The Texas Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Texas. The current Attorney General Ken Paxton has served in this position since January 5, 2015. The department has offices at the William P. Clements State Office Building in Downtown Austin.
to fulfill these responsibilities, the office of the attorney general serves as legal counsel to all boards and agencies of state government, issues legal opinions when requested by the governor, heads of state agencies and other officials and agencies as provided by texas statutes, sits as an ex-officio member of state committees and …
The Office of the Attorney General Enforces the Order When child support payments aren't made, the Office of the Attorney General can take many actions to enforce the court order. These can include court action, license suspension, credit reporting, passport denial and more. License Suspension Passport Denial Liens Credit Bureau Reporting
51 rows · These duties include representing the Director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in appeals from criminal convictions in federal courts. The Texas Constitution gives the attorney general no general law-enforcement powers; instead it limits the attorney general's authority in criminal cases to that dictated by statute.
While varying from one jurisdiction to the next due to statutory and constitutional mandates, the role of attorney general typically includes: Issuing formal opinions to state agencies Acting as public advocates in areas such as child support enforcement, consumer protections, antitrust and utility regulation Proposing legislation
The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) is the agency charged with ensuring that regulated electric and local telephone utilities observe state rules and service standards. Contact the PUC regarding your concerns at (888) 782-8477 or on the Web at www.puc.state.tx.us.
The Library, which houses all state and federal codes and statutes, can be reached at (512) 463-1722 or on the Web at www.sll.state.tx.us. I’m having trouble with my utility.
If you disagree with the tax rate, make your views known to the appropriate taxing authority (city, county, school district or other). If you want to complain about the actions of an appraiser, contact the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board at (512) 465-3950 or on the Web at www.talcb.state.tx.us.
For information about the Texas Public Information Act or the Texas Open Meetings Act, you may wish to call our open government hotline at (512) 478-OPEN (6736) or toll-free at (877) OPEN TEX (673-6839). In addition, our open government publications are available on our Web site at www.texasattorneygeneral.gov or upon request by calling (512) ...
For information about child support services, call the Office of the Attorney General’s Child Support Division at (800) 252-8014 or consult your phone directory for the number to your local office. Information is also available on the Office of the Attorney General Web site at www.texasattorneygeneral.gov.
The State Bar offers a Lawyer Referral Service at (800) 252-9690. If you cannot afford an attorney, you might be able to find assistance at a clinic sponsored by a nearby law school. I’m the victim of a violent crime in Texas.
The State Bar of Texas is the agency with authority to regulate attorneys in Texas. If you have a complaint about the actions of an attorney, contact the State Bar’s Grievance Committee at (800) 932-1900. I have a complaint against a private business.
Texas statutes contain nearly 2000 references to the Attorney General. In addition to its constitutionally prescribed duties, the Office of the Attorney General files civil suits upon referral by other state agencies.
To fulfill these responsibilities, the Office of the Attorney General serves as legal counsel to all boards and agencies of state government, issues legal opinions when requested by the Governor, heads of state agencies and other officials ...
Although the Attorney General is prohibited from offering legal advice or representing private individuals, he serves and protects the rights of all citizens of Texas through the activities of the various divisions of the agencies.
In some circumstances, the Attorney General has original jurisdiction to prosecute violations of the law, but in most cases, criminal prosecutions by the Attorney General are initiated only upon the request of a local prosecutor.
14 Footnotes. The Attorney General of Texas is the chief lawyer and legal officer for the state of Texas. According to the Texas Constitution, the attorney general defends the laws and the constitution of the state of Texas, represents the state in litigation, and approves public bond issues.
See statutes: Texas Statutes Title 6, Chapter 659. The attorney general, along with the rest of Texas' executive officers, is entitled by Article 4, Section 23 of the Texas Constitution to receive an annual salary, pursuant to Title 6, Section 659.011 of the Texas Statutes.
To view the electoral history dating back to 2002 for the office of Texas Attorney General, Click to expand the section. On November 2, 2010, Greg Abbott won re-election to the office of Texas Attorney General. He defeated Barbara Ann Radnofsky (D) and Jon Roland (L) in the general election.
He defeated Barbara Ann Radnofsky (D) and Jon Roland (L) in the general election. Election results via Texas Secretary of State. On November 7, 2006, Greg Abbott won re-election to the office of Texas Attorney General. He defeated David Van Os (D) and Jon Roland (L) in the general election.
In civil contempt cases, the court will assess a specific number of days and/or a fine for each missed payment. The sentence must be served even if full payment is made. In criminal contempt cases, an obligor is sentenced to jail until he/she complies with the court order.
The OAG works with over 60 licensing agencies and can request that these agencies suspend your drivers, professional and hunting and fishing licenses, if you fail to pay your child support.
The Office of the Attorney General Enforces the Order. When child support payments aren't made, the Office of the Attorney General can take many actions to enforce the court order. These can include court action, license suspension, credit reporting, passport denial and more.
Liens. The OAG can file a lien on properties, bank accounts, retirement plans, life insurance plans, personal injury claims, insurance settlements or awards and other assets if a noncustodial parent fails to pay their child support.
Credit Bureau Reporting. The Office of the Attorney General is required by law to report the amount of child support owed and the amount paid to the credit reporting agencies.
