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Civil Division

Civil Division attorneys represent the United States of America, federal agencies, and, where authorized, individual federal employees in many civil cases and matters.  The attorneys practice in United States District Court, in the United States Court of Appeals, and in United States Bankruptcy Court.  Division attorneys and support staff are stationed in Tallahassee and Pensacola.  

The Civil Division’s primary role is to defend the interests of the United States in a wide variety of cases in which federal agencies or their employees are sued.  These defensive matters include actions seeking relief for employment discrimination, personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, environmental matters, and constitutional torts.  They also include prison litigation; actions seeking judicial review of agency decisions, such as Social Security disability cases; immigration matters; bankruptcies; foreclosures; and actions for injunctive relief.  In many of these matters, Division attorneys may be called on to handle cases on appeal to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

In addition to its traditional defensive role, the Civil Division brings affirmative litigation on behalf of the United States.  These kinds of matters are typically referred to as “Affirmative Civil Enforcement,” or “ACE.”  These cases seek monetary reimbursement, penalties, damages, and injunctive relief.  For example, we have brought actions pursuant to the False Claims Act, in which persons made false claims to a federal agency, including false statements made to Medicare or Medicaid by health care organizations.

Within the Civil Division is the Financial Litigation Program ("FLP").  The FLP is responsible for the collection of criminal and civil debts owed the United States arising from criminal convictions (including fines, restitution, special assessments) and civil judgments.  The FLP enforces all criminal monetary penalties, including non-federal restitution.  The FLP interacts with other sections of the office to accomplish its financial litigation mission.

The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida can be served with proper civil litigation papers by service to a Civil Process Clerk at our Tallahassee, Pensacola, or Gainesville offices.

Updated June 13, 2022