MARYLAND & THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

NORTHERN DIVISION

Stephen M. Schenning, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland


[photo, 36 South Charles St., Baltimore, Maryland]

36 South Charles St., Baltimore, Maryland, January 2003. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.


SOUTHERN DIVISION

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland was established by the federal Judiciary Act of 1789. The District of Maryland was one of the original thirteen judicial districts created by that act. From 1789 to 1870, U.S. Attorneys were accountable directly to the U.S. President. With the formation of the U.S. Department of Justice in 1870, the U.S. Attorney General began to superintend the trial-level work of the U.S. Attorneys.

Under the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorneys are the federal government's principal trial lawyers. For the District of Maryland, the U.S. Attorney's Office prosecutes all federal criminal cases, represents the federal government in civil litigation, and collects those debts owed the federal government which are administratively uncollectible.

The U.S. Attorney is appointed to a four-year term by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate. Assistant U.S. Attorneys are appointed by the U.S. Attorney General for indefinite terms.

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland consists of two geographic divisions. The Southern Division covers Calvert, Charles, Prince George's, Montgomery and St. Mary's counties. The remaining Maryland counties are included in the Northern Division.

The Office is organized into three functional divisions: Administrative, Civil, and Criminal.

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION
The lltigation acts of the Civil Division and the Criminal Division are supported by the Administrative Division, which also works to ensure compliance with rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Justice. The Division further coordinates other options for law enforcement support, and victims and witnesses.

CIVIL DIVISION
Located in Baltimore, the Civil Division defends U.S. government agencies when they are sued in court. It also prosecutes civil enforcement activities in a variety of fraud matters, and collects debts owed to the U.S. government.

CRIMINAL DIVISION
The Criminal Division is organized into six sections: Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering; Fraud and Corruption; Major Crimes, such as civil rights abuses, child exploitation, identity fraud and environmental violations; Narcotics; National Security; and Violent Crimes. The Division is aided by the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council of Maryland, the Election Fraud Task Force, and the Maryland Mortgage Fraud Task Force.

U.S. Attorneys for the District of Maryland

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