Pamela Jo Bondi, born on November 17, 1965, in Tampa, Florida, is a distinguished American attorney and politician whose career reflects a steadfast commitment to justice and public service. A fourth-generation Floridian, Bondi’s roots are deeply embedded in the state’s history.
Bondi earned her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Florida in 1987, followed by a Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law in 1990. She was admitted to the Florida Bar on June 24, 1991, marking the beginning of a legal career dedicated to upholding the law.
For over 18 years, Bondi served as a prosecutor and spokeswoman in Hillsborough County, Florida, handling cases ranging from domestic violence to capital murder. Her tenure as an assistant state attorney was marked by high-profile prosecutions, including that of former Major League Baseball player Dwight Gooden in 2006.
In 2010, Bondi was elected as Florida’s 37th Attorney General, becoming the first woman to hold the position. She was re-elected in 2014, serving until 2019. During her tenure, Bondi focused on issues such as human trafficking, prescription drug abuse, and consumer protection, reflecting her dedication to safeguarding the rights and well-being of Floridians.
Beyond her role as Attorney General, Bondi has been an active participant in national legal and political arenas. She served as one of President Donald Trump’s defense lawyers during his first impeachment trial in 2020 and has been a vocal supporter of his policies. In November 2024, President-elect Trump announced her nomination for United States Attorney General, a testament to her legal acumen and dedication to public service.
Pam Bondi’s career is a testament to her unwavering commitment to justice, her pioneering spirit as a female leader in law enforcement, and her dedication to serving both her state and country.
To enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.
About the Department
The Office of the Attorney General was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789 (ch. 20, sec. 35, 1 Stat. 73, 92-93), as a one-person part-time position. The Act specified that the Attorney General was to be “learned in the law,” with the duty “to prosecute and conduct all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States shall be concerned, and to give his advice and opinion upon questions of law when required by the President of the United States, or when requested by the heads of any of the departments, touching any matters that may concern their departments.”
However, the workload quickly became too much for one person, necessitating the hiring of several assistants for the Attorney General. As the work steadily increased along with the size of the new nation, private attorneys were retained to work on cases.
By 1870, after the end of the Civil War, the increase in the amount of litigation involving the United States had required the very expensive retention of a large number of private attorneys to handle the workload. A concerned Congress passed the Act to Establish the Department of Justice (ch. 150, 16 Stat. 162), creating “an executive department of the government of the United States” with the Attorney General as its head.
Officially coming into existence on July 1, 1870, the Department of Justice was empowered to handle all criminal prosecutions and civil suits in which the United States had an interest. To assist the Attorney General, the 1870 Act also created the Office of the Solicitor General, who represents the interests of the United States before the U.S. Supreme Court.
The 1870 Act remains the foundation for the Department’s authority, but the structure of the Department of Justice has changed over the years, with the addition of the offices of Deputy Attorney General, Associate Attorney General, and the formation of various components, offices, boards and divisions. From its beginning as a one-man, part-time position, the Department of Justice has evolved into the world’s largest law office and the chief enforcer of federal laws. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “The most sacred of the duties of government [is] to do equal and impartial justice to all its citizens.” This sacred duty remains the guiding principle for the women and men of the U.S. Department of Justice.
150 Years of the Department of Justice A historical timeline created to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the creation of the Department of Justice, spanning from its beginnings in 1789 to the Department’s founding in 1870 to today. Attorneys General Throughout History Eighty-five distinguished Americans have served as Attorney General. Learn more about these honored individuals: Attorneys General Throughout History. Art and Architecture of the Robert F. Kennedy Main Justice Department Building For the 75th anniversary of the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, this book was created dedicated to the history of the Department, the building, and its artwork. History of the Department’s Motto and Seal Read about the history of the Department of Justice’s seal and the somewhat enigmatic Latin motto appearing on it: “Qui Pro Domina Justitia Sequitur.”