United States Attorney Definition

The prosecutor in charge of enforcing the federal criminal laws of the United States in a particular district. Each U.S. Attorney is responsible for enforcing certain federal civil statutes, such as the Civil Rights Act. U.S. Attorneys are appointed by the president and the job is considered a political plum. Typical cases brought by the U.S. Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorneys are immigration violations, drug importation, securities fraud, and bank robberies. Any offense committed on federal property (such as a military base or national park) may be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney.