Civil Division
The Civil Division has ten Assistant United States Attorneys who represent the United States in both affirmative and defensive litigation.
Its defensive litigation includes suits challenging the constitutionality of federal statutes and regulations, Federal Tort Claims Act cases, Title VII employment discrimination cases, immigration litigation, and constitutional torts against federal officers. Its affirmative litigation includes enforcing federal environmental, fair housing, and civil rights laws as well as suing corporations and individuals for civil fraud, including health care fraud, agricultural program fraud, and federal procurement fraud.
The Civil Division has received national recognition for its work in enforcing federal lead-paint disclosure laws against landlords and championing the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act. The Civil Division’s emphasis on civil health care fraud has resulted in millions of dollars of recovery under the Civil False Claims Act.
The Financial Litigation Unit, one group within the Civil Division, collects money on behalf of a wide range of federal agencies, including the Small Business Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Education. The Financial Litigation Unit also collects criminal fines and special assessments from defendants in criminal cases. These monies go into the Crime Victims Fund, which gives money back to the community through grants to aid crime victims and support victim services.
Another important function of the Civil Division is the Asset Forfeiture Unit, which seeks the forfeiture of all assets used in criminal activity. Up to seventy-five percent of forfeited funds go back to state and local law enforcement efforts. Each year, through civil and criminal litigation, the Asset Forfeiture Unit obtains millions of dollars in cash and property from criminal offenders.