Title 28Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-73

§543 Special attorneys

Title 28 › Part PART II— - DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE › Chapter CHAPTER 35— - UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS › § 543

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Attorney General can appoint lawyers to help U.S. Attorneys when it’s in the public interest. This can include qualified tribal prosecutors and other qualified lawyers to help prosecute federal crimes in Indian country. Appointed lawyers can be removed by the Attorney General. Indian country — the legal term defined in section 1151 of title 18.

Full Legal Text

Title 28, §543

Judiciary and Judicial Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Attorney General may appoint attorneys to assist United States attorneys when the public interest so requires, including the appointment of qualified tribal prosecutors and other qualified attorneys to assist in prosecuting Federal offenses committed in Indian country.
(b)Each attorney appointed under this section is subject to removal by the Attorney General.
(c)In this section, the term “Indian country” has the meaning given that term in section 1151 of title 18.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

1966 Act DerivationU.S. CodeRevised Statutes andStatutes at Large (a)28 U.S.C. 503.[None]. 5 U.S.C. 298.July 28, 1916, ch. 261, § 1 (6th par. on p. 413), 39 Stat. 413. (b)28 U.S.C. 504(b) (2d sentence, less applicability to assistant United States attorneys).[None]. The text of former section 298 of title 5 is omitted as unnecessary. The position so authorized has not been filled in recent years, and the authority is preserved by this section and revised section 3101 of title 5, United States Code. In subsection (b), the word “is” is substituted for “shall be”. 1948 ActPrior section 503.—Based on section 312 of title 5, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees (R.S. § 363). Other provisions of section 312 of title 5, U.S.C., 1940 ed., are incorporated in section 507 [now 509 and 547] and 508 [now 548] of this title. Changes were made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 543, act June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 911, related to oath of office for United States Marshals, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 89–554, § 8(a), and reenactment in section 563 of this title by section 4(c) of Pub. L. 89–554.

Amendments

2010—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–211, § 213(a)(1)(A), inserted “, including the appointment of qualified tribal prosecutors and other qualified attorneys to assist in prosecuting Federal offenses committed in Indian country” before period at end. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–211, § 213(a)(1)(B), added subsec. (c).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

28 U.S.C. § 543

Title 28Judiciary and Judicial Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73