A Brief History More than 200 years ago, Congress enacted the
Judiciary Act of 1789, directing the President of the United
States to appoint in each federal district "a meet person
learned in the law to act as an attorney for the United States."
This person - the United States Attorney - was "to prosecute in
(each) district all delinquents for crimes and offenses
cognizable under the authority of the United States, and all
civil actions in which the United States shall be concerned."
Soon after the passage of the Judiciary Act, President George
Washington appointed 13 distinguished men to fill these new
posts in the newly created federal judicial districts. Writing
to the first United States Attorney for the District of New
York, Washington noted that "[t]he high importance of the
judicial system in our national government makes it an
indispensable duty to select such characters to fill the several
offices in it as would discharge their respective duties in
honor to themselves and advantage to their country."