Federal Courts Improvement Act of 2002

Federal Courts Improvement Act of 2002 - Title I: Judicial Process Improvements - (Sec. 101) Authorizes bankruptcy administrators in Alabama and North Carolina to appoint bankruptcy case trustees and to serve in such capacity.

(Sec. 102) Amends the Federal judicial code to authorize the holding of court for the Eastern District of Texas in Plano. Allows court for the Eastern District of Texas and the Western District of Arkansas to be held anywhere in the Federal courthouse in Texarkana that is located astride the State line between Texas and Arkansas.

(Sec. 103) Modifies provisions regarding supervised release after imprisonment to limit the conditions under which custody by the Bureau of Prisons during nights, weekends, or other intervals of time may be imposed (limited to the first year of supervision, only when Bureau facilities are available to accommodate the individual, and only for a violation of a condition of supervised release).

(Sec. 104) Requires judges to submit an annual report to the Administrative Office of the United States Courts regarding wiretap orders.

(Sec. 105) Denies the district courts original jurisdiction based on diversity of citizenship where the matter in controversy is between a citizen of a State and a citizen or subject of a foreign state admitted to the United States for permanent residence and domiciled in the same State.

(Sec. 106) Allows (currently, requires) a court to require an individual who does not respond to a jury summons to appear.

(Sec. 107) Eliminates: (1) the automatic excuse from jury service for members of the armed forces, members of fire and police departments, and public officers; and (2) public drawing requirements for the selection of juror wheels.

(Sec. 109) Makes the supplemental attendance fee for petit jurors serving on lengthy trials applicable where the juror is required to attend more than five (currently, 30) days in hearing one case.

(Sec. 111) Establishes as a place of holding court: (1) St. Clairsville in the Southern District of Ohio; and (2) Plattsburgh in the Northern District of New York.

Title II: Judicial Personnel Administration, Benefits, and Protections - (Sec. 201) Modifies the Federal judicial code to provide that any judge of the District Courts of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Virgin Islands who has served at least five years and who retires or is removed upon the sole ground of mental or physical disability shall be entitled to receive during the remainder of that judge's life an annuity equal to 40 percent of the salary received when the judge left office or, in the case of a judge who has served at least ten years, an annuity equal to that proportion of such salary which the aggregate number of the judge's years of judicial service bears to 15.

Entitles any retired judge who is eligible to receive an annuity to a cost-of-living adjustment that shall not exceed the salary of a judge in regular active service with the court on which the judge served before retiring.

(Sec. 202) Authorizes the Director of the Federal Judicial Center to fix the compensation of four Center employees at levels equivalent to level IV of the Executive Schedule pay rates.

(Sec. 203) Includes judicial branch executives within maximum annual leave limits applicable to members of the executive branch's Senior Executive Service.

(Sec. 204) Authorizes the judiciary to establish a benefits program for judicial branch officers and employees, including justices and judges of the United States.

(Sec. 205) Includes judicial branch personnel in the organ donor leave program.

(Sec. 206) Increases maximum amounts of compensation for attorneys and for services other than counsel.

(Sec.208) Sets forth criminal penalties for retaliating against a Federal judge by false claim or slander of title.

(Sec. 209) Authorizes the judicial council of each circuit (currently, each court of appeals) to appoint a librarian.

Title III: Additional Provisions - Urges the Judicial Conference to take steps to safeguard the privacy of officers and employees of the judicial branch.