As used in this title: The term “court of the United States” includes the Supreme Court of the United States, courts of appeals, district courts constituted by chapter 5 of this title, including the Court of International Trade and any court created by Act of Congress the judges of which are entitled to hold office during good behavior. The terms “district court” and “district court of the United States” mean the courts constituted by chapter 5 of this title. The term “judge of the United States” includes judges of the courts of appeals, district courts, Court of International Trade and any court created by Act of Congress, the judges of which are entitled to hold office during good behavior. The term “justice of the United States” includes the Chief Justice of the United States and the associate justices of the Supreme Court. The terms “district” and “judicial district” means the districts enumerated in Chapter 5 of this title. The term “department” means one of the executive departments enumerated in section 1 of Title 5, unless the context shows that such term was intended to describe the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of the government. The term “agency” includes any department, independent establishment, commission, administration, authority, board or bureau of the United States or any corporation in which the United States has a proprietary interest, unless the context shows that such term was intended to be used in a more limited sense.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 907; Pub. L. 86–3, § 10, Mar. 18, 1959, 73 Stat. 9; Pub. L. 89–571, § 3, Sept. 12, 1966, 80 Stat. 764; Pub. L. 95–598, title II, § 213, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2661; Pub. L. 96–417, title V, § 501(10), Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1742; Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 114, Apr. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 29.)