Office of Professional Responsibility

Welcome to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).  This office was established in 1975 in response to professional misconduct associated with the Watergate scandal.  OPR’s primary mission is to ensure that Department attorneys perform their duties in accordance with the high professional standards expected of the nation’s principal law enforcement agency.

OPR is separate from the litigating components of the Department.  OPR is led by a nonpartisan, career official who is a member of the Senior Executive Service, described here, and employs a staff of experienced, career Department attorneys and support professionals dedicated to the highest standards of integrity. 

OPR’s primary responsibility is to investigate allegations that Department attorneys, prosecutors, and immigration judges have committed misconduct while performing their duties to investigate, litigate, or give legal advice.  OPR also investigates certain misconduct allegations involving federal law enforcement agents when they relate to a Department attorney’s alleged professional misconduct, as well as claims of reprisal against FBI whistleblowers.  In addition, OPR considers allegations of professional misconduct by non-Department attorneys and judges for possible referral to state and judicial disciplinary authorities.  Additional information about OPR’s role and authority can be found here.

If OPR learns of alleged misconduct outside its jurisdiction, such as waste, fraud, or abuse by Department personnel, OPR will refer the matter to the Department’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) or other appropriate office.  Additional information about the relationship between OPR and the OIG can be found here.

Consistent with its practices and procedures, OPR publicly discloses substantial information concerning its work, including summaries of its investigations, an annual report, and its policies and procedures.  OPR discloses its findings at the conclusion of investigations to the extent appropriate and legally permissible under privacy statutes, regulations, and other legal and policy limitations.  For example, the Privacy Act limits the amount and type of information that federal agencies may publicly disclose concerning personnel actions.  Therefore, in most cases, OPR discloses summaries of its investigations, which can be found here.  In certain circumstances, OPR discloses an appropriately redacted copy of OPR’s report of investigation, which can be found here.  More information regarding OPR’s disclosure practices can be found here.

OPR publicly discloses its annual reports to the Attorney General, which contain statistical information on OPR’s activities, significant policy changes and developments, and summaries of inquiries and investigations completed during the fiscal year.  OPR’s annual reports can be found here.  OPR also maintains a library of other frequently requested documents here.

If OPR finds professional misconduct in a particular case, a different office—the Professional Misconduct Review Unit—reviews OPR’s findings and determines the appropriate discipline. 

To learn more about OPR’s jurisdiction, operations, practices, and procedures, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page found here.