About the Civil Division

Key Functions of the Civil Division

• Represents the United States, its departments and agencies, Members of Congress, Cabinet Officers, and other federal employees in civil or criminal matters.
• Defends against challenges to federal programs.
• Ensures federal government represents a unified legal perspective.
• Protects the public fisc (U.S. Treasury).

Types of Litigation

• National Policies/Significant Federal Interests: Cases involving federal interests or national policies.
• Complex Cases: Cases not easily managed by U.S. Attorney's Offices.
• Jurisdictional Cases: Cases involving multiple jurisdictions or foreign courts.
• Immigration Cases: Significant portion involving immigration.

Litigation Practices

• Defensive Litigation: Handles lawsuits filed against the government.
• Affirmative Litigation: Brings suits to recover money lost through fraud, loan defaults, and misuse of federal funds.
  • Returns billions annually to Treasury, Medicare, and other programs.

Compensation Programs

• National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986
• Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (1990s)
• James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010

Role in DOJ and Executive Branch

• Provides leadership within DOJ.
• Advises other DOJ components and client agencies.
• Ensures unified, consistent, and successful litigation positions.
• Works with general counsels to mitigate potential litigation.

Contact Information

• Address: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20530-0001
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 202-514-2000

Additional Resources

• Email Updates: Signup for updates.
• Social Media: Twitter

Miscellaneous

• Official U.S. Government site.
• Secure site connection via HTTPS.
• Last updated on January 19, 2023.