United States Department of the Attorney-General

The United States Department of the Attorney-General, headed by the Attorney-General of the United States (the chief legal officer of the federal Government of the United States), is the Federal Executive department responsible for providing legal advice and representation to the federal Government of the United States.

The Department of the Attorney-General also provides legal counsel to the federal Government anytime the Union is a party or has an interest in a civil action or other legal proceeding; and also provides, upon request, interpretation of federal Law to Federal and State agencies. These interpretations, called “Attorney-General Opinions”, are binding opinions and, until and unless reversed and overturned by the federal Court of the United States, are considered the true and factual interpretation of whatever federal Law (or Laws) being questioned.

In addition, the Department is in charge of the United States Attorney’s Office, which represents the federal Government before the Courts of the States in cases involving matters of federal Law (including federal offenses), and in cases in which the Union is a party or has an interest. There are fifty United States Attorneys, one appointed to each State, one each to the Fœderal Capital Territory and the District of Columbia; and one to each of the thirty Territories.

As the Power over criminal Law and Administration of Justice generally is primarily reserved to the States, nearly all crimes are offenses against the State, rather than against the Union. However, there are a few Federal-level offenses that are expressly mentioned in the Federal Constitution Treaty, namely Piracy, Counterfeiting, Treason (against the Union), Felonies committed on the High Seas, or Cases resulting from interference with Federal Justice (Perjury, Bribery); furthermore, there are a few Federal-offenses that, while not outright mentioned, are otherwise implied by the Federal Constitution (and accepted by the Federal Council), e.g., Extortion by federal Officers, Thefts by Employees from the United States Federal Bank, and Arson of federal Vessels): In the States, these Federal crimes are prosecuted in the Courts of the State by the United States Attorney in and for that State; while in the Territories (including the Fœderal Capital Territory and the District of Columbia) they are prosecuted in the Courts of the Territory by the U.S. Attorney for that Territory. In the Territories, the United States Attorney is also concurrently the Territorial Attorney-General, whereas in the States, the United States Attorney is a nominally-autonomous official within the State Attorney-General’s Office (or equivalent).

History
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Mandate
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Organization
XXXX Agencies and offices  Office of the U.S. Attorney-General 

Attorney-General Secretariat |  Office of Public Information  Office of General Counsel  Office of Accountability and Compliance 

Office of Information Technology  Service Engineering Unit  Cybersecurity Services Unit </li> Policy and Planning Unit </li> Service Delivery Unit </li> </ul></li>

Office of the Comptroller <ul> Finance Unit </li> Budget Unit </li> Debt Collection Management Unit </li> </ul></li>

Office of Human Resources <ul> Human Resources Unit </li> Equal Employment Opportunity Unit </li> Security and Emergency Planning Unit </li> Library Unit </li> </ul></li>

Office of Policy, Management, and Planning <ul> Internal Review and Evaluation Unit </li> General Counsel Unit </li> Facilities and Administrative Services Unit </li> Department Ethics Unit </li> <li>Procurement Services Unit </li> <li>Records Management Policy Unit </li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul></li>

<li>Litigation Division | <ul>

<li>Administrative Office of United States Attorneys <ul> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Arizona </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for California </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Colorado </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Hawaiʻi </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Idaho </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Kansas </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Montana </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Nebraska </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Nevada </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for New Mexico </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for North Dakota </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Oklahoma </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Oregon </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for South Dakota </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Texas </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Utah </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Washington </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office in and for Wyoming </li>

<li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Alabama Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Arkansas Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Connecticut Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Delaware Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Florida Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Georgia Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Illinois Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Iowa Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Indiana Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Kentucky Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Louisiana Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Maine Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Maryland Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Michigan Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Minnesota Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Missouri Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Mississippi Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Hampshire Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Jersey Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for New York Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for North Carolina Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Ohio Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Pennsylvania Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Rhode Island Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for South Carolina Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Tennessee Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Vermont Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Virginia Territory </li> <li>U.S. Attorney’s Office for Wisconsin Territory </li>

<li>Attorney-General’s Office for the District of Columbia </li> <li>Attorney-General’s Office for the FCT </li>

</ul></li> </ul></li>

<li>Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Division | <ul> <li>United States Attorneys-General Conference Secretariat </li> <li>Office of Intergovernmental Affairs <ul> <li>Legislative Affairs Unit </li> <li>Executive Affairs Unit </li> <li>Judicial Affairs Unit </li> <li>State and Tribal Affairs Unit </li> <li>International Affairs Unit </li> <li>Supernatural Liaison Unit </li> </ul></li> </ul></li>

<li>Education and Assistance Division | <ul> <li>Office of Education <ul> <li>Federal Law Academy </li> <li>Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management </li> </ul></li> <li>Office for Territorial Justice Assistance <ul> <li>Territorial Justice Institute </li> <li>Office for Victims of Crime </li> <li>Office for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Programs </li> </ul></li> </ul></li> </ul>