Top 10 Unbelievable Fun Facts about the Department of Justice You Never Knew!

1. DOJ's Hammer-Wielding Superheroes

From ancient scrolls to modern disputes, the Department of Justice has been defending the United States in court since the days of the founding fathers, wielding more power than Thor's Mjölnir itself: The DOJ's Civil Division, headed by the mighty hammer-wielding Assistant Attorney General, oversees a vast realm of legal battles across the Torts Branch, Commercial Litigation Branch, Federal Programs Branch, Appellate Staff, Consumer Protection Branch, and Office of Immigration Litigation, making them the true superheroes of the legal world.
Source => justice.gov

2. Washington's Sneeze Creates DOJ Empire

In the beginning, when George Washington sneezed, the Attorney General caught the legal drift and built an empire: The Department of Justice was born, centralizing litigation and saving a fortune on outside counsel, with the Attorney General (and their trusty sidekicks) representing the United States exclusively in legal matters.
Source => justice.gov

Did you know police officers became associated with doughnuts in the 1950s due to late-night snack breaks? Discover how doughnut shops helped cops work the 'hole' night shift!

=> Fun Facts about Police-Officers

3. Real-life Legal Superstars: U.S. Attorneys

If you thought Leonardo DiCaprio's role in "Catch Me If You Can" was all about chasing counterfeiters and scheming criminals, think again; there's an actual legal superstar out there, clad in a three-piece suit, working diligently within the Department of Justice: The U.S. Attorneys! These dashing legal aces are appointed by the President, serving as chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. They supervise offices packed with hundreds of assistant U.S. attorneys and support personnel to represent Uncle Sam in civil litigation, all while making sure the rulebook, the United States Attorneys' Manual, guides their every move.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Armed & Accountable: IRS and SBA Weaponry

Who needs Rambo when you've got the IRS and the SBA packing heat? These unlikely action stars aren't just crunching numbers and supporting small businesses, they're also locked and loaded: Between 2017 and 2018, the Department of Justice's traditionally administrative agencies spent over $20 million on new guns and ammunition, with the IRS arming its 2,300 Special Agents with heavy weaponry like AR-15s and P90 tactical rifles, and the Small Business Administration stocking up on Glocks for its gun locker.
Source => forbes.com

5. DOJ's Cold Case Binge: The Cold Case Initiative

When the Department of Justice isn't binge-watching Unsolved Mysteries or doing cold case marathons: they actively partake in their own Cold Case Initiative, launched in 2006 to investigate racially motivated murders from pre-1980 with the help of the FBI, NAACP, SPLC, and the National Urban League. They've assessed the prosecutability of over 100 cases and provided closure to victims' families, ensuring it's never too late for justice – or catching up on some true crime drama.
Source => justice.gov

6. Crime-fighting DOJ's Comical Acronyms

Who says the Department of Justice doesn't have a sense of humor? With acronyms that sound like a comic book villain's secret lair, the DOJ packs a crime-fighting punch we can't help but chuckle at: The CES, CCIPS, and MLARS may sound like the Justice League on casual Fridays, but they're actually specialized units within the DOJ. They ensure that counterintelligence, cybercrime, and money laundering don't stand a chance, even while working alongside the (un)funny-bone tickling ATF and FBI.
Source => justice.gov

7. DOJ's 110,000 Law-Enforcing Workforce

Whoever said crime doesn't pay didn't know about the Department of Justice's payroll: The DOJ has over 110,000 employees under its wing, making it one of the world's largest law enforcement agencies to protect civil rights, combat terrorism, fight cybercrime, and put the bad guys behind bars. They also supervise the likes of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Source => usa.gov

8. Heat on Wall Street: White-Collar Crimes Crackdown

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to "white-collar waters": The Department of Justice is cranking up the heat on Wall Street's sharks by prioritizing white-collar criminal enforcement! They're reeling in wrongdoers by adding 120 DOJ attorneys and 900 FBI agents with a whopping $361.5 million budget boost, as well as honing their financial detective skills to spot pandemic fraud and catch those elusive big fish.
Source => skadden.com

9. DOJ to the Environmental Rescue: JUSTUS League

Did someone say "Department of JUSTUS"? Hold on to your trout and talking bears, we're taking a trip to the Environment and Natural Resources Division: This legal dream team not only defends our precious natural resources, but also doubles as America's shield against monetary claims lodged by tribes, bands, or other groups of American Indians in the United States Court of Federal Claims!
Source => justice.gov

10. Civil Rights: DOJ's Real-Life Superheroes

When you think of the Department of Justice, images of superheroes in capes and tights may come to mind, righting wrongs and restoring order: But in reality, the DOJ's Civil Rights Division is the real hero, enforcing anti-discrimination laws to protect individuals from unlawful mistreatment in public spaces, voting, the workplace, housing, and more, while also providing assistance to victims of hate crimes, human trafficking, and discriminatory law enforcement practices.
Source => civilrights.justice.gov