Attorney General Eric Holder today met with Defending Childhood representatives from eight communities across the country to discuss local efforts to address children’s exposure to violence.

A federal court in Chicago has permanently barred Sidney Dove, a tax-return preparer from Joliet, Ill., from preparing federal income tax returns for others.

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with Fairfax County, Va., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.

The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) newly created Science Advisory Board convened its first meeting today in Washington, D.C.

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against Cincinnati landlord Henry E. Bailey alleging that Bailey sexually harassed female tenants at residential properties he has owned and managed in the Cincinnati metropolitan area.

The Justice Department today announced a comprehensive settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act with HRB Tax Group Inc., H&R Block Tax Services LLC and HRB Advance LLC (H&R Block) to ensure effective communication with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in the provision of income tax preparation services and courses at more than 11,000 owned and franchised offices nationwide.

The Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor announced today the launch of a nationwide Human Trafficking Enhanced Enforcement Initiative designed to streamline federal criminal investigations and prosecutions of human trafficking offenses.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas ordered that Juan Antonio Gaona must adhere to a 25-foot buffer zone around a Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services Clinic in San Antonio, Texas.

The Justice Department today announced a settlement of its lawsuit alleging that Chandi Biswas, Kenneth R. Scott and Frankie L. Roberson violated the Fair Housing Act by making discriminatory statements against African-American renters at Rolling Oaks Apartments in Clanton, Ala.

A federal jury in Columbia, S.C., convicted Oddie Tribble, 51, a former police officer with the Kershaw County, S.C., Sherriff’s Office, of a civil rights violation for his use of excessive force on a man in his custody on Aug. 5, 2010.

A settlement agreement has been reached with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Columbus, Ohio, over the use of Conducted Energy Devices (CEDs), or electrically charged weapons commonly referred to by the brand name “TASER,” in its two jails, the Franklin County Corrections Centers.

A federal court in Denver has permanently barred Curtis L. Morris of Elizabeth, Colo., from preparing federal tax returns for others.

A settlement agreement with the Carson City School District in Nevada has been reached to ensure that all English Language Learner (ELL) students receive sufficient services as required by federal law.

The United States has filed six lawsuits in five states to stop tax return preparers from fraudulently claiming the first-time homebuyer tax credit and the earned-income tax credit.

The United States has sued David Champion of Pahrump, Nev., seeking to bar him from promoting an alleged tax fraud scheme designed to assist his customers evade paying federal taxes.

Thierno M. Diallo of Cincinnati was sentenced to 24 months in prison by U.S District Court Judge Sandra Beckwith in Cincinnati for aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.

The Justice Department announced today that Dalton Township, Mich., will pay $62,500 to settle a lawsuit alleging that the township discriminated against a group home for persons recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

A federal court has permanently barred Jody S. Ball of Bryson City, N.C., from preparing federal income tax returns for others.

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that President Obama’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 budget proposal totaling $28.2 billion for the Department of Justice identifies $2.0 billion in efficiencies and savings while providing resources to strengthen national security, preserve the department’s traditional missions, maintain prisons and detention, and assist our state, local and tribal law enforcement partners.

The FBI and Department of Justice response to the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences report, "Review of the Scientific Approaches Used During the FBI’s Investigation of the 2001 Anthrax Letters."

An agreement has been reached with the town of Swansea, Mass., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.

An Arkansas woman who operates Foster’s Income Tax Service in Knobel, Ark., has been permanently barred from preparing federal tax returns for others.

A developer of a condominium complex in Post Falls, Idaho, has agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging that they violated the Fair Housing Act by developing the complex with features that made it inaccessible to persons with disabilities, announced the Department of Justice.

"A Florida woman has been permanently barred from preparing federal income tax returns for others, the Department of Justice announced today."

The Justice Department today announced a settlement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), a private, non-profit organization that administers the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), a standardized examination related to medical licensing.

The United States has asked a federal court to stop Cecil Collier, who operates under the trade name “Cairo Fast Tax,” from preparing federal tax returns for others.

A former resident of Cincinnati was sentenced to 30 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Sandra S. Beckwith for aiding and assisting in the preparation of false client tax returns and for filing a false individual income return.

The United States has sued a Chicago tax return preparer seeking to bar her from preparing any more federal tax returns for others.

"Each February – since Black History Month was established more than half a century ago – we rededicate ourselves to racial and social equality; to the work of ensuring economic opportunity; and to the values that have defined and strengthened our nation: tolerance; compassion; and – above all – justice."

As part of continued efforts to close the chapter on allegations that discrimination occurred at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in past decades.

The Department of Justice reached a settlement today with United Regional Health Care System of Wichita Falls, Texas, that prohibits it from entering into contracts that improperly inhibit commercial health insurers from contracting with United Regional’s competitors.

An agreement has been reached with the city of Des Moines, Iowa, and the Des Moines Public Library, to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.

The United States has asked a federal court to stop an Atlanta-area financial planner from assisting persons in preparing false tax returns claiming fraudulent tax refunds based on fabricated income tax withholdings.

"Each year, as we commemorate Black History Month, we are called to reconnect – and to rededicate ourselves – to the principles at the core of all that we stand for, and all that we fight for, in this Department."

"It was here that I first learned to be a lawyer; where I learned my most important lessons about law and public service; and where I learned something that all of you already know: that the small steps we take in service can create giant leaps of difference."

The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor municipal elections on March 8, 2011, in Maricopa County, Ariz.

The owners and operators of Summerhill Place Apartments, a 268 apartment complex in Renton, Wash., have agreed to pay $110,000 in damages and civil penalties to settle a lawsuit alleging that the complex had discriminated against African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, Indian Americans and families with children in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

American Education and Travel Services Inc. (AETS) in Antioch, Calif., has agreed to pay $10,000 in back pay and compensatory damages to a lawful permanent resident who was denied a residential counselor position because he was not a U.S. citizen or native English speaker.

A State Department contract employee pleaded guilty today to illegally accessing confidential passport application files.

A federal court in Providence, R.I., has ordered that Michael Brier, the owner of the tax return preparation firm Refunds Now Inc., and his employees, Jeffrey Sroufe, Esther Santiago and Carmen Miranda, be permanently barred from preparing federal income tax returns for others.

A Houston bus company was fined $55,000 for violating passenger carrier accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The Department of Justice marked the start of Sunshine Week today with the launch of FOIA.gov, the “flagship initiative” of the department’s Open Government Plan and one of the most significant contributions yet toward making this the most transparent administration in history.

Revised regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will take effect tomorrow, March 15, 2011.

"Sunshine Week is an important week for those of us who believe that government works best when the country knows what its government is doing. It is an opportunity to thank the many people inside and outside of government who have gotten us here, think about where we have to go next, and recommit ourselves to the goal of ensuring that government is open and transparent."

Attorney General Eric Holder and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius visited Detroit today to participate in the fifth regional health care fraud prevention summit.

The Justice Department announced today that it has resolved a lawsuit alleging that Kimberly Sathoff was subjected to pregnancy discrimination by the Hertford County, N.C., Public Health Authority, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the state of California, Governor Jerry Brown and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for violating the right of an inmate to practice his religion.

Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department today announced its findings that the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has engaged in patterns of misconduct that violate the Constitution and federal law.

U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus sentenced Irvin Hannis Catlett Jr., 64, of Crownsville, Md., today to 210 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for tax offenses in connection with a scheme to prepare individual income tax returns for clients, which reported bogus tax losses from a purported car leasing company.

The Department of Justice reminds members of the public to be aware of and report any instances of suspected fraudulent charitable contribution schemes related to the natural disasters in Japan.