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U.s. Attorney

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 .

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 (see ). In practice, if a state has a Senator of the same party as the President, the seniormost such Senator selects the U.S. attorneys for the judicial districts in his or her state. 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. Attorney s, 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 (USAO) 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 (see generally ). The responsibility in civil law is limited in the same way as the limits on the district court.

The U.S. Attorney For The District Of Columbia has the additional responsibility of representing the District Of Columbia in the Superior Court Of The District Of Columbia .

LIST OF CURRENT U.S. ATTORNEYS' OFFICES

# U.S. Attorney For The Middle District Of Alabama
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Alabama
# U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of Alabama
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Alaska
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Arizona
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of Arkansas
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Arkansas
# U.S. Attorney For The Central District Of California
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of California
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of California
# U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of California
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Colorado
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Connecticut
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Delaware
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Columbia
# U.S. Attorney For The Middle District Of Florida
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Florida
# U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of Florida
# U.S. Attorney For The Middle District Of Georgia
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Georgia
# U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of Georgia
# U.S. Attorney For The Districts Of Guam And The Northern Mariana Islands
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Hawaii
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Idaho
# U.S. Attorney For The Central District Of Illinois
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Illinois
# U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of Illinois
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Indiana
# U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of Indiana
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Iowa
# U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of Iowa
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Kansas
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of Kentucky
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Kentucky
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of Louisiana
# U.S. Attorney For The Middle District Of Louisiana
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Louisiana
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Maine
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Maryland
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Massachusetts
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of Michigan
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Michigan
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Minnesota
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Mississippi
# U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of Mississippi
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of Missouri
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Missouri
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Montana
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Nebraska
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Nevada
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of New Hampshire
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of New Jersey
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of New Mexico
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of New York
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of New York
# U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of New York
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of New York
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of North Carolina
# U.S. Attorney For The Middle District Of North Carolina
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of North Carolina
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of North Dakota
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Ohio
# U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of Ohio
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of Oklahoma
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Oklahoma
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Oklahoma
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Oregon
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of Pennsylvania
# U.S. Attorney For The Middle District Of Pennsylvania
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Pennsylvania
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Puerto Rico
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Rhode Island
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of South Carolina
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of South Dakota
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of Tennessee
# U.S. Attorney For The Middle District Of Tennessee
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Tennessee
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of Texas
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Texas
# U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of Texas
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Texas
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Utah
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Vermont
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of The Virgin Islands
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of Virginia
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Virginia
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of Washington
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Washington
# U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of West Virginia
# U.S. Attorney For The Southern District Of West Virginia
# U.S. Attorney For The Eastern District Of Wisconsin
# U.S. Attorney For The Western District Of Wisconsin
# U.S. Attorney For The District Of Wyoming

EXTINCT U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICES

U.S. Attorney For The District Of Michigan

EXTERNAL LINKS

United States Attorneys Mission Statement

United States Attorneys' Manual

Memorandum on Starting Date for Calculating the Term of an Interim U.S. Attorney

D.C. Superior Court Division

Index of prosecuting offices in all state and federal jurisdictions, and some foreign jurisdictions.