Who is who in a federal case
United States Attorney
A United States Attorney is the chief federal prosecutor for a judicial district, and the office's assistants handle nearly all federal criminal cases there.
There is one for each of the 94 districts, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The office prosecutes federal crimes, defends the United States when it is sued, and brings affirmative civil cases such as fraud recoveries.
On a docket you will normally see line prosecutors, Assistant United States Attorneys, signing filings on behalf of the office rather than the United States Attorney personally.
Charging practice varies by district. The same conduct may be prosecuted federally in one district and left to state authorities in another, which is why federal filing patterns differ so much across the map. Some cases are handled instead by litigating sections of the Justice Department in Washington, which is why a docket in a district court may list trial attorneys from the Criminal or Civil Division rather than local prosecutors.
How it appears on a docket
Counsel block: United States of America represented by AUSA T. Mensah, United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York.
Governing rule
28 U.S.C. Sec. 541-547
Related terms
- Federal Public Defender — A federal public defender is a lawyer employed by the court system to represent defendants who cannot afford counsel in federal criminal cases.
- Indictment — An indictment is the formal written accusation, voted by a grand jury, that charges someone with a federal crime and starts the prosecution.
More on who is who in a federal case
See this term in a real case
Search federal court records and read the filings where united states attorney actually shows up. New to federal dockets? Start with how to find a federal case.