Assistant State's Attorneys, also known as Deputy State's Attorneys,are the ones who actually appear in court, file the legal briefs and interview witnesses. The State's Attorney, on the other hand, is in charge of policy, staffing and running the office, and making decisions about certain high-profile cases. Advertisement.
· What does a state attorney general actually do? The Pennsylvania attorney general is the state’s top lawyer. The office can bring down drug rings, investigate public corruption and it defends the state when it is sued. The attorney general is also a political figure, working with the governor and the Legislature to reform state drug laws, its ...
· If you are interested in ensuring that you are compliant with current regulations or if you are facing an investigation from a state attorney general or other regulatory agency, please e-mail us at [email protected], or call us at (212) 246-0900. Attorney Advertising. Anti-Robocalling Principles Established by State Attorneys General.
The stages of policy development can generally be categorized into 5 general stages. U.S. policy development encompasses several stages. Most policy models generally include the following stages: (1) identifying the issue to be addressed by the proposed policy, (2) placement on the agenda, (3) formulation of the policy, (4) implementation of ...
Step One - Writing the Proposed Initiative Measure. ... Step Two - Request for Circulating Title and Summary.Step Three – Format of Petitions. ... Step Four – Circulating Petitions and Gathering Signatures.Step Five – Turning in Signatures.
The ballot initiative process gives California citizens a way to propose laws and constitutional amendments without the support of the Governor or the Legislature. A simplified explanation of the initiative process follows. Write the text of the proposed law (initiative draft). Active Measures are proposed initiatives.
A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a new policy or specific law, or the referendum may be only advisory.
23 states allow for citizens to initiate popular referendums, and one territory, the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Initiative: people have the right to propose a new law. Referendum: a law passed by the legislature can be reference to the people for approval/veto. Recall: the people can petition and vote to have an elected official removed from office.
The modern system of initiatives and referendums in the United States originated in the state of South Dakota, which adopted initiatives and referendums in 1898 by a popular vote of 23,816 to 16,483.
In 1911, California voters approved the constitutional processes of initiative, referendum, and recall. Through these processes, voters can adopt a change in law (an initiative), disapprove a law passed by the Legislature (a referendum), or remove an elected official from office (a recall).
Step 1: Primaries and Caucuses. People with similar ideas usually belong to the same political party. ... Step 2: National Conventions and General Election. After the primaries and caucuses, each major party, Democrat and Republican, holds a national convention to select a Presidential nominee. ... Step 3: The Electoral College.
Referendum. A state-level method of direct legislation that gives voters a chance to approve or disapprove proposed legislation or a proposed constitutional amendment.
STUDY. initiative. a procedure by which voters can propose a law or a constitutional amendment.
the initiative is a process that enables citizens to bypass their state legislature by placing proposed statutes and, in some states, constitutional amendments on the ballot.
Congress enacted the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (also known as the "NVRA" and the "Motor Voter Act"), to enhance voting opportunities for every American. The Act has made it easier for all Americans to register to vote and to maintain their registration.
Please note that the comment period applies only to initiatives and will conclude after 30 days.
The Attorney General issues an official title and summary for every proposed initiative submitted in compliance with procedural requirements. To view an official title and summary, select the title and summary link.
In general, State's Attorneys are elected by the people they represent. Their duties are spelled out in the laws of the local governments they represent, and they're held accountable by the voters for how well they do their jobs and how well their performance matches up with the local politics of the area. But a State's Attorney hardly ever does ...
A State's Attorney, along with a phalanx of Assistant State's Attorneys, prosecutes criminal and civil cases for the people.
About half the 50 states use grand jury indictments in criminal prosecutions. Grand juries hear cases brought by State's Attorneys, and only the evidence and witnesses presented by the State's Attorney are considered.
Grand juries are independent groups of citizens charged with reviewing evidence to determine if there'sprobable cause to proceed with an indictment on criminal charges.Feder al criminal prosecutions require a grand jury to find probable cause to return an indictment.
Either a judge or a jury may decide the verdict on how well the State's Attorney proved the case. During the trial, the State's Attorney may make opening and closing statements, offer evidence, question witnesses and challenge the defense attorney's legal actions.
Before a trial takes place, the process of discovery takes place, at which the State's Attorney and the defense attorney share information they intend to introduce as evidence at trial. This can include physical or written depositions of witnesses to find out what they know, written questions called interrogatories which the other side must complete, and review of documents and evidence in the case [source: American Bar Association ].
Before a trial takes place, the process of discovery takes place, at which the State's Attorney and the defense attorney share information they intend to introduce as evidence at trial.
