The U.S. Attorney is appointed by the President of the United States for a term of 4 years, and appointments are subject to review by the Senate. When a vacancy occurs, the Attorney General may appoint an Interim U.S. Attorney for a maximum of 120 days, to allow time for the President to appoint a new Attorney. Assistant U.S. Attorneys are appointed by the U.S. Attorney of each distract, and serve indefinite terms.

The U.S Attorney is both the primary representative and the administrative head of the Office of the U.S. Attourney for the district. The attorney's office is the chief prosecutor for the United States in criminal law cases, and represents the United States in civil law cases as both the defendant and plaintiff. The responsibility in civil law is limited in the same way as the limits on the District Court.