The following excerpt is from Leary v. United States, 268 F.2d 623 (9th Cir. 1959):
13 In effect, the period of service established by the designation defines the office of the assigned judge. "Where no office legally exists, the pretended officer is merely a usurper, to whose acts no validity can be attached * * *." Norton v. Shelby County, 118 U.S. 425, 449, 6 S.Ct. 1121, 1129, 30 L.Ed. 178.
The above passage should not be considered legal advice. Reliable answers to complex legal questions require comprehensive research memos. To learn more visit www.alexi.com.