District Information
History
The District of Minnesota was established as a judicial district by an Act of Congress on March 17, 1849. Two days later, Henry L. Moss was appointed the first United States Attorney for the District. From the appointment of Moss to the present, the United States Attorneys who have served the District have been a source of pride because of their hard work in upholding the laws of the nation.
One of the earliest United States Attorneys for the District was also one of the most well known. Cushman K. Davis was a member of the Minnesota Legislature when he was commissioned as United States Attorney. In 1873, Davis won election as Governor of Minnesota. Later, he was elected to the United States Senate, where he served until his death in 1900. Davis authored the resolution that resulted in the annexation of Hawaii by the United States; and after the Spanish-American War, he became one of the commissioners responsible for drafting the treaty.
This Office
This U.S. Attorney's Office employs approximately forty-five Assistant U.S. Attorneys and approximately sixty staff, from paralegals and technology specialists to community relations professionals and personnel administrators. This office operates two litigating division. The Criminal Division, which employs thirty-four lawyers, prosecutes violations of federal criminal law. The lawyers in that division focus on cases involving major fraud, organized crime, bank robberies, counterfeiting, immigration violations, and violent crime involving gangs, guns, and drugs. The Civil Division, which currently employs ten lawyers, represents the United States in all civil actions brought in federal or state court in Minnesota in which the federal government is a party or has an interest.
In addition to litigating cases, those who work in this office collaborate with other law enforcement and crime prevention professionals across the state to develop comprehensive policies and initiatives to address the issues that may lead to criminal behavior. They work with representatives of the court system, school districts, social service professionals, and community activists to develop multi-disciplinary plans to address problems ranging from the growing use of methamphetamine to gun violence among youth. This work is done primarily through the External Relations Division.