United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY, or S.D.N.Y.) is the chief federal law enforcement officer in eight New York counties: New York (Manhattan), Bronx, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess and Sullivan. Founded by President George Washington through the Judiciary Act of 1789, the office represents the United States government in criminal and civil cases across the country. The SDNY handles a broad array of cases, including but not limited to those involving white collar crime, domestic terrorism, cyber crime, public corruption, organized crime, and civil rights disputes.

U.S. Attorney's Office for the
Southern District of New York
Department overview
FormedSeptember 24, 1789 (1789-09-24) by the Judiciary Act of 1789
JurisdictionSouthern District of New York
HeadquartersNew York City, New York, U.S.
Department executives
Parent DepartmentUnited States Department of Justice
Websitejustice.gov/usao/nys
Map
Southern District of New York

The Southern District is known for being highly independent and nonpartisan, earning itself the moniker the "Sovereign District of New York."[1][2] Its resources, culture, and accompanying FBI field office have given the SDNY a reputation for being exceptionally aggressive in their pursuit of criminals.[3][4] Due to its jurisdiction over Manhattan, a financial center of the United States of America, the office’s incumbent is known to be the “Sheriff of Wall Street”.[5]

Since June 2020, Deputy Audrey Strauss has served as Acting U.S. Attorney.

Organization

The Office is organized into two divisions handling civil and criminal matters. The Southern District of New York also has two offices: first in Manhattan, and second in White Plains. The Office employs approximately 220 Assistant U.S. Attorneys.[6]

List of U.S. Attorneys

In 1814, the District of New York was divided into the Northern and the Southern District.[7]

Term U.S. Attorney Party Appointed by
1 April 1815
–
July 1819		 Jonathan Fisk Democratic-Republican James Madison
2 July 1819
–
February 1828		 Robert L. Tillotson Democratic-Republican James Monroe
3 February 1828
–

April 1829

 John Duer [data unknown/missing] John Quincy Adams
4 April 1829
–

April 1834

 James A. Hamilton [data unknown/missing] Andrew Jackson
5 April 1834
–

December 10, 1838

 William M. Price [data unknown/missing]
6 December 1838
–

March 1841

 Benjamin F. Butler Democratic Martin Van Buren
7 March 1841
–

March 1845

 Ogden Hoffman Whig William Henry Harrison
8 March 1845
–

September 1848

 Benjamin F. Butler Democratic James Polk
9 September 1848
–

December 1848

 Charles McVean Democratic
10 January 1849
–
April 1849		 Lorenzo B. Shepard [data unknown/missing]
11 April 1849
–
March 1853		 Jonathan Prescott Hall [data unknown/missing] Zachary Taylor
12 April 1853
–
June 1854		 Charles O'Conor Democratic Franklin Pierce
13 July 1854
–
January 1858		 John McKeon Democratic
14 January 1858
–
December 1859		 Theodore Sedgwick Democratic James Buchanan
15 December 1859
–
March 1861		 James I. Roosevelt Democratic
16 April 1861
–
April 1865		 Edward Delafield Smith Republican Abraham Lincoln
17 April 1865
–
April 12, 1866		 Daniel S. Dickinson Democratic
18 April 1866
–
April 25, 1869		 Samuel G. Courtney [data unknown/missing] Andrew Johnson
19 April 25, 1869
–
July 20, 1870		 Edwards Pierrepont Republican Ulysses S. Grant
20 July 20, 1870
–
December 31, 1872		 Noah Davis Republican
21 December 31, 1872
–
January 24, 1877		 George Bliss Jr. [data unknown/missing]
22 January 24, 1877
–
March 12, 1883		 Stewart L. Woodford Republican
23 March 12, 1883
–
July 6, 1885		 Elihu Root Republican Chester A. Arthur
24 July 6, 1885
–
March 1, 1886		 William Dorsheimer Democratic Grover Cleveland
25 March 1, 1886
–
September 16, 1889		 Stephen A. Walker [data unknown/missing]
26 September 16, 1889
–
February 1, 1894		 Edward J. Mitchell [data unknown/missing] Benjamin Harrison
February 1, 1894
–
July 23, 1894		 Henry C. Platt[lower-alpha 1] [data unknown/missing] Grover Cleveland
27 July 23, 1894
–
January 1898		 Wallace Macfarlane [data unknown/missing]
28 January 1898
–
January 1906		 Henry Lawrence Burnett [data unknown/missing] William McKinley
29 January 1906
–
April 8, 1909		 Henry L. Stimson Republican Theodore Roosevelt
30 April 8, 1909
–
May 7, 1913		 Henry A. Wise [data unknown/missing] William Howard Taft
31 May 7, 1913
–
April 1917		 Hudson Snowden Marshall [data unknown/missing] Woodrow Wilson
32 April 1917
–
June 1921		 Francis Gordon Caffey [data unknown/missing]
33 June 1921
–
March 2, 1925		 William Hayward [data unknown/missing] Warren Harding
34 March 2, 1925
–
April 6, 1927		 Emory Buckner Republican Calvin Coolidge
35 April 6, 1927
–
September 29, 1930		 Charles H. Tuttle Republican
September 29, 1930
–
January 1931		 Robert E. Manley[lower-alpha 2] [data unknown/missing] Herbert Hoover
36 January 1931
–
November 21, 1933		 George Z. Medalie Republican
November 22, 1933
–
December 26, 1933		 Thomas E. Dewey[lower-alpha 3] Republican Franklin D. Roosevelt
37 December 26, 1933
–
May 16, 1935		 Martin Thomas Conboy Jr. [data unknown/missing]
May 16, 1935
–
November 20, 1935		 Francis W. H. Adams[lower-alpha 4] [data unknown/missing]
38 November 20, 1935
–
December 1938		 Lamar Hardy [data unknown/missing]
December 1938
–
March 1939		 Gregory Francis Noonan[lower-alpha 5] [data unknown/missing]
39 March 1939
–
March 1941		 John T. Cahill [data unknown/missing]
40 March 1941[lower-alpha 6]
–
June 10, 1943		 Mathias F. Correa [data unknown/missing]
June 10, 1943
–
August 2, 1943		 Howard F. Corcoran[lower-alpha 7] [data unknown/missing]
41 August 2, 1943
–
October 9, 1944		 James B. M. McNally [data unknown/missing]
42 October 9, 1944[lower-alpha 8]
–
October 1949		 John F. X. McGohey [data unknown/missing]
43 October 1949[lower-alpha 9]
–

