28 CFR § 600.1 - Grounds for appointing a Special Counsel.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t28/s600.1"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "28 CFR § 600.1 - Grounds for appointing a Special Counsel."
title_number: 28
title_name: "Judicial Administration"
section_number: "600.1"
section_name: "Grounds for appointing a Special Counsel."
chapter_name: "OFFICES OF INDEPENDENT COUNSEL, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE"
part_number: "600"
part_name: "GENERAL POWERS OF SPECIAL COUNSEL"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "5 U.S.C. 301; 28 U.S.C. 509, 510, 515-519."
regulatory_source: "64 FR 37042, July 9, 1999, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "600"
---


# 600.1 Grounds for appointing a Special Counsel.

The Attorney General, or in cases in which the Attorney General is recused, the Acting Attorney General, will appoint a Special Counsel when he or she determines that criminal investigation of a person or matter is warranted and—

(a) That investigation or prosecution of that person or matter by a United States Attorney's Office or litigating Division of the Department of Justice would present a conflict of interest for the Department or other extraordinary circumstances; and

(b) That under the circumstances, it would be in the public interest to appoint an outside Special Counsel to assume responsibility for the matter.