Divisions
Criminal Division
The Criminal Division is the largest division in the office. Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) investigate and prosecute cases arising from a vast array of criminal activity. The Criminal Division has assumed new responsibilities due to the fight against terrorism. In this area, the mandate is to prevent injuries, death and destruction first and to prosecute second. The Criminal Division is divided into several sections.
Violent Crimes Section
This section prosecutes crimes such as bank robbery, car jacking, kidnapping, civil rights and hate crimes violations, and immigration offenses. The section handles a large number of cases and matters involving federal firearms violations. Assistants in this section prosecute offenses such as felon in possession of firearms, illegal aliens in possession of firearms, arson, illegal trafficking in firearms, and offenses involving possession of other illegal weapons and explosives. The AUSAs in this section also serve as the leadership for Project Safe Neighborhoods and the initiatives under its umbrella.
White Collar Section - Public Corruption and Government Fraud
This section is responsible for prosecuting a wide range of complex cases, including public corruption, health care fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and mail and wire fraud. Public corruption is one of the district's highest priorities. The United States Attorney must contribute to the district's stability by rigorously prosecuting fraud and public corruption so that innocent persons do not suffer devastating financial losses and so that public confidence in financial institutions and in government is maintained and justified. This section is also charged with the expanding prosecution of computer crimes, particularly those involving child pornography. This district has also placed a high priority on computer crimes, especially any threatening electrical power systems, emergency services, telecommunications, gas/oil storage and transportation, the continuity of government services, the continuity and integrity of financial institutions, and the water supply. In addition to computer crime, this section prosecutes a variety of other federal violations including mail and wire fraud, theft, passport or other document fraud, postal crimes, social security fraud, telemarketing fraud, check fraud, commercial loan fraud, counterfeit negotiable instruments, mortgage fraud, and check kiting. In the area of mortgage fraud, the district has successfully prosecuted many complex, sophisticated schemes and has obtained a substantial number of guilty pleas and convictions.
Narcotics and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) are the United States' primary weapons against the highest level drug-trafficking organizations operating within the United States, importing drugs into the United States, or laundering the proceeds of drug trafficking. Each of the 94 federal judicial districts was placed into one of 13 OCDETF regions based on geographic proximity.
Asset Forfeiture Unit
The primary function of the Asset Forfeiture Unit is to use the federal forfeiture laws to disrupt and deter criminal activity, dismantle criminal enterprises and to separate criminals and their associates from their ill-gotten gains. AUSAs and support staff in this unit pursue all civil forfeiture matters and cases and assist Criminal Division AUSAs with forfeiture-related issues in criminal prosecutions. Forfeited assets are used to fund federal, state, and local law enforcement activities to the extent permitted by federal law and, similarly, in appropriate cases, to provide full or partial restitution to victims of criminal activity.
Civil Division
Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit
The Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit prosecutes civil actions to recover damages for fraud and other offenses against the United States and its agencies; imposes civil penalties for violations of the nation's health, safety and economic welfare laws; and uses the Fraud Injunction Statute to enjoin ongoing mail, wire or bank frauds and to freeze ill-gotten gains derived from those frauds. Investigations or cases may be initiated by a federal agency's investigation or by claims presented by "whistle blowers" under applicable federal statutes. Typical cases involve claims for payment submitted to Medicare by health care providers, claims for payment submitted by contractors for government contracts, and claims by individuals for certain federal benefits. The AUSAs and support staff in this unit work closely with Criminal Division AUSAs and federal, state, and local agencies to share information and coordinate parallel investigations and cases arising from the same or related facts and circumstances. This unit also actively participates in a health care fraud task force to improve coordination among the various agencies involved in the fight against health care fraud. The unit represents the interests of the United States and federal agencies which make claims against debtors in bankruptcy cases.
Financial Litigation Unit
The Financial Litigation Unit litigates debt collection issues and collects criminal and civil debts owed to the United States including judgments, fines, restitution and penalties. The United States and its agencies seek recoveries from corporate or individual debtors who have obtained loans through many federal programs, such as student loan programs and Small Business Administration loan programs as only two examples. The work of the Financial Litigation Unit is important to the taxpayer, and victims of crime depend heavily upon its dedicated pursuit of monetary restitution for criminal losses.
Civil Defensive Division
The Civil Defensive Division represents the United States, its agencies and employees at the trial and appellate levels in a wide variety of civil actions in federal and state courts. These AUSAs frequently defend employment discrimination cases, personal injury actions, medical malpractice claims arising out of treatment at a Veterans' Hospital or other federally-supported health facilities, challenges to agency determinations such as the denial of social security disability benefits, and decisions by the Immigration and Naturalization Service to deport or detain aliens.
The division is also responsible for a broad range of other matters, including requests to amend records under the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act, appeals and/or challenges under the Administrative Procedure Act, defense of government officials sued in their individual capacities, and motions to quash subpoenas that fail to comply with applicable federal regulations. While the bulk of litigation against the United States is filed in federal court, some cases are filed in state courts throughout Alabama. There is a tremendous volume of lawsuits generated in the Northern District of Alabama against the United States. Some of these include branches of the Department of the Treasury, Department of Health and Human Services, and the United States Postal Service. Alabama is home to a federal penitentiary and a Veterans Administration Medical Center.
Appellate and Legal Advice Division
The Appellate and Legal Advice Division is responsible for supervising the office's appeals in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The responsibilities of the Appellate Division include writing briefs and presenting arguments in the circuit court of appeal, assisting other AUSAs in drafting and editing briefs, and conducting moot courts and otherwise preparing AUSAs for oral arguments.
In addition, the Appellate Division is responsible for keeping AUSAs informed of changes and developments in the law, providing legal advice generally to Civil and Criminal Division AUSAs and to the United States Attorney, determining whether to file government appeals, reviewing district court filings on significant points of law, and participating in the formulation of policy.
Administrative Division
The Administrative Division consists of Budget and Finance, Human Resources, Support Services, and Office Automation and Information Systems. The purpose of the Administrative Division is to provide a full range of office support as well as advise and assist the United States Attorney and management officials on administrative matters.
The Administrative Division is responsible for personnel management, payroll management, financial management, records management, systems (information technology) management, space management, internal controls, purchasing and distribution of supplies, and purchasing and maintenance of office equipment.