45-612: The United States Department of Justice ( DOJ ), also known as the Justice Department , is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United States. It is equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries. The department is headed by the U.S. attorney general , who reports directly to
90-471: A head of government who is also the head of state . The executive departments are the administrative arms of the president of the United States . There are currently 15 executive departments. Each department is headed by a secretary whose title echoes the title of their respective department, with the exception of the Department of Justice , whose head is known as the attorney general . The heads of
135-503: A "Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team" during the Aspen Cyber Summit. United States federal executive departments The United States federal executive departments are the principal units of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States . They are analogous to ministries common in parliamentary or semi-presidential systems but (the United States being a presidential system ) they are led by
180-754: A bill creating the Territory of Lincoln from the land that is now Oklahoma. (This is not to be confused with the State of Lincoln proposal made in 1869 for southern Texas, nor the Lincoln proposed for the Pacific Northwest .) Lawrence reintroduced the bill in 1867. The proposal was that all territorial officers and voters would initially be “American citizens of African descent,” and the territorial legislature could later choose to change eligibility. However, neither bill got out of committee. Lawrence
225-604: A bill in Congress to create the Department of Justice. President Ulysses S. Grant signed the bill into law on June 22, 1870. Grant appointed Amos T. Akerman as attorney general and Benjamin H. Bristow as America's first solicitor general the same week that Congress created the Department of Justice. The Department's immediate function was to preserve civil rights. It set about fighting against domestic terrorist groups who had been using both violence and litigation to oppose
270-532: A cabinet member with a strong political base, but he seldom spoke up. Following unsuccessful efforts in 1830 and 1846 to make attorney general a full-time job, in 1867, the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary , led by Congressman William Lawrence , conducted an inquiry into the creation of a "law department" headed by the attorney general and also composed of the various department solicitors and United States attorneys . On February 19, 1868, Lawrence introduced
315-457: A government from members of parliament , U.S. legislators who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate to serve as heads of executive departments must resign from Congress before assuming their new positions. If the emoluments for a new appointee's executive branch position were increased while the appointee was previously serving in Congress (e.g., cost of living adjustments),
360-463: A website that supported the USA PATRIOT Act . It was criticized by government watchdog groups for its alleged violation of U.S. Code Title 18 Section 1913, which forbids money appropriated by Congress to be used to lobby in favor of any law, actual or proposed. The website has since been taken offline. On October 5, 2021, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco has announced the formation of
405-516: The 13th , 14th , and 15th Amendments to the Constitution. Both Akerman and Bristow used the Department of Justice to vigorously prosecute Ku Klux Klan members in the early 1870s. In the first few years of Grant's first term in office, there were 1000 indictments against Klan members, with over 550 convictions from the Department of Justice. By 1871, there were 3000 indictments and 600 convictions, with most only serving brief sentences, while
450-613: The Drug Enforcement Administration , and the Federal Bureau of Prisons . The department also has eight divisions of lawyers who represent the U.S. federal government in litigation: the Criminal , Civil , Antitrust , Tax , Civil Rights , Environment and Natural Resources , National Security , and Justice Management Divisions . The department also includes the U.S. Attorneys' Offices for each of
495-657: The Forty-third and Forty-fourth Congresses, completing his fifth overall and final term on March 3, 1877. Lawrence supported the adoption of the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution , stating in an 1866 speech that it would "protect every citizen, including the millions of people of foreign birth who will flock to our shores to become citizens and to find here a land of liberty and law." In 1866, Lawrence introduced
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#1732791832562540-514: The United States Department of Justice . However, this first bill died in Congress due to the Congress's (and Lawrence's) concern with the impeachment of President Johnson. In the following Congress, the issue was brought back to the table. Representative Thomas Jenckes of Rhode Island introduced a bill to create the Department of Justice on February 25, 1870. Though Lawrence did not write this bill, it incorporated many of