September 18, 1951

 Irving Saypol [data unknown/missing] Harry S. Truman
44 September 18, 1951
–
April 1, 1953		 Myles J. Lane [data unknown/missing]
45 April 1, 1953
–
July 11, 1955		 J. Edward Lumbard Republican[8] Dwight D. Eisenhower
July 11, 1955
–
September 1, 1955		 Lloyd F. MacMahon[lower-alpha 10] [data unknown/missing]
46 September 1, 1955
–
July 9, 1958		 Paul W. Williams [data unknown/missing]
July 9, 1958
–
1959		 Arthur H. Christy[lower-alpha 11] [data unknown/missing]
47 1959
–
January 31, 1961		 Samuel Hazard Gillespie Jr. [data unknown/missing]
January 31, 1961
–
April 18, 1961		 Morton S. Robson[lower-alpha 12] [data unknown/missing] John F. Kennedy
48[lower-alpha 13] April 18, 1961
–
January 16, 1970		 Robert Morgenthau Democratic
49 January 16, 1970
–
June 4, 1973		 Whitney North Seymour Jr. Republican Richard Nixon
50 June 4, 1973
–
October 31, 1975		 Paul J. Curran Republican
October 31, 1975
–
March 1, 1976		 Thomas J. Cahill[lower-alpha 14] [data unknown/missing] Gerald Ford
51 March 1, 1976
–
March 2, 1980		 Robert B. Fiske Republican
March 3, 1980
–
May 21, 1980		 William M. Tendy[lower-alpha 15] [data unknown/missing] Jimmy Carter
52 May 22, 1980
–
June 3, 1983		 John S. Martin Jr. [data unknown/missing]
53 June 3, 1983
–
January 1, 1989		 Rudy Giuliani Republican Ronald Reagan
January 1, 1989
–
October 16, 1989		 Benito Romano[lower-alpha 16] [data unknown/missing] George H. W. Bush
54 October 16, 1989
–
May 31, 1993		 Otto G. Obermaier [data unknown/missing]
55 June 1, 1993
–
January 7, 2002		 Mary Jo White Unaffiliated[9] Bill Clinton
56 January 7, 2002
–
December 15, 2003		 James Comey Republican[10] George W. Bush
December 15, 2003
–
September 6, 2005		 David N. Kelley[lower-alpha 17] Democratic
57 September 6, 2005
–
December 1, 2008		 Michael J. Garcia Republican
December 1, 2008
–
August 13, 2009		 Lev Dassin[lower-alpha 18] [data unknown/missing]
58 August 13, 2009
–
March 11, 2017		 Preet Bharara Democratic Barack Obama
March 11, 2017
–
January 5, 2018		 Joon Kim[lower-alpha 19] [data unknown/missing] Donald Trump
January 5, 2018
–
June 20, 2020		 Geoffrey Berman[lower-alpha 20] Republican
June 20, 2020
–
present		 Audrey Strauss[lower-alpha 21] Democratic
  1. Henry C. Platt served as Acting U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  2. Robert E. Manley served as Acting U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  3. Thomas E. Dewey served as Acting U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  4. Francis W. H. Adams served as Acting U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  5. Gregory Francis Noonan served as Acting U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  6. Correa served as Acting U.S. Attorney from March to July 1941 before official confirmation to the post.
  7. Howard F. Corcoran served as Acting U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  8. McGohey served as Acting U.S. Attorney from October 9, 1944 to January 1945 before official confirmation to the post.
  9. Saypol served as Acting U.S. Attorney from October 1949 to April 13, 1950 before official confirmation to the post.
  10. Lloyd F. McMahon served as interim U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  11. Arthur H. Christy served as Acting U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  12. Morton S. Robson served as Acting U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  13. From September 6 to November 20, 1962, Morgenthau resigned his position to run for Governor of New York. After he was defeated, John F. Kennedy re-appointed him as U.S. Attorney. In the interim, Vincent Lyons Broderick served as acting U.S. Attorney from September 5 to November 20, 1962.
  14. Thomas J. Cahill served as Acting U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  15. William M. Tendy served as Acting U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  16. Benito Romanoserved as Acting U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  17. David N. Kelley served as interim U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  18. Lev Dassin served as interim U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  19. Joon Kim served as interim U.S. Attorney during the vacancy
  20. Geoffrey Berman served as Interim U.S. Attorney from January 5 to April 25, 2018[11][12] and as court-appointed U.S. Attorney from April 25, 2018 to June 20, 2020[13][14][15][16]
  21. Audrey Strauss has served as Acting U.S. Attorney since June 20, 2020

