# 28 C.F.R. § 0.160 (2026): Offers that may be accepted by Assistant Attorneys General > Federal · Regulations · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_160 ## Section - **Citation:** 28 C.F.R. § 0.160 (2026) - **Heading:** Offers that may be accepted by Assistant Attorneys General - **Jurisdiction:** Federal - **Kind:** Regulations - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Title 28 CFR: Judicial Administration / Chapter I: DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE / Part 0: ORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE / Subpart Y: Authority To Compromise and Close Civil Claims and Responsibility for Judgments, Fines, Penalties, and Forfeitures / § 0.160: § 0.160 Offers that may be accepted by Assistant Attorneys General. ## Text (a) Subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph (d) of this section, Assistant Attorneys General are authorized, with respect to matters assigned to their respective divisions, to: (1) Accept offers in compromise of claims asserted by the United States in all cases in which the difference between the gross amount of the original claim and the proposed settlement does not exceed $10,000,000 or 15 percent of the original claim, whichever is greater; (2) Accept offers in compromise of claims asserted by the United States in all cases in which a qualified financial expert has determined that the offer in compromise is likely the maximum that the offeror has the ability to pay; (3) Accept offers in compromise of, or settle administratively, claims against the United States in all cases in which the principal amount of the proposed settlement does not exceed $4,000,000; and (4) Accept offers in compromise in all nonmonetary cases. (b) Subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph (d) of this section, the Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division, is further authorized to accept offers in compromise of, or settle administratively, claims against the United States, regardless of the amount of the proposed settlement, in all cases in which the Joint Committee on Taxation has indicated that it has no adverse criticism of the proposed settlement. (c) Subject to the limitations set forth in paragraph (d) of this section, the Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, is further authorized to approve settlements under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq., regardless of the amount of the proposed settlement, with: (1) Parties whose contribution to contamination at a hazardous waste site is de minimis within the meaning of 42 U.S.C. 9622(g); or (2) Parties whose responsibility can be equitably allocated and are paying at least the allocated amount. under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq., regardless of the amount of the proposed settlement, with: (1) Parties whose contribution to contamination at a hazardous waste site is de minimis within the meaning of 42 U.S.C. 9622(g); or (2) Parties whose responsibility can be equitably allocated and are paying at least the allocated amount. (d) Any proposed settlement, regardless of amount or circumstances, must be referred to the Deputy Attorney General or the Associate Attorney General, as appropriate: (1) When, for any reason, the compromise of a particular claim would, as a practical matter, control or adversely influence the disposition of other claims and the compromise of all the claims taken together would exceed the authority delegated by paragraph (a) of this section; (2) When the Assistant Attorney General concerned is of the opinion that because of a question of law or policy presented, or because of opposition to the proposed settlement by a department or agency involved, or for any other reason, the proposed settlement should receive the personal attention of the Deputy Attorney General or the Associate Attorney General, as appropriate; (3) When the proposed settlement converts into a mandatory duty the otherwise discretionary authority of a department or agency to promulgate, revise, or rescind regulations; (4) When the proposed settlement commits a department or agency to expend funds that Congress has not appropriated and that have not been budgeted for the action in question, or commits a department or agency to seek particular appropriation or budget authorization; or to a mandatory duty the otherwise discretionary authority of a department or agency to promulgate, revise, or rescind regulations; (4) When the proposed settlement commits a department or agency to expend funds that Congress has not appropriated and that have not been budgeted for the action in question, or commits a department or agency to seek particular appropriation or budget authorization; or (5) When the proposed settlement otherwise limits the discretion of a department or agency to make policy or managerial decisions committed to the department or agency by Congress or by the Constitution. [Order No. 1958-95, 60 FR 15674, Mar. 27, 1995, as amended by Order No. 3001-2008, 73 FR 54947, Sept. 24, 2008; AG Order No. 3532-2015, 80 FR 30618, May 29, 2015; AG Order No. 4926-2020, 85 FR 84230, Dec. 28, 2020; AG Order No. 5536-2022, 87 FR 12403, Mar. 4, 2022; Order No. 6508-2025, 90 FR 57140, Dec. 10, 2025] ## Nearby sections - [28 C.F.R. § 0.160 (2026) § 0.160 Offers that may be accepted by Assistant Attorneys General.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_160.md) - [28 C.F.R. § 0.161 (2026) § 0.161 Acceptance of certain offers by the Deputy Attorney General or Associate Attorney General, as appropriate.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_161.md) - [28 C.F.R. § 0.162 (2026) § 0.162 Offers which may be rejected by Assistant Attorneys General.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_162.md) - [28 C.F.R. § 0.163 (2026) § 0.163 Approval by Solicitor General of action on compromise offers in certain cases.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_163.md) - [28 C.F.R. § 0.164 (2026) § 0.164 Civil claims that may be closed by Assistant Attorneys General.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_164.md) - [28 C.F.R. § 0.165 (2026) § 0.165 Recommendations to the Deputy Attorney General or Associate Attorney General, as appropriate, that certain claims be closed.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_165.md) - [28 C.F.R. § 0.166 (2026) § 0.166 Memorandum pertaining to closed claim.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_166.md) - [28 C.F.R. § 0.167 (2026) § 0.167 Submission to Associate Attorney General by Director of Office of Alien Property of certain proposed allowances and disallowances.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_167.md) - [28 C.F.R. § 0.168 (2026) § 0.168 Redelegation by Assistant Attorneys General.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_168.md) - [28 C.F.R. § 0.169 (2026) § 0.169 Definition of “gross amount of the original claim”.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_169.md) - [28 C.F.R. § 0.170 (2026) § 0.170 Interest on monetary limits.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_170.md) - [28 C.F.R. § 0.171 (2026) § 0.171 Judgments, fines, penalties, and forfeitures.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_171.md) - [28 C.F.R. § 0.172 (2026) § 0.172 Authority: Federal tort claims.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_172.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T28_P0_S0_160. 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