how does texas choose its attorney general

by Joanny Durgan 3 min read

The office was made elective in 1850 by constitutional amendment. The attorney general is elected to a four-year term.

How does the Office of the Attorney General choose cases?

Oct 02, 2018 · The attorneys general of the Republic of Texas and the first four attorneys general under the first state constitution (1845) were appointed by the governor; all subsequent attorneys general were directly elected.

How many employees does Texas Attorney General Bill Paxton have?

Why is the Texas Attorney General important? As the chief legal officer of the state of Texas, the attorney general protects state interests through judicial proceedings and legal advice. His constitutional authority is broad but briefly stated, and the Texas legislature and the courts may augment his official powers.

How many lawyers does the state of Texas have?

2 days ago · Incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, one of his challengers, have embraced disproven claims of 2020 election fraud. It’s a …

What powers does the Office of the Attorney General have?

Attorney General Ken Paxton is the lawyer for the State of Texas and is charged by the Texas Constitution to: defend the laws and the Constitution of the State of Texas. 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 …

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Who decides the attorney general?

The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States. Under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution, the officeholder is nominated by the president of the United States, then appointed with the advice and consent of the United States Senate.

What is an attorney general Texas?

Ken Paxton (Republican Party)Texas / Attorney generalWarren Kenneth Paxton Jr. is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the Attorney General of Texas since January 2015. Paxton has described himself as a Tea Party conservative. Paxton was re-elected to a second term as Attorney General in 2018. Wikipedia

How is a US attorney general hired?

A U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE: BASIC FACTS U.S. Attorneys are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and they serve terms of four years or at the President's discretion.

Are there term limits for Texas Attorney General?

Incumbent Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is not term-limited as Texas does not prescribe term limits for state-wide elected officials. He is running for reelection.

What is the purpose of Attorney General?

The Attorney General of India is the highest law officer of the country. He is responsible to assist the government in all its legal matters. The President appoints the Attorney General (AG). The person who is appointed should be qualified to be appointed a judge of the Supreme Court.Mar 30, 2