§ 0.45 - General functions.

§ 0.45 General functions.

The following-described matters are assigned to, and shall be conducted, handled, or supervised by, the Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division:

(a) Admiralty and shipping cases - civil and admiralty litigation in any court by or against the United States, its officers and agents, which involves ships or shipping (except suits to enjoin final orders of the Federal Maritime Commission under the Shipping Act of 1916 and under the Intercoastal Shipping Act assigned to the Antitrust Division by subpart H of this part), defense of regulatory orders of the Maritime Administration affecting navigable waters or shipping thereon (except as assigned to the Environment and Natural Resources Division by § 0.65(a)), workmen's compensation, and litigation and waiver of claims under reciprocal-aid maritime agreements with foreign governments.

(b) Court of claims cases - litigation by and against the United States in the Court of Claims, except cases assigned to the Environment and Natural Resources Division and the Tax Division by subparts M and N of this part, respectively.

(c) International trade - all litigation before the Court of International Trade, including suits instituted pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1581(i) and suits by the United States to recover customs duties, to recover upon a bond relating to the importation of merchandise required by the laws of the United States or by the Secretary of the Treasury and to recover a civil penalty under sections 592, 704(i)(2), or 734(i)(2) of the Tariff Act of 1930, and the presentation of appeals in the Court of International Trade.

(d) Fraud cases - civil claims arising from fraud on the Government (other than antitrust, land and tax frauds), including alleged claims under the False Claims Act, the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act of 1986, the Surplus Property Act of 1944, the Anti-Kickback Act, the Contract Settlement Act of 1944, the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, 19 U.S.C. 1592 and common law fraud.

(e) Gifts and bequests - handling matters arising out of devises and bequests and inter vivos gifts to the United States, except determinations as to the validity of title to any lands involved and litigation pertaining to such determinations.

(f) Patent and allied cases and other patent matters - patent, copyright, and trademark litigation before the U.S. courts and the Patent Office, including patent and copyright infringement suits in the Court of Claims (28 U.S.C. 1498), suits for compensation under the Patent Secrecy Act where the invention was ordered to be kept secret in the interest of national defense (35 U.S.C. 183), suits for compensation for unauthorized practice of a patented invention in the furnishing of assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act (22 U.S.C. 2356), suits for compensation for the unauthorized communication of restricted data by the Atomic Energy Commission to other nations (42 U.S.C. 2223), interference proceedings (35 U.S.C. 135, 141, 142, 146), defense of the Register of Copyrights in his administrative acts, suits for specific performance to acquire title to patents, and civil patent-fraud cases.

(g) Tort cases - defense of tort suits against the United States arising under the Federal Tort Claims Act and special acts of Congress; similar litigation against cost-plus Government contractors and Federal employees whose official conduct is involved (except actions against Government contractors and Federal employees which are assigned to the Environment and Natural Resources Division by § 0.65(a); prosecution of tort claims for damage to Government property, and actions for the recovery of medical expenses under Public Law 87-693 and part 43 of this title.

