch of the Government, including the courts as defined in section 610 other than the Supreme Court, to certify payment requests payable from appropriations and funds. Such certifying officers shall be responsible and accountable for— (A) the existence and correctness of the facts recited in the certificate or other request for payment or its supporting papers; (B) the legality of the proposed payment under the appropriation or fund involved; and (C) the correctness of the computations of certified payment requests. (2) The liability of a certifying officer shall be enforced in the same manner and to the same extent as provided by law with respect to the enforcement of the liability of disbursing and other accountable officers. A certifying officer shall be required to make restitution to the United States for the amount of any illegal, improper, or incorrect payment resulting from any false, inaccurate, or misleading certificates made by the certifying officer, as well as for any payment prohibited by law or which did not represent a legal obligation under the appropriation or fund involved. (c) A certifying or disbursing officer— (1) has the right to apply for and obtain a decision by the Comptroller General on any question of law involved in a payment request presented for certification; and (2) is entitled to relief from liability arising under this section in accordance with title 31. (d) Nothing in this section affects the authority of the courts with respect to moneys deposited with the courts under chapter 129 of this title.