In addition to investigating criminal operations, the attorney general’s office looks into scams targeting seniors, violations of the state’s clean air and water laws and evaluates whether mergers break antitrust laws. On April 26, voters in both parties will have a choice for attorney general. Do the voters prefer a candidate with political ...
The attorney general’s office investigates crimes or schemes that span multiple counties. It also works with federal investigators on cases that span multiple states.
The criminal division investigates drug trafficking, child predators (more than 150 were arrested each of the past two years), organized crime and public corruption, according to the office’s 2015 annual report.
While Preate talked highly of being a district attorney, he felt that leadership experience was attainable from many places.
Major cases and important decisions get pushed up the chain of command for the attorney general to have the final word.
Perhaps one surprising aspect of the office is that the attorney general rarely steps inside the courtroom.
The attorney general’s office also defends the state when it is sued and can represent state agencies when they are named as a defendant in a lawsuit.
Those who address these investigations or actions properly have the best chance of obtaining a positive outcome. An attorney general investigation can come in many forms, from a simple letter to a Civil Investigative Demand (“CID”) or subpoena.
If a lawsuit has been commenced, the goal is to get the quickest, most cost effective and painless resolution.
The next stage involved adopting the policy. Depending on the nature of the policy, this could involve a new law or an executive order.
The stages of policy development can generally be categorized into 5 general stages. U.S. policy development encompasses several stages. Most policy models generally include the following stages: (1) identifying the issue to be addressed by the proposed policy, (2) placement on the agenda, (3) formulation of the policy, ...
The D.A.R.E. program was a school-based prevention program aimed at preventing drug use among elementary school-aged children. Rigorous evaluations of the program show that it was ineffective and sometimes actually increased drug use in some youth.
The weeding portion of the program was a great success, but the program ultimately failed because of a lack of funding to adequately seed new community programming. Funding is a major roadblock for proper implementation.
This is where policies often stall because of the lack of funding. For example, a popular program in 1990, Weed and Seed, involved “weeding” out criminals (targeting arrest efforts) and “seeding” new programs (instituting after-school programs, drug treatment facilities, etc.).
Identifying the problem involves addressing what is happening and why it is an issue. In criminal justice, this might look at the increase of opioid use and overdoses or acts of youth violence. Once the issue is identified, there can be a serious debate about the plans of the policy. Once it is decided what the policy will look like, it is placed on the agenda. This is perhaps the most politicized part of the process as it involves many different stakeholders. It involves identifying the legislative, regulatory, judicial, or other institutions responsible for policy adoption and formulation.
In the end, what is law is not always effective and what is effective is not always law. This is where evidence-based practices come in.
According to the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), state constitutions establish the Office of the Attorney General in 44 states and the selection method and term length in 42 states.
The most common qualifications address minimum age, citizenship, residency, electoral status, and bar admission. Others prohibit the attorney general from holding multiple offices.
Must be an attorney in good standing to practice law in the state and engaged in active practice for at least five years before election
Must be a practicing lawyer for at least eight years before election
Must be an active-status member of the Georgia State Bar for seven years
Table 1 provides a cross section of states'qualifications for attorney general concerning age, citizenship, residency, electoral status, and bar membership and indicates if they are constitutional or statutory. It represents a compilation of information from State Attorneys General Powers and Responsibilities, issued by NAAG, and The2009 Book of the States, issued by the Council of State Governments (CSG).
Others prohibit the attorney general from holding multiple offices. Some states expressly prescribe these qualifications through their constitution or statute. Others are less specific and imply qualifications. For example, states often require the attorney general to be an elector.
a list of items found in Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution that set forth the authoritative capacity of Congress.
the power to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, when a court has the power to review a lower court's decision.
Article 6, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution establishes the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, and U.S. Treaties as "the supreme law of the land."
an autocratic or authoritarian form of government in which a government is ruled by either an individual: a dictator, or an authoritarian party, as in an oligarchy.
is an Angevin charter originally issued in Latin in the year 1215. It was the first document forced onto a King of England by a group of his subjects, the feudal barons, in an attempt to limit his powers by law and protect their rights.
the attorney general defends the state in lawsuits
The state legislature has successfully overridden a governor's veto at least once in every legislative session since 1977
For the first time in over three decades, the line item veto was not used by the governor in 2016
The executive branch includes several independently elected officials who may be from opposing party of the governor.
The state constitution gives the cabinet a number of policy-making responsibilities , including amending the governor's proposed budget and reviewing all line-item vetoes.
The insurance commissioner made effective by proposition 103 in 1988
Over the course of an administration, a governor can make more than 2500 appointments to the state government