[JURIST] The US Department of Justice (DOJ) [official website] issued new guidelines Monday limiting the appointment of independent monitors to verify corporate compliance with deferred-prosecution agreements. The new guidelines, which prohibit corporations from hiring monitors with existing ties to the government or the corporation, will also require US attorneys to obtain clearance from the deputy attorney general before hiring monitors.

Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher, head of the DOJ's Criminal Division [official website] said the new guidelines are intended to improve the "transparency, uniformity, and consistency on the use of monitors." Corporations are generally responsible for hiring the monitors, and the new guidelines are intended to reduce the appearance of impropriety. AP has more.