Hall

The United States petitions this court for a writ of mandamus, directing the Honorable Peirson M. Hall, Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, to assume jurisdiction over the case of United States v. 1,960 Acres of Land in Riverside County, California, No. 2567 — PH ( 54 F.Supp. 867 ). For reasons which he regards as compelling Judge Hall refuses to take jurisdiction. This court issued its order to Judge Hall requiring him to show cause why the requested writ should not issue, and he has made his return. The facts herein related are agreed to by the parties to this proceeding.

The matter in issue arises out of a Department of Justice policy adopted in the handling of the large number of land condemnation matters in which the United States is involved because of the present war. That department established an office in Los Angeles, California, separate and apart from the office of the United States District Attorney, staffed by attorney-officers of the Department of Justice, and supervised by a Special Assistant to the Attorney General. For a time after such establishment the United States District Attorney appeared as of record in…