After a tumultuous tenure clouded by two failed criminal prosecutions against the incoming president, Attorney General Merrick Garland is leaving the Justice Department the same way he came in: trying to defend it against political attacks.

Attorney General Merrick Garland vowed to restore public faith in the Justice Department but became a punching bag for partisans across the political spectrum.

The fast-moving legal battle over the release of special counsel Jack Smith's final report played out days before Trump's second-term inauguration.

The Justice Department told a federal appeals court on Wednesday that Attorney General Merrick Garland intends to release the January 6-related volume of its final report of special counsel Jack Smith before Donald Trump takes office.

Special Counsel Jack Smith has turned over to Attorney General Merrick Garland the completed final report on his two investigations that resulted in felony criminal charges against President-elect Donald Trump,

Special counsel Jack Smith has been working on a final report to be completed before Trump's inauguration, sources familiar with the matter confirmed to CBS News.

The filing comes amid a legal fight to stop Attorney General Merrick Garland from releasing the ... off an ongoing appeal over the special counsel’s office powers to other attorneys at the ...

Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland's uprightness rescued the Department of Justice from Donald Trump's grip. But then he handed it over again.

Attorney General Merrick ... D-Md., Garland wrote that he had reviewed both volumes of Smith's report. "As I have made clear regarding every Special Counsel who has serve since I took office ...

This year it was “Merrick Ghouland.” Last year, “Merrick Boo Garland ... on Trump’s legal cases that he wants to criminally investigate. Graves, whose office led some of the prosecutions ...

The Justice Department told a federal appeals court on Wednesday that Attorney General Merrick ... of special counsel Jack Smith before Donald Trump takes office. However, Garland does not plan ...

Attorney General Merrick Garland came in with a mission to calm the waters at the Justice Department and restore its reputation for independence after four turbulent years during Donald Trump's presidency.