<P> The Appellate Division provides advice and assistance to the litigation sections in appellate matters, prepares and reviews memoranda and briefs for the entire District, and argues cases before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals . </P> <P> The Asset Forfeiture Division was established in 1993 as an independent Division, overseeing all criminal and civil forfeiture related litigation in the Southern District of Florida . The mission of the Asset Forfeiture Division is to promote, facilitate and enforce compliance with the laws of the United States using criminal and civil forfeiture to disrupt and deter criminal activity, to dismantle criminal enterprises and to separate criminals and their associates from the profits of their illegal activities . </P> <P> Assistant United States Attorneys assigned to the Asset Forfeiture Division handle all civil forfeiture matters in the District; handle and assist Criminal Division Assistant United States Attorneys with forfeiture related issues in criminal prosecutions and have overall responsibility for all issues involving all asset forfeiture including investigations, seizures and final disposition of assets . The District emphasizes criminal forfeiture and is consistently among the top districts nationwide in judicial forfeiture recoveries and Asset Forfeiture Fund deposits . Forfeited funds are used, as permitted by federal law, to support federal, state and local law enforcement activities and, in appropriate cases, to provide full or partial restoration to victims of criminal activity . </P> <P> The Civil Division defends the interests of the United States from suits alleging statutory torts, constitutional torts, employment discrimination, and a myriad of other claims . The Civil Division also prosecutes cases for fraud and other violations of federal laws, and is responsible for collecting monies owed to the government as a result of criminal fines, defaulted student loans, mortgage foreclosures, bond forfeitures and civil judgments . The division's civil rights enforcement program investigates and litigates cases involving discrimination in the areas of housing, public employment, disability, voting and education . </P>

United states attorney for the southern district of florida