[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 39, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 39CFR224.4]

[Page 45]
 
                        TITLE 39--POSTAL SERVICE
 
                 CHAPTER I--UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
 
PART 224--ORGANIZATIONS REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE POSTMASTER GENERAL--
Table of Contents
 
Sec. 224.4  General Counsel.

    (a) General. The General Counsel heads the Law Department; the 
Government Relations Department reports to the General Counsel.
    (b) Law Department. The Law Department is responsible for:
    (1) Serving as legal advisor to the entire Postal Service and 
interpreting laws as they relate to the Postal Service, except as 
provided in Sec. 230.1(c).
    (2) Making rulings, giving advisory opinions, drafting or approving 
legal instruments, instituting and maintaining administrative 
proceedings, representing the Postal Service in administrative 
proceedings, and in judicial proceedings, as authorized, except as 
provided in Sec. 230.1(c).
    (3) Preparing the legislative program of the Postal Service and 
publishing regulations in the Federal Register.
    (4) Administering activities under the Tort Claims Act, and other 
personal injury and physical loss claims.
    (5)(i) Receiving service of petitions for review of a final agency 
order in an appropriate Federal circuit court of appeals. Any aggrieved 
person filing a petition for review of a decision of the Governors 
within 10 days of issuance of the Governors' decision must ensure that a 
court-stamped copy of the petition for review is received by the General 
Counsel within that 10-day period in order to qualify for participation 
in the random selection process established in 28 U.S.C. 2112(a) for 
determining the appropriate court of appeals to review an agency final 
order when petitions for review of that order are filed in more than one 
court of appeals.
    (ii) If the General Counsel receives two or more petitions filed in 
two or more United States Courts of Appeals for review of a decision by 
the Governors within ten days of the effective date of that action for 
the purpose of judicial review, the General Counsel will notify the U.S. 
Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation of any petitions that were 
received within the 10-day period, in accordance with the applicable 
rule of the panel.
    (iii) For the purpose of determining whether a petition for review 
has been received within the 10-day period under paragraph (b)(5)(ii) of 
this section, the petition shall be considered to be received on the 
date of delivery, if personally delivered. If the delivery is 
accomplished by mail, the date of receipt shall be the date noted on the 
return receipt card.
    (6) Acting as agent for the receipt of legal process on behalf of 
the Postal Service and the Postmaster General and other officials 
resulting from the performance of their official functions.
    (7) Administering the Ethical Conduct Program.
    (c) Government Relations Department. The Government Relations 
Department is responsible for:
    (1) Maintaining cooperative relationships among Congress, Federal 
agencies within the Executive Branch, the White House, and state and 
local government officials.
    (2) Advising postal officials on legislative or other policy matters 
in public areas involving congressional committees or individual members 
of Congress.
    (3) Maintaining liaison with members of Congress and their staffs to 
exchange information on specific legislation and Postal Service policies 
and operations.

[52 FR 46998, Dec. 11, 1987, as amended at 56 FR 785, Jan. 9, 1991; 56 
FR 55823, Oct. 30, 1991; 67 FR 16024, Apr. 4, 2002]