# Cato’s Berry: Court Rejects “Instant Elevation” of Officials to Fill Vacant Posts 

August 18, 2026 • News Releases 

A recent decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in *United States v. Jackson* states that neither a first assistant U.S. Attorney appointed after a vacancy nor someone delegated all the powers of a U.S. Attorney can serve as an acting U.S. Attorney, agreeing with an [amicus brief](https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://zwly9k6z.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:*2F*2Fwww.cato.org*2Flegal-briefs*2Funited-states-v-jackson/1/010001a0153328b7-911a7a49-e487-4118-b50d-c3d6ef110356-000000/uFuP6S0n2uhsDgcUKoxqqWD2XkA=473___.YXAzOmNhdG9pbnN0aXR1dGU6YTpvOjllMWRmNTBlMzEzMjk5ZTJjYzllODhjOWEzZTQ0N2IzOjc6ZjI3NzowNTI2NzdhMGFlNmFjZDkwNTMzYmFiY2M4M2E2OGIxYjY3NzIxZjNmNjZiNjg1Zjk4MTk4ZjZlZTMwNDJiMWYyOmg6VDpO) filed by scholars at the Cato Institute.

Following this decision, [Thomas Berry](https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://zwly9k6z.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:*2F*2Fwww.cato.org*2Fpeople*2Fthomas-berry/1/010001a0153328b7-911a7a49-e487-4118-b50d-c3d6ef110356-000000/G0KB5lXqE9WlEG-tE6LHEOZOopM=473___.YXAzOmNhdG9pbnN0aXR1dGU6YTpvOjllMWRmNTBlMzEzMjk5ZTJjYzllODhjOWEzZTQ0N2IzOjc6N2Y2ODowMTVmNzViMzEwN2IyMGQxODQ4OWY1MDIwYjY5YWM5YzBiYTUxNzJmNTdjODhhMjM4M2U5NTU4ZDhjZTdkZjYyOmg6VDpO), the director of the Cato Institute’s Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, released a statement:

> *“Very pleased to see this decision, which agrees with our amicus brief in United States v. Jackson that a first assistant cannot be appointed when an office is already vacant and then instantaneously elevated to acting officer. The opinion also agrees that all of the duties of a vacant office cannot be delegated to a single official.”*

To speak with Berry further, contact [Christopher Tarvardian](mailto:ctarvardian@cato.org).

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