The Reno Rules were ethical rules for federal prosecutors promulgated in the
Code of Federal Regulations
In the law of the United States, the ''Code of Federal Regulations'' (''CFR'') is the codification of the general and permanent regulations promulgated by the executive departments and agencies of the federal government of the United States. ...
by then Attorney General
Janet Reno
Janet Wood Reno (July 21, 1938 – November 7, 2016) was an American lawyer who served as the 78th United States attorney general. She held the position from 1993 to 2001, making her the second-longest serving attorney general, behind only Wi ...
. The rules, despite their issuance, lacked statutory authority and were unenforceable. ''See'' ''United States v. McDonnell Douglas Corp.'', 132 F.3d 1252 (8th Cir. 1998). The rules were passed in the wake of discussions about the
Thornburgh Memo The Thornburgh Memo was a U.S. Department of Justice memorandum prepared by then Attorney General Richard Thornburgh, on June 8, 1989. The memo declared that state ethics rules were not binding upon federal prosecutors. It asserted that any complia ...
. They have since been supplanted by 28 U.S.C. § 530B.
Law of the United States
United States Department of Justice
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