Skip to main content

Civil Division

The Chief of the Civil Division, Michelle McConaghy, has responsibility for the supervision of all Civil Division AUSAs and the operation of the Civil Division.

The Civil Division handles a wide variety of cases where the United States or its employees are plaintiffs or defendants.

The Civil Division’s Defensive Unit, which is headed by AUSA John Larson, defends claims filed against the United States, including tort, medical malpractice, employment discrimination, immigration and foreclosures. The Defensive Unit also defends claims brought against individual federal employees (Bivens claims).

The Civil Division’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement and Civil Rights Unit, which is headed by AUSA Richard Molot, pursues claims on behalf of the United States in cases involving health care fraud, defense contractor fraud, drug diversion, forfeitures and environmental violations.

The Civil Division's Civil Rights program works to uphold the civil rights of all people in Connecticut.  Under this program, we enforce federal laws that protect people from discrimination, harassment, and abuse based on their race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and national origin, among other things.  These laws apply to many areas, including housing, education, credit, transportation, voting, and state and local government programs.  We also work to protect the rights of veterans and current military servicemembers.  In addition to investigating and prosecuting possible violations of law, the Civil Rights program also teaches the public about federal civil rights laws through public events.  

For example, we have helped ensure that daycare centers provide medication to children with epilepsy, that female tenants are not sexually harassed by their landlord, that a person with disabilities receives reasonable accommodations from her public housing complex, and that a town’s polling stations are accessible for people with mobility disabilities.   For more information about how the Justice Department assists veterans and servicemembers, please visit https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers/how-we-can-help.    

The Civil Rights program welcomes information from the public about possible discrimination or civil rights violations.  If you have information you want to share with us or believe that we can be of assistance, please call our office at (203) 821-3700.  You can also contact the Civil Rights Intake Specialist by mail at the United States Attorney’s Office, Attn: Civil Rights Intake Specialist, 157 Church Street, 25th Floor, New Haven, CT 06510.  You may also file a written complaint, which can be found here. Para español, complete y envíe este formulario Formulario de Reclamación.

The Civil Division’s Asset Forfeiture Unit, headed by AUSA David Nelson, coordinates asset forfeiture matters for the district and litigates asset forfeiture cases.

The Civil Division's Financial Litigation Unit, which is responsible for collecting debts owed to the United States, is headed by AUSA Christine Sciarrino.
Updated July 13, 2023