Notable assistants

Television

The Showtime drama series Billions is loosely based on Preet Bharara's prosecution of SAC Capital and other hedge funds.[17]

The ABC legal drama For the People depicts new defense attorneys and prosecutors working in the Southern District of New York.

The 2020 Netflix series Fear City: New York vs The Mafia documents the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Southern District of New York against the Five Families of the Italian American Mafia in the 1980s.

References
  1. Weiser, Benjamin; Rashbaum, William K. (March 10, 2017). "With Preet Bharara's Dismissal, Storied Office Loses Its Top Fighter". New York Times. In past presidential transitions, the storied office, long known to be so independent of Washington that some people referred to it as the Sovereign District of New York, has in large measure moved forward unaffected by politics.
  2. Beale, Sara Sun (2011). "What Are the Rules if Everybody Wants to Play?". In Barkow, Anthony S.; Barkow, Rachel E. (eds.). Prosecutors in the Boardroom: Using Criminal Law to Regulate Corporate conduct. NYU Press. p. 206. ISBN 9780814787038. Finally, in some multijurisdictional cases there have been turf battles rather than cooperation. For example, the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York ..... Press accounts have noted the perception that the "'Sovereign District of New York'...doesn't necessar[il]y play well with others."
  3. McDermott, Terry; Meyer, Josh (2012). The Hunt for KSM: Inside the Pursuit and Takedown of the Real 9/11 Mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Little, Brown. p. PT42. ISBN 9780316202732. This was sometimes referred to—mockingly, but enviously, too—as the Sovereign District of New York. It was in many ways a separate fiefdom from the rest of the Bureau, creating its own rules and procedures. The agent in charge of the office, unlike all but one other agent in charge, held the rank of an assistant director of the entire FBI."
  4. Ragavan, Chitra (March 26, 2001). "The pardon buck stops in New York: U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White takes the lead". U.S. News & World Report. Vol. 130 no. 12. p. 24. The Bush administration has left the answer largely in the hands of White, a registered independent, whose office, because of its legendary independence and tenacity, is known as the 'sovereign district.'
  5. Relman, Eliza (May 15, 2017). "'History will judge this moment': The 'Sheriff of Wall Street' urges Republican lawmakers to hold Trump accountable". Business Insider. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  6. Organization and Operation, U.S. Attorney's Office
  7. "Southern District of New York". www.justice.gov. March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  8. https://nyyrc.com/history/
  9. 2013 Speech to the 14th Annual A.A. Sommer, Jr. Corporate Securities and Financial Law Lecture, Fordham Law School SEC. (October 3, 2013). Retrieved December 14, 2014
  10. Krieg, Gregory (May 9, 2017). "Who is James Comey: 7 things to know about the fired FBI director". CNN. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  11. "Statement Of U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman On Appointment By Chief Judge". April 25, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  12. For Manhattan's Next U.S. Attorney, Politics and Prosecution Don't Mix, The New York Times, August 9, 2009.
  13. Erica Orden; Evan Perez; Shimon Prokupecz. "Manhattan US attorney in the spotlight with another high profile investigation of Trump's inner circle". CNN. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  14. Scannell, Kara. "US Attorney Geoffrey Berman asserts independence from Justice Department". CNN. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  15. Erica Orden; Kara Scannell. "Attorney general's actions spark outrage and unease among US prosecutors". CNN. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  16. Spinelli, Dan. "Report: Barr Protected Turkish Bank From Prosecution to Appease Erdogan". Mother Jones. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  17. Tallerico, Brian. "Billions Recap: Agents of Chaos". Vulture. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
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