CFR > Title 32 - National Defense > SUBTITLE A—Department of Defense > CHAPTER VII—DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE (parts 800 to 989) > SUBCHAPTER D—CLAIMS AND LITIGATION (parts 842 to 845) > PART 842—ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIMS > SUBPART G—Foreign Claims (10 U.S.C. 2734) (§842.55 to §842.68) > 842.57—Delegations of authority.

842.57—Delegations of authority.

(a) Settlement authority: (1) The Secretary of the Air Force has the authority to:
(i) Settle claims for payment of $100,000 or less.
(ii) Settle claims for more than $100,000, pay the first $100,000, and report the excess to the General Accounting Office for payment.
(iii) Deny claims in any amount.
(2) The Judge Advocate General has delegated authority to:
(i) Settle claims for payment of $100,000 or less.
(ii) Deny claims in any amount.
(3) The Deputy Judge Advocate General, Director of Civil Law, and the Chief, Deputy Chief and Branch Chiefs, Claims and Tort Litigation Staff are each a foreign claims commission and have delegated authority to:
(i) Settle claims for payment of $50,000 or less.
(ii) Deny a claim in any amount.
(4) The SJAs of PACAF, USAFE, 9AF (for CENTCOM) and AFSPACECOM (for Greenland and Canada) are each a foreign claims commission and have delegated authority to approve claims for payment arising within their geographic area of responsibility for $50,000 or less, or deny claims of $50,000 or less.
(5) The SJAs of Numbered Air Forces in PACAF and USAFE; the SJA of HQ TUSLOG; the SJA of 12AF (for South America); and the SJAs of Lajes AB, Azores, Patrick AFB, FL, and Howard AFB, Panama are each a foreign claims commission and have delegated authority to:
(i) Recommend payment in any amount.
(ii) Settle claims for payment of $25,000 or less.
(iii) Deny claims for $50,000 or less.
(6) The SJAs of each Air Force base, station and fixed installation in PACAF, USAFE, and CENTCOM, are each a foreign claims commission and have delegated authority to:
(i) Recommend payment in any amount.
(ii) Settle claims for payment of $10,000 or less.
(iii) Deny claims for $25,000 or less.
(b) Authority to appoint FCCs. (1) The Chief, Claims and Tort Litigation Staff, has the delegated authority to appoint a judge advocate or civilian attorney as a FCC and to redelegate all or a part of his or her settlement authority to that FCC.
(2) A settlement authority appointed as a FCC in paragraph (a) of this section may appoint one or more subordinate judge advocates or civilian attorneys as FCCs, and may redelegate all or part of that settlement authority to those FCCs, in writing. Every FCC must have authority to settle claims for at least $10,000.
(c) Authority to reduce, withdraw, or restore settlement authority. Any superior settlement authority may reduce, withdraw, or restore delegated authority, in writing, except no one may reduce or withdraw the authority of a FCC to settle claims for $10,000 or less.
(d) Settlement negotiations. A settlement authority may settle a claim in any sum within its settlement authority, regardless of the amount claimed. Send uncompromised claims in excess of the delegated authority through claims channels to the level with settlement authority. Unsuccessful negotiations at one level do not bind higher authority.
(e) Special exceptions. Do not settle claims for medical malpractice without HQ USAF/JACC approval.

Code of Federal Regulations

[55 FR 2809, Jan. 29, 1990, as amended at 55 FR 32076, Aug. 7, 1990; 56 FR 1574, Jan. 16, 1991]