The attorney general is elected to a four-year term. In 2013, former Attorney General Greg Abbott announced he would not seek reelection and would run for governor. In November 2014, he was elected as the governor of Texas. Ken Paxton defeated former House Representative Dan Branch in the Republican primary by a 26% margin ...
The William P. Clements State Office Building houses the Attorney General offices. The Office of the Attorney General was first established by executive ordinance of the Republic of Texas government in 1836.
The attorney general is charged by the state constitution to represent the state in civil litigation and approve public bond issues. There are nearly 2,000 references to the Office of the Attorney General in state laws.
In addition, the Law Enforcement Division is the state of Texas liaison to Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The office is also charged with proceedings to secure child support through its Child Support Division.
Paxton was sworn in on January 5, 2015, in the Senate Chamber in the Texas Capitol. Governor Rick Perry, Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, United States Senator Ted Cruz, and Lieutenant Governor-Elect Dan Patrick all participated in the swearing-in ceremony.
Ken Paxton defeated former House Representative Dan Branch in the Republican primary by a 26% margin and was elected easily in the general election as the 50th attorney general of Texas, (there is a historical dispute whether he is the 50th or 51st attorney general). Paxton was sworn in on January 5, 2015, in the Senate Chamber in the Texas Capitol.
The Texas Constitution gives the attorney general no general law-enforcement powers; instead it limits the attorney general's authority in criminal cases to that dictated by statute. The Texas Legislature has not given the attorney general broad law-enforcement authority, but permits the attorney general to act in criminal cases "at ...
The People’s Lawyer is a biweekly podcast from NAAG that explores the role of state and territory attorneys general as chief legal officers and their work protecting the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution.
As chief legal officers of the states, commonwealths, District of Columbia, and territories of the United States, the role of an attorney general is to serve as counselor to state government agencies and legislatures, and as a representative of the public interest.
Issuing formal opinions to state agencies. Acting as public advocates in areas such as child support enforcement, consumer protections, antitrust and utility regulation. Proposing legislation. Enforcing federal and state environmental laws. Representing the state and state agencies before the state and federal courts.
Barr has served as Attorney General twice, once during the George H.W. Bush administration from 1991 to 1993, and currently in the Trump administration. Barr has been consistent in his determination that the Executive branch claims absolute executive authority, contrary to our system of checks and balances.
In addition, Barr has indicated he is willing to do whatever it takes to preserve the power of the Trump presidency, even if constitutional violations occur. Barr began his tenure last year by lying about the content of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report.
To mitigate the situation, Congress created the Department of Justice , an executive department with the Attorney General as its head.
There is also a succession plan in place in the event there is no Attorney General due to absence or death, which allows the Deputy Attorney General to assume all powers and duties of the office. While the Deputy Attorney General would not be a confirmed Attorney General, they would have all of the powers of the office at hand as interim Attorney ...
The Department of Justice is responsible for most of the legal business of the government, and therefore, many of the law enforcement agencies throughout the country . There are six litigating divisions in the department: Antitrust.
The Department of Justice should be arguing to uphold the law and the office should not be politicized due to presidential influence or pressure. The Justice Department is supposed to be an independent agency and not subject to the pressure of the executive branch.
The Office of the Attorney General was created in 1789 and was intended to be a one-person position. The person in the position was supposed to be “learned in the law” and was tasked with conducting all suits in the Supreme Court and advising the president and cabinet in law-related matters.
Texas Kincare Primer. There are many children in Texas who are being cared for by a non-parent relative. The Texas Kincare Taskforce has developed this primer to help these caregivers understand their rights and responsibilities and know where they can turn for assistance. Authorization for Nonparent Care of a Child.
Custody of a child is one aspect of the parent-child relationship that can be determined in a SAPCR. This page will provide information about how to get custody of a child through the courts.
Possession orders are documents that say when each parent will spend time with the child. They are usually issued as part of the SAPCR. Courts have the power to enforce these orders if the other parent is not following them.
Child's Preference. Upon request by one of the parties in a custody suit, Texas law requires the court to interview a child who is at least twelve years old about their wishes about custody. The court must still make a decision that is in the best interest of the child, but the child can at least have the opportunity to have their preference heard.
Relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and older siblings caring for a child may run into difficulties if they are not the legal conservator of the child. The resources below contain information that may be helpful for non-parent caregivers.
Uncontested divorces are where there are no disagreements between the spouses about what they want to happen. They can be something you can do without the help of a lawyer. The links below will help you learn about what it means to be "pro se," or representing yourself, and what to expect in the divorce process.
A default divorce is when one party fails to respond to the divorce petition. Texas law uses the term "dissolution" to include divorce or annulment. The petitioner is the person who starts the divorce process. They are the one who filed the petition for divorce with the court.
Pro Se. "Pro se" is a term used by the courts to refer to someone who has not hired an attorney and is representing themselves. Respondent. The respondent is the spouse who was not the one to file the suit for a divorce.
Texas is a "community property" state. This means that in most cases, property and money obtained during the marriage legally belongs to both spouses. This concept is important when it comes to the part of the divorce when property is divided up. A default divorce is when one party fails to respond to the divorce petition.