Legal Definitions - United States Attorney

A United States Attorney is the chief federal prosecutor and legal representative for the U.S. government within a specific judicial district. These attorneys lead offices responsible for enforcing federal laws and representing the interests of the United States in federal courts across the country.

Their primary responsibilities include:

• Prosecuting individuals and organizations accused of federal crimes, such as drug trafficking, financial fraud, terrorism, or civil rights violations.
• Representing the federal government in civil lawsuits, which can involve defending federal agencies against claims or pursuing legal action on behalf of the government, for instance, to recover damages or enforce regulations.
• Overseeing a team of Assistant United States Attorneys and other staff who handle the day-to-day legal work.
• Collaborating closely with federal law enforcement agencies like the FBI, DEA, and Secret Service to investigate and build cases.

United States Attorneys are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for four-year terms, though they can be replaced sooner. While they operate under the general oversight of the U.S. Attorney General, they exercise significant discretion and independence in managing their district's legal matters.

Examples:

• Imagine federal agents uncover a large-scale cybercrime operation that has stolen personal data from millions of Americans across multiple states. The United States Attorney for the district where the primary suspects reside would lead the prosecution. Their office would work with the FBI and other agencies to gather evidence, present the case to a grand jury for indictment, and ultimately try to secure convictions in federal court, demonstrating their role as the chief federal prosecutor for serious federal offenses.

• Consider a situation where a private company sues the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in federal court, claiming that new federal regulations are overly burdensome and unlawfully restrict their business operations. The United States Attorney's office in that district would represent the EPA, defending the federal government's position and arguing for the legality and necessity of the regulations. This illustrates their function in defending federal agencies against civil challenges.

• Suppose a pharmaceutical company is suspected of defrauding Medicare by submitting false claims for unapproved drugs, costing taxpayers millions of dollars. The United States Attorney could initiate a civil lawsuit against the company to recover the fraudulently obtained funds and impose penalties. This highlights their role in protecting federal programs and recovering assets on behalf of the U.S. government through civil litigation.