The Department of Justice is the federal government's primary law enforcement and legal agency, established in 1870 to centralize federal legal work under the attorney general. It enforces federal laws, protects civil rights, and represents the United States in court through 94 district offices nationwide. The DOJ oversees major law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, DEA, ATF, US Marshals Service, and Federal Bureau of Prisons, with more than 115,000 employees and a fiscal 2024 budget of $44B.
Hours of research by our editors, distilled into minutes of clarity.
Established in 1870, the US Department of Justice enforces federal law, safeguards civil rights, and represents the United States in court—serving as the central authority for federal prosecutions and legal advice across all executive agencies.
In fiscal year 2024, the Department of Justice spent approximately $44B—making it the 14th-largest federal agency by total spending. Its budget funds law enforcement activities, prosecutions, prisons, and grants to state and local justice initiatives.
Passed by Congress in 1870, the Act to Establish the Department of Justice centralized federal legal work under the attorney general, bringing together US attorneys and marshals into a single department.
The attorney general acts as the nation's top law enforcement official—managing all Department of Justice activities, overseeing US attorneys, and advising the president and federal agencies on legal issues that influence policy and enforcement.
The first attorneys general served as the president's chief legal advisor and represented the government before the Supreme Court—but without staff, office, or salary support, many maintained private practices to supplement their income.
The DOJ's official archive features profiles of every attorney general in American history—from Edmund Randolph, appointed by George Washington in 1789, to the present day—including their official portraits.
The Trump administration made changes to ethics oversight, instructed US attorneys to coordinate with the White House, dismissed cases, and overhauled the career hiring process in the Civil Rights division. The administration asserts these changes were justified and aimed to end what they claim as the weaponization of government.
Watergate ushered in sweeping changes. Agencies were required to release information openly, officials had to disclose finances transparently, and new laws limited conflicts of interest. The reforms also established independent oversight of ethics and safeguarded presidential records, curbing abuse and boosting accountability.
This podcast series traces how the US government's approach to regulating big business has changed over a century—from the DOJ's breakup of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil monopoly, through lawyer Robert Bork's influence on how courts interpret competition law, to the FTC's modern antitrust lawsuit against Amazon.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is the DOJ's largest component, leading national efforts to fight terrorism, cybercrime, organized crime, and corruption. It has roughly 38,000 employees and functions as both a domestic intelligence agency and the federal government's main investigative body.
Become informed on key topics that help you participate in the world around you