About the U.S. Attorney's Office

Following the Mexican War, in 1848, the Alta California region became a part of the United States. This area included Los Angeles and fell under the federal jurisdiction of the Southern District of California from 1850 (when California was admitted as the nation's 31st state) to 1866, when Congress unified California's Northern and Southern districts. In 1870, the Department of Justice was established, which placed the Office under the Attorney General’s supervision and authority. In 1886, Congress partitioned California's federal trial court jurisdiction and the Office again served the Southern District of California. In 1966, Congress expanded California's number of judicial districts from two to four, leading to the creation of the Central District of California.   

The historical courthouse at 312 North Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles opened in 1940 and continues to serve as the headquarters of the United States Attorney’s Office. Ushering in a new era in its history, the office prosecuted prominent cases, including obtaining guilty verdicts for the three men responsible for Frank Sinatra Jr.’s kidnapping in 1964 and securing the conviction of two Los Angeles Police Department officers who violated the civil rights of Rodney King in 1993. Following its establishment in the 1980s, the Civil Division began enforcing federal civil rights statutes and defending the federal fisc. Branch offices were opened in Santa Ana and Riverside, serving the communities in Orange County and the Inland Empire, respectively.

The District’s rich history is a testament and guide to the Office’s continued efforts and dedication to protecting the people, communities, and rights of the Central District of California.

Today, the United States Attorney’s Office enforces the laws and defends the interests of the United States through three primary litigating divisions:

The Criminal Division prosecutes broad array of criminal conduct adversely affecting our communities and chargeable in federal court. The Criminal Division consists of federal prosecutors committed to protecting the most populous of any of the country’s 94 United States Attorney’s Offices, serving nearly 20 million people. Our prosecutors identify, investigate, charge, take to trial, and handle appeals for some of the most impactful criminal cases in the nation. Their cases include fraud committed against individuals, businesses and taxpayers, corrupt public officials, racketeering, drug trafficking, firearms offenses, tax crimes, and violations of consumer safety laws and environmental regulations.

The National Security Division focuses on criminal prosecution as well as disruption and deterrence of activities implicating national security interests. Its lawyers and staff are specially trained and experienced in investigating and prosecuting crimes relating to foreign threat actors, international and domestic terrorism, complex computer attacks, and misappropriation of significant intellectual property.

The Civil Division enforces federal civil rights laws and uses civil litigation, seeking monetary damages and civil penalties, to address a wide range of illegal conduct, including fraud against taxpayers, consumer safety violations, and environmental torts. The Civil Division is also responsible for defending U.S. agencies and employees who are sued in federal courts, taking cases to trial and arguing cases on appeal.

The United States Attorney’s Office is involved closely in the communities it serves, through outreach, training, local events, and partnerships with law enforcement, faith-based organizations, and local schools.