Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of Justice
Order Establishes Department of Justice Succession for Attorney General
What it does
Officials must follow the named list of U.S. Attorneys as the order of succession to act as Attorney General when top officials are unavailable.
Real-world impact
- Designates three specific U.S. Attorneys to serve as acting Attorney General, in order.
- Prevents individuals already serving in an acting capacity from serving under this succession.
- Revokes the prior Department of Justice succession order (Executive Order 13557).
Topics
Summary
This order names who should serve as acting Attorney General if the Attorney General and top deputies cannot perform their duties. It lists three U.S. Attorneys, in a specific order, to act as Attorney General when needed.
The order also bars anyone already serving in an acting role from being chosen under this list and requires that any chosen person meet eligibility rules under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. It cancels a prior succession order.
Questions, answered
Ask questions about this executive order and its implications. Try:
- “What agencies are affected by this order?”
- “How does this order change existing policy?”
- “What are the practical implications of this order?”