585-458: The bureaucracy . At one time, the attorney general gave legal advice to the U.S. Congress , as well as the president ; however, in 1819, the attorney general began advising Congress alone to ensure a manageable workload. Until 1853, the salary of the attorney general was set by statute at less than the amount paid to other Cabinet members. Early attorneys general supplemented their salaries by running private law practices, often arguing cases before
630-623: The federal government took on some law enforcement responsibilities, and the Department of Justice was tasked with performing these. In 1884, control of federal prisons was transferred to the new department, from the Department of the Interior . New facilities were built, including the penitentiary at Leavenworth in 1895, and a facility for women located in West Virginia , at Alderson was established in 1924. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order which gave
675-452: The president of the United States and is a member of the president's Cabinet . The current attorney general is Merrick Garland , who has served since March 2021. The Justice Department contains most of the United States' federal law enforcement agencies , including the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the U.S. Marshals Service , the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ,
720-598: The 94 U.S. federal judicial districts . The U.S. Congress created the Justice Department in 1870 during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant . The Justice Department's functions originally date to 1789, when Congress created the office of the Attorney General. The office of the attorney general was established by the Judiciary Act of 1789 as a part-time job for one person, but grew with
765-587: The Attorney General's office in the Department of Justice Main Building in Washington, D.C. The building was renamed in honor of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy in 2001. It is sometimes referred to as "Main Justice". The Justice Department also had a War Division during World War II . It was created in 1942 and disestablished in 1945. Several federal law enforcement agencies are administered by
810-506: The Department of Justice responsibility for the "functions of prosecuting in the courts of the United States claims and demands by, and offsenses [ sic ] against, the Government of the United States, and of defending claims and demands against the Government, and of supervising the work of United States attorneys, marshals, and clerks in connection therewith, now exercised by any agency or officer..." The U.S. Department of Justice building
855-497: The Department of Justice) "who prosecutes on behalf of justice (or the Lady Justice)". The motto's conception of the prosecutor (or government attorney) as being the servant of justice itself finds concrete expression in a similarly-ordered English-language inscription ("THE UNITED STATES WINS ITS POINT WHENEVER JUSTICE IS DONE ITS CITIZENS IN THE COURTS") in the above-door paneling in the ceremonial rotunda anteroom just outside
900-467: The Department of Justice. Similarly the Office of Domestic Preparedness left the Justice Department for the Department of Homeland Security, but only for executive purposes. The Office of Domestic Preparedness is still centralized within the Department of Justice, since its personnel are still officially employed within the Department of Justice. In 2003, the Department of Justice created LifeAndLiberty.gov,
945-537: The Department of Justice: In March 2003, the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service was abolished and its functions transferred to the United States Department of Homeland Security . The Executive Office for Immigration Review and the Board of Immigration Appeals , which review decisions made by government officials under Immigration and Nationality law, remain under jurisdiction of
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#1732791832562990-545: The Department of the Interior, the prosecution of all federal crimes, and the representation of the United States in all court actions, barring the use of private attorneys by the federal government. The law also created the office of Solicitor General to supervise and conduct government litigation in the Supreme Court of the United States . With the passage of the Interstate Commerce Act in 1887,
1035-745: The House service, Lawrence was the chairman of the Committee on War Claims arising from the American Civil War . In 1867, as a member of the House Judiciary Committee, Lawrence directed an inquiry into the creation of a "law department" headed by the Attorney General and composed of the various department solicitors and district attorneys. On February 19, 1868, Lawrence authored the bill that ultimately created
