03 February 2009

The Cabinet: Justice

Attorney General Eric Holder

Attorney General Eric Holder

Eric Himpton Holder Jr. was sworn in February 2, 2009, as the 82nd U.S. attorney general. Holder served as deputy attorney general from 1997 to 2001 during the Clinton administration, and previously served as the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia and an associate judge on the District of Columbia Superior Court. Holder is the first African-American attorney general.

Holder’s confirmation hearing took place January 15, 2009, before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. The text of Holder's answers to a Judiciary Committee questionnaire (PDF, 47 pages) is available on the committee's Web site.

For more information, see “National Security Team Announced by Obama.”

The Department of Justice, established 1789/1870

Mission: To enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.

Staff: More than 100,000 employees nationwide

Duties: The department is the world’s largest law office, responsible for enforcing all federal laws. It is charged with combating terrorism, apprehending fugitives, locating missing persons, managing federal prisons and inmates, protecting civil liberties, investigating fraud, preventing crime, prosecuting crimes and helping victims of crime.

History: The Office of the Attorney General was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789 as one of the original Cabinet posts, but was intended to be a one-person, part-time position. As the workload increased, the number of assistants grew and much work was contracted to private attorneys. In 1870, Congress established the Department of Justice.

International engagement: The FBI protects the United States from foreign intelligence and terrorist attacks. The FBI also assists other national and international law enforcement agencies with combating and investigating criminal activities, including smuggling and human trafficking.

The Justice Department’s Drug Enforcement Administration, created during the Nixon administration, works domestically and with international partners to combat the global war on illegal drugs.

Fun fact: The Department’s motto is Qui Pro Domina Justitia Sequitur, or “who prosecutes on behalf of justice” (or literally, “the Lady Justice”).

More information: Department of Justice

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)