28 USC § 597 - Relationship with Department of Justice

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t28/s597"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "28 USC § 597 - Relationship with Department of Justice"
title_number: 28
title_name: "JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "597"
section_name: "Relationship with Department of Justice"
chapter_number: 40
chapter_name: "INDEPENDENT COUNSEL"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 95–521, title VI, § 601(a), Oct. 26, 1978, 92 Stat. 1872; amended Pub. L. 97–409, § 2(a)(1)(A), Jan. 3, 1983, 96 Stat. 2039; Pub. L. 100–191, § 2, Dec. 15, 1987, 101 Stat. 1306.)"
---


# § 597. Relationship with Department of Justice

**(a)** **Suspension of Other Investigations and Proceedings.—** Whenever a matter is in the prosecutorial jurisdiction of an independent counsel or has been accepted by an independent counsel under section 594(e), the Department of Justice, the Attorney General, and all other officers and employees of the Department of Justice shall suspend all investigations and proceedings regarding such matter, except to the extent required by section 594(d)(1), and except insofar as such independent counsel agrees in writing that such investigation or proceedings may be continued by the Department of Justice.

**(b)** **Presentation as Amicus Curiae Permitted.—** Nothing in this chapter shall prevent the Attorney General or the Solicitor General from making a presentation as amicus curiae to any court as to issues of law raised by any case or proceeding in which an independent counsel participates in an official capacity or any appeal of such a case or proceeding.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 95–521, title VI, § 601(a), Oct. 26, 1978, 92 Stat. 1872; amended Pub. L. 97–409, § 2(a)(1)(A), Jan. 3, 1983, 96 Stat. 2039; Pub. L. 100–191, § 2, Dec. 15, 1987, 101 Stat. 1306.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1987— amended section generally, substituting provisions relating to relationship with Department of Justice for substantially similar provisions.

1983—, substituted “independent counsel” for “special prosecutor” wherever appearing.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1987 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , and applicable to proceedings initiated and independent counsels appointed on and after , see , set out as a note under .