Judiciary Act of 1870

E9615

The Judiciary Act of 1870 is a U.S. federal law that created the Department of Justice and centralized federal law enforcement and legal representation under the Attorney General.


Statements (38)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Judiciary Act
United States federal statute
alsoKnownAs An Act to establish the Department of Justice
appliesTo federal courts of the United States
assignedHead Attorney General of the United States
branch executive branch of the United States government
centralized federal law enforcement functions
federal legal representation
codifiedInPartAs Title 28 of the United States Code
country United States
created Office of the Solicitor General of the United States
United States Department of Justice
dateEnacted 1870-06-22
effect institutionalized the modern role of the Attorney General
strengthened federal capacity to enforce national laws
empowered Attorney General of the United States
enactedBy 41st United States Congress
established framework for federal criminal prosecutions under the Department of Justice
structure for coordination of United States Attorneys
governs administration of federal legal affairs by the Department of Justice
historicalContext Reconstruction era
jurisdictionOver litigation involving the United States government
language English
legalCitation 16 Stat. 162
locationSigned Washington, D.C.
providedThat Attorney General shall supervise the conduct of all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States is concerned
Department of Justice shall represent the United States in legal matters
United States Attorneys are subject to direction of the Attorney General
purpose to consolidate federal legal business under the Attorney General
to create a unified Department of Justice
to supervise United States Attorneys and federal marshals
relatedTo Judiciary Act of 1789
Office of the Attorney General (United States)
signedBy Ulysses S. Grant
subjectMatter federal law enforcement administration
organization of federal legal affairs
typeOfLegislation organizational statute
yearEnacted 1870

Referenced by (1)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
United States Department of Justice
legalBasis

Please wait…