1080-540: The House successfully passed a resolution impeaching Johnson . In the gap between his third and fourth terms in the House, the returned to Bellefontaine in 1871 and founded the Bellefontaine National Bank (acquired by Huntington National Bank in 1977 ), serving as its first president. He returned to Congress in 1873, this representing Ohio's 8th Congressional district . Lawrence left Congress again on March 3, 1877. During his second stretch in
1125-528: The appointment. On March 4, 1865, William Lawrence took office as the U.S. representative from Ohio's 4th congressional district , having been elected to this office the previous November. Lawrence first served three consecutive terms in the Thirty-ninth , Fortieth , and Forty-first Congresses, ending his third term on March 3, 1871. He returned to Congress in 1873, this time representing Ohio's 8th congressional district . Lawrence served two terms in
1170-696: The case of HHS's Medicare program, Congress chose to contract with private health insurers because they "already possessed the requisite expertise for administering complex health insurance programs", and because American hospitals preferred to continue dealing with private insurers instead of a new federal bureaucracy. [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] William Lawrence (Ohio) William Lawrence (June 26, 1819 – May 8, 1899)
1215-508: The courts as attorneys for paying litigants. The lightness of the office is exemplified by Edward Bates (1793–1869), Attorney General under Abraham Lincoln (1861 to 1864). Bates had only a small operation, with a staff of six. The main function was to generate legal opinions at the request of Lincoln and cabinet members, and handle occasional cases before the Supreme Court. Lincoln's cabinet was full of experienced lawyers who seldom felt
1260-822: The creation of the American Red Cross on May 21, 1881. He then served as the organization's first Vice President. Lawrence and Barton were also instrumental in persuading the United States to ratify the Geneva Convention in 1882. In 1891, Lawrence was appointed President of the National Wool Growers Association. He died on May 8, 1899, in Kenton, Ohio . Lawrence is interred at Bellefontaine Cemetery in Bellefontaine, Ohio. The small Ohio community of Lawrenceville
1305-465: The executive Departments". The heads of executive departments are included in the line of succession to the president, in the event of a vacancy in the presidency, after the vice president , the speaker of the House , and the president pro tempore of the Senate . They are included in order of their respective department's formation, with the exception of the Secretary of Defense, whose position in
1350-676: The executive departments are appointed by the president and take office after confirmation by the United States Senate , and serve at the pleasure of the president . The heads of departments are members of the Cabinet of the United States , an executive organ that normally acts as an advisory body to the president. In the Opinion Clause (Article II, section 2, clause 1) of the U.S. Constitution , heads of executive departments are referred to as "principal Officer in each of
1395-735: The field of medicine . In 1842, he became the Commissioner of Bankruptcy for Logan County . From 1845 to 1847, Lawrence served as the editor of the Logan Gazette , which later became the Bellefontaine Examiner . Lawrence was elected and served as the Logan County Prosecutor in 1845. He also served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives , in 1846 and 1847. In 1849, Lawrence
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1440-521: The general public. In the 20th century, when the federal government began to provide funding and supervision for matters which were historically seen as the domain of state governments (i.e., education , health and welfare services , housing , and transportation ), Congress frequently authorized only funding for grants which were voluntary, in the sense that state or local government agencies could choose to apply for such grants (and accept conditions attached by Congress) or they could decline to apply. In
1485-567: The ideas from Lawrence's previous bill, and he gave the bill his full support. On June 22, 1870, President Ulysses Grant signed this second bill into law, creating the Department of Justice. Lawrence was appointed by President Rutherford B Hayes in 1880 to serve as the First Comptroller of the Treasury , a post he held until 1885. Lawrence then appealed on behalf of Clara Barton to Hayes' successor, James Garfield , to support
1530-510: The line of succession is based on when the Department of War was formed. To enforce a strong separation of powers , the federal Constitution's Ineligibility Clause expressly prohibits executive branch employees (including heads of executive departments) from simultaneously serving in Congress , and vice versa. Accordingly, in sharp contrast to virtually all other Western democracies (parliamentary systems) where ministers are selected to form
