United States Attorney

United States Attorneys represent the U.S. federal government in United States district court. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. One U.S. Attorney is assigned to each of the judicial districts, with the exception of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands where a single U.S. Attorney serves in both districts. Each U.S. Attorney is the chief federal law enforcement officer within his or her particular jurisdiction.

U.S. Attorneys and their offices are part of the Department of Justice, and thus of the executive branch of the government. U.S. Attorneys are supported by the Justice Department's Executive Office for United States Attorneys.

Contents

1 History

2 Appointment

3 Role

4 List of current U.S. Attorneys' offices

5 Extinct U.S. Attorney's offices

6 External link

History

The Office of the United States Attorney was first created by the Judiciary Act of 1789, which provided for the appointment in each judicial district of a "Person learned in the law to act as attorney for the United States...whose duty it shall be to prosecute in each district all delinquents for crimes and offenses cognizable under the authority of the United States, and all civil actions in which the United States shall be concerned..."

Appointment

The U.S. Attorney is appointed by and serves at the discretion of the President of the United States for a term of four years, with appointments subject to confirmation by the Senate. Upon expiration of his or her term, the U.S. Attorney continues to perform the duties of the office until a successor is confirmed. Each U.S. Attorney is subject to removal by the President. When the President nominates a U.S. Attorney, the Attorney General routinely asks the district court that the nominee be installed on an interim basis while awaiting confirmation by the Senate. The Attorney General is authorized to appoint Assistant U.S. Attorneys, but in practice these are generally selected by the U.S. Attorney of each district.

When a vacancy occurs, the Attorney General, generally under the directions of the President, may appoint an Interim or Acting U.S. Attorney for a maximum of 120 days, to allow time for the President to appoint a new Attorney. If the appointment expires, the District Court may appoint a U.S. Attorney to serve until the vacancy is filled.

Role

The U.S Attorney is both the primary representative and the administrative head of the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the district. The U.S. Attorney's office is the chief prosecutor for the United States in criminal law cases, and represents the United States in civil law cases as both the defendant and plaintiff. The responsibility in civil law is limited in the same way as the limits on the district court.

List of current U.S. Attorneys' offices

Extinct U.S. Attorney's offices

This list is incomplete.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Michigan

External link

United States Attorneys Mission Statement (http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/)
United States Attorneys' Manual (http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/eousa/foia_reading_room/usam/)
Memorandum on Starting Date for Calculating the Term of an Interim U.S. Attorney (http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/termstart.htm)de:Staatsanwaltschaft

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Categories: Incomplete lists | United States law | Legal occupations | United States Department of Justice

United States Attorney

History

Appointment

Role

List of current U.S. Attorneys' offices

Extinct U.S. Attorney's offices

External link

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