attorney general is elected by who

How does an attorney general get elected?

115 rows · Living former U.S. attorneys general. As of May 2022, there are nine living former U.S. attorneys general, the oldest being Edwin Meese (served 1985–1988, born 1931). The most recent attorney general to die was Ramsey Clark on April 9, 2021 (served 1966–1969, born 1927). The most recently serving attorney general to die was Janet Reno on November 7, 2016 …

Who will be the next Attorney General?

The attorney general is directly elected in 43 states. The attorney general is appointed by the state Legislature in Maine, by the state Supreme Court in Tennessee, and by the governor in the remaining five states.

Who appoints the Attorney General?

Attorneys general are the top legal officers of their state or territory. They advise and represent their legislature and state agencies and act as the “People’s Lawyer” for the citizens. Most are elected, though a few are appointed by the governor. Select your state to connect to your state attorney general's website.

Who is the current Attorney General?

The attorney general is directly elected in 43 states. The attorney general is appointed by the state Legislature in Maine , by the state Supreme Court in Tennessee , and by the governor in the remaining five states.

Is the attorney general of the United States elected?

What is the attorney general of a state?

How is the Texas attorney general elected?

Who is the Attorney General of India current?

Who is the highest law officer?

Who is the chief election official of Texas?

Who is the Texas Secretary General?

Is the Texas comptroller elected?

What is the job of the Attorney General?

The attorney general is an executive office in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., that serves as the chief legal advisor and chief law enforcement officer for the state government and is empowered to prosecute violations of state law, represent the state in legal disputes and issue legal advice to state agencies and the legislature.

How many territories does Ballotpedia cover?

Although Ballotpedia covers the five U.S. territories#N#The five U.S. territories are American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.#N#and their officeholders, territory officeholders are not included in the following figures.

How many states have an attorney general?

The attorney general is directly elected in 43 states and Washington, D.C. The attorney general is appointed by the state Legislature in Maine, by the state Supreme Court in Tennessee, and by the governor in the remaining five states. Compensation of state attorneys general (2017)

How many states have the power to appeal a criminal case?

Attorneys general: Power to represent state in criminal appeals. The attorney general has the power to represent the state in criminal appeals in 46 states, although this power is restricted in five of those states. Attorney general term limits. Attorney general term limits.

Which states have elected an attorney general in 2015?

Three states held elections for attorney general in 2015: Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi. In Kentucky, Andy Beshear (D) won election to the attorney general seat. Democrat Jim Hood was re-elected in Mississippi, while Republican Jeff Landry defeated incumbent Buddy Caldwell, also a Republican, in a runoff in Louisiana.

Who was the attorney general in 2013?

One state, Virginia, held a regularly scheduled attorney general election in 2013. State Senators Mark Herring (D) and Mark Obenshain (R) faced off in the general election on November 5, 2013, and the race was considered too close to call until the State Board of Elections certified the results of the race on November 25, 2013, naming Herring the victor by a margin of 165 votes. Since the margin was equal to or less than 0.5 percent of the total vote, Obenshain, as the losing candidate, was entitled to request a publicly financed recount, which he did on November 27. The recount began on December 26, and Obenshain conceded to Herring two days later, giving a Democrat control of the office for the first time in almost two decades.

How many states were elected in 2012?

2012. Ten states held attorney general elections in the 2012 electoral cycle: Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia . Heading into the November election, the Democrats held six of the seats and the Republicans held four seats.

How many states have an attorney general?

All 50 states have an attorney general who serves as the state's chief legal officer. The attorney general is responsible for enforcing state law and advising the state government on legal matters. In many states, attorneys general play a large role in the law enforcement process. Seventeen states impose some form of term limits on attorneys ...

What is the role of an attorney general?

The attorney general is responsible for enforcing state law and advising the state government on legal matters. In many states, attorneys general play a large role in the law enforcement process. Seventeen states impose some form of term limits on attorneys general.

Who is the chief legal advisor of the state government?

The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states, of the federal district, or of any of the territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer.

What is the role of the Attorney General?

The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states, of the federal district, or of any of the territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer. In some states, the attorney general serves as the head of a state department of justice, with responsibilities similar to those of the United States Department of Justice .

How long does an attorney general serve?

Elected attorneys general serve a four-year term, except in Vermont, where the term is two years. Seven states do not popularly elect an attorney general. In Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming, the attorney general is a gubernatorial appointee. The attorney general in Tennessee is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court ...

How many terms can an attorney general serve in Puerto Rico?

Many states have passed term limits limiting the selection to 2 consecutive terms (9 states); 2 terms maximum (4 states), but 33 states still have no term limits.

What would happen if Bill Clinton had Eric Holder as Attorney General?

If President Bill Clinton had Eric Holder for attorney general in 1998, there would never have been an impeachment for committing perjury. Instead, America was treated to a fair investigation. Clinton had appointed a straight-laced attorney general named Janet Reno, probably the least political-minded AG in history.

Should the Attorney General be elected?

U.S. attorney generals should be elected, not appointed. That would instill more independence for the nation’s top law enforcer without being politically beholden to a chief executive. If there is any office that necessitates neutrality, it is the attorney general.

Is the Attorney General of Utah the same as the Governor of Utah?

Under the Utah Constitution, the attorney general is the legal counsel for the governor and all state agencies. At the same time, he is an elected political figure who may not even belong to the same party as the governor.In the past 20 years or so, more often than not, the attorney general and governor have been from different political parties.

Is the attorney general the only legal counsel for the state?

For example, some state agencies have taken to hiring their own lawyers to give unofficial advice, even though the attorney general by law is supposed to be the only legal counsel for the state. In any case, if legal advice is to be trusted and acted upon, it must be clear of the slightest taint of political partisanship.

Should the people's interests take precedence?

The people's interests should take precedence, of course. The problem is that the perception of just what is the "public interest" may be colored by the partisan political views of the attorney general - or of other executive branch officials, for that matter. A second problem is that an elected attorney general, particularly one of another party, ...

When did the Office of Corporation Counsel change to Office of the Attorney General?

The change came about in 2004 when then-Mayor Anthony Williams signed an order renaming the “Office of the Corporation Counsel for the District of Columbia” to “the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.”. The powers and duties of the O.C.C./OAG are similar to those of the Attorneys General of the several states, ...

How many states have an attorney general?

Although the vast majority of the states — to be exact, 43 states out of 50 — divide the power of the executive branch by making the Attorney General an elected position, that is not the only way to do it. Five states — Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming — have AGs appointed by the governor.

Which states have AGs?

Five states — Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming — have AGs appointed by the governor. Maine and Tennessee use different methods altogether — in Maine, the Attorney General is selected by secret ballot of the legislature and in Tennessee, the state AG is appointed by the state Supreme Court.

Overview

Selection

The most prevalent method of selecting a state's attorney general is by popular election. 43 states have an elected attorney general. Elected attorneys general serve a four-year term, except in Vermont, where the term is two years.
Seven states do not popularly elect an attorney general. In Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming, the attorney general is a gubernatorial appointee. The attorney general in …

Defense of the state in federal lawsuits

See also

External links