1575-561: The need to ask for his opinions. Bates had no authority over the US Attorneys around the country. The federal court system was handled by the Interior Department; the Treasury handled claims. Most of the opinions turned out by Bates's office were of minor importance. Lincoln gave him no special assignments and did not seek his advice on Supreme Court appointments. Bates did have an opportunity to comment on general policy as
1620-536: The original intended meaning of the Latin motto appearing on the Department of Justice seal, Qui Pro Domina Justitia Sequitur (literally "Who For Lady Justice Strives"). It is not even known exactly when the original version of the DOJ seal itself was adopted, or when the motto first appeared on the seal. The most authoritative opinion of the DOJ suggests that the motto refers to the Attorney General (and thus, by extension, to
1665-553: The president must implement a Saxbe fix . As is evident from the chart below, several executive departments (Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Transportation) have disproportionately small employee headcounts in contrast to the size of their budgets. This is because many of their employees merely supervise contracts with private independent contractors or grants (especially categorical grants ) to state or local government agencies who are primarily responsible for providing services directly to
1710-628: The ringleaders were imprisoned for up to five years in the federal penitentiary in Albany, New York . The result was a dramatic decrease in violence in the South. Akerman gave credit to Grant and told a friend that no one was "better" or "stronger" than Grant when it came to prosecuting terrorists. George H. Williams , who succeeded Akerman in December 1871, continued to prosecute the Klan throughout 1872 until
1755-434: The spring of 1873, during Grant's second term in office. Williams then placed a moratorium on Klan prosecutions partially because the Justice Department, inundated by cases involving the Klan, did not have the manpower to continue prosecutions. The "Act to Establish the Department of Justice" drastically increased the attorney general's responsibilities to include the supervision of all United States attorneys, formerly under
1800-611: Was a Republican lawyer and politician from Ohio . He was most noted for being a US Representative influential in attempting to impeach President Andrew Johnson , creating the United States Department of Justice , helping to create the American Red Cross , and ratifying the Geneva Convention . Lawrence was born on June 26, 1819, in Mount Pleasant, Ohio . He attended Tidball's Academy in Knoxville, Tennessee . After teaching at Pennsville and McConnelsville, Ohio , he
1845-534: Was a supporter of impeaching President Andrew Johnson . He served on the House Judiciary Committee at the time it was conducting the first impeachment inquiry against Andrew Johnson , and voted in support of the committee sending an impeachment resolution to the full House in 1867. He thereafter voted for the unsuccessful 1867 impeachment resolution when it was voted on by the full House. In March 1868, he again voted to impeach Johnson when
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1890-788: Was appointed a judge of the Union County Court of Common Pleas. Lawrence was also appointed a judge of the Third District Court in 1857, serving until 1865, resigning to serve in the United States Congress. In 1862, Lawrence entered the Union Army as colonel of the 84th Ohio Infantry , a three-month regiment. In 1863, Lawrence was appointed to serve as the wartime judge for the United States district court in Florida ; however, he declined
1935-424: Was completed in 1935 from a design by Milton Bennett Medary . Upon Medary's death in 1929, the other partners of his Philadelphia firm Zantzinger, Borie and Medary took over the project. On a lot bordered by Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues and Ninth and Tenth Streets, Northwest, it holds over 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m) of space. Various efforts, none entirely successful, have been made to determine
1980-829: Was first elected to the Ohio Senate , serving until 1851 when he became the reporter of the Ohio Supreme Court . He returned to the Ohio Senate in 1854. He also served as an editor of Western Law Monthly from 1859 to 1862. In 1860 or 1861, Lawrence built a house along North Main Street in Bellefontaine; today, the William Lawrence House remains largely intact and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Lawrence
2025-825: Was graduated in 1838 from Franklin College in New Athens, Ohio . He was then graduated in 1840 from law school at the University of Cincinnati , and was admitted to the bar. In 1873, Lawrence was awarded the LL. D. from Franklin College. In 1841, Lawrence moved to Bellefontaine, Ohio , and there set up his law practice . From July 15, 1841, to July 15, 1843, he was law partner of Benjamin Stanton , and from July, 1851 to February, 1854 with his law student William H. West . From 1841 to 1843, he continued his studies, then in
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