(h) General civil matters - litigation by and against the United States, its agencies, and officers in all courts and administrative tribunals to enforce Government rights, functions, and monetary claims (except defense of injunctive proceedings assigned to the Antitrust Division by subpart H of this part, civil proceedings seeking exclusively equitable relief assigned to the Criminal Division by §§ 0.55(i) and 0.61(d), and proceedings involving judgments, fines, penalties, and forfeitures assigned to other divisions by § 0.171), and to defend challenged actions of Government agencies and officers, not otherwise assigned, including, but not limited to, civil penalties and forfeitures, actions in the Court of Claims under the Renegotiation Act, claims against private persons or organizations for which the Government is, or may ultimately be, liable, except as provided in § 0.70(c)(2), defense of actions arising under section 2410 of title 28 of the U.S. Code whenever the United States is named as a party as the result of the existence of a Federal lien against property, defense of actions for the recovery of U.S. Government Life Insurance and National Service Life Insurance (38 U.S.C. 784), enforcement of reemployment rights in private industry pursuant to the Military Selective Service Act of 1967 (50 U.S.C., App. 459); reparations suits brought by the United States as a shipper under the Interstate Commerce Act; civil actions by the United States for penalties for violations of car service orders (49 U.S.C. 1(17a)); actions restraining violations of part II of the Interstate Commerce Act (49 U.S.C. 322(b) and 322(h); civil actions under part I of the Interstate Commerce Act (49 U.S.C. 6(10) and 16(9)); injunctions against violations of Interstate Commerce Commission orders (49 U.S.C. 16(12)); mandamus to compel the furnishing of information to the Interstate Commerce Commission (49 U.S.C. 19a(1) and 20(9)); recovery of rebates under the Elkins Act (49 U.S.C. 41(3)); compelling the appearance of witnesses before the Interstate Commerce Commission and enforcement of subpenas and punishment for contempt (49 U.S.C. 12(3)); suits to enforce final orders of the Secretary of Agriculture under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (7 U.S.C. 499g), and the Packers and Stockyards Act (7 U.S.C. 216); suits to set aside orders of State regulatory agencies (49 U.S.C. 13(4)); and civil matters, except those required to be handled by the Board of Parole, under section 504(a) of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (29 U.S.C. 504(a)).

(i) Appeals under section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 - the grant and/or legal denial of prior approval of the Attorney General as described in section 8(g)(1)(B) of the Contract Disputes Act of 1978. The Assistant Attorney General is authorized to redelegate, to the extent and subject to such limitations as may be deemed advisable, to subordinate division officials the responsibilities covered by this subsection and delineated in section 8(g)(1)(B) of the Contract Disputes Act of 1978.

(j) Consumer litigation - All civil and criminal litigation and grand jury proceedings arising under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (15 U.S.C. 1261 et seq.), the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (15 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.), the Automobile Information Disclosure Act (15 U.S.C. 1231 et seq.), the odometer requirements section and the fuel economy labeling section of the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act (15 U.S.C. 1981 et seq.), the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act (15 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.), the Poison Prevention Packaging Act of 1970 (15 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.), the Federal Caustic Poison Act (15 U.S.C. 401 note), the Consumer Credit Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1611, 1681q and 1681r), the Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. 68), the Fur Products Labeling Act (15 U.S.C. 69), the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (15 U.S.C. 70 et seq.), the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq.), the Flammable Fabrics Act (15 U.S.C. 1191 et seq.), the Refrigerator Safety Device Act (15 U.S.C. 1211 et seq.), title I of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty - Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act (15 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.), the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.), and section 11(1) of the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. 21(1)) relating to violations of orders issued by the Federal Trade Commission. Upon appropriate certification by the Federal Trade Commission, the institution of criminal proceedings, under the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 56(b)), the determination whether the Attorney General will commence, defend or intervene in civil proceedings under the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 56(a)), and the determination under the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2076(b)(7)), whether the Attorney General will initiate, prosecute, defend or appeal an action relating to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

(k) All civil litigation arising under the passport, visa and immigration and nationality laws and related investigations and other appropriate inquiries pursuant to all the power and authority of the Attorney General to enforce the Immigration and Nationality Act and all other laws relating to the immigration and naturalization of aliens except all civil litigation, investigations, and advice with respect to forfeitures, return of property actions, Nazi war criminals identified in 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(33), 1251(a)(19) and civil actions seeking exclusively equitable relief which relate to national security within the jurisdiction of the Criminal Division under § 0.55 (d), (f), (i) and § 0.61(d).

(l) Civil penalties for drug possession - the authority and responsibilities of the Attorney General under section 6486 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 (21 U.S.C. 844a) and the regulations implementing that Act (28 CFR part 76). Such authority and responsibilities may be redelegated by the Assistant Attorney General to subordinate division officials to the extent and subject to limitations deemed advisable.

[Order No. 423-69, 34 FR 20388, Dec. 31, 1969]

Editorial Note

Editorial Note:

For Federal Register citations affecting § 0.45, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.fdsysgovinfo.gov.