Office of the Solicitor General

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The Office of the Solicitor General is the U.S. Justice Department division responsible for representing the federal government before the Supreme Court and shaping its appellate litigation strategy.


Statements (47)
Predicate Object
instanceOf component of the United States Department of Justice
office
appearsBefore Supreme Court of the United States
United States Courts of Appeals
authority delegated by the Attorney General of the United States
branch executive branch of the United States government
country United States of America
employs Assistants to the Solicitor General
Deputy Solicitors General
establishedBy Act of Congress
goal present the United States’ positions to the Supreme Court with candor and consistency
headOfGovernmentBody Solicitor General of the United States
jurisdiction federal government of the United States
legalSystem United States federal judiciary
locatedIn Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building
location Washington, D.C.
notableCharacteristic often referred to as the Tenth Justice because of its close relationship with the Supreme Court
oversees appellate litigation involving the United States in the Supreme Court
most civil and criminal appeals involving the United States in federal appellate courts
parentOrganization United States Department of Justice
partOf United States Department of Justice
primaryRole represents the federal government before the Supreme Court of the United States
responsibility advises the Attorney General on matters of Supreme Court and appellate litigation
approves the filing of amicus curiae briefs by the United States in federal appellate courts
approves the filing of amicus curiae briefs by the United States in the Supreme Court
authorizes government appeals in most federal appellate cases
conducts and supervises government litigation in the Supreme Court of the United States
coordinates legal positions of federal agencies in appellate litigation
decides whether the United States will appeal adverse decisions in federal appellate courts
decides whether the United States will petition the Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari
determines the legal position the United States will take before the Supreme Court
ensures consistency of the federal government’s legal positions across cases
may confess error on behalf of the United States in appropriate cases
participates in oral argument before the Supreme Court of the United States
prepares and files briefs in Supreme Court cases involving the United States
represents federal agencies in Supreme Court litigation
reviews cases decided against the United States in lower courts for possible Supreme Court review
screens requests from federal agencies to appeal adverse decisions
shapes the federal government’s appellate litigation strategy
subordinateTo Attorney General of the United States
typeOfJurisdiction nationwide
worksOn administrative law cases involving federal agencies
constitutional law cases involving the federal government
statutory interpretation cases involving federal law
worksWith United States Attorneys
United States Courts of Appeals
federal executive agencies

Referenced by (18)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Archibald Cox ("Solicitor General of the United States")
Robert Bork ("Solicitor General of the United States")
Robert H. Jackson ("United States Solicitor General")
Thurgood Marshall ("Solicitor General of the United States")
William Howard Taft ("Solicitor General of the United States")
positionHeld
Appellate Section
Appellate Section
Assistant United States Attorney General for the Civil Division ("Solicitor General of the United States")
Indian Resources Section
collaboratesWith
Office of the Attorney General
United States Attorney General
supervises
Judiciary Act of 1870 ("Office of the Solicitor General of the United States")
created
Office of the Solicitor General ("Solicitor General of the United States")
headOfGovernmentBody
Saturday Night Massacre
officeInvolved
Archibald Cox ("Office of the Solicitor General of the United States")
servedIn
John G. Roberts Jr. ("Office of the U.S. Solicitor General")
workedAt
Samuel A. Alito Jr. ("Office of the Solicitor General of the United States")
workedFor
United States Deputy Attorney General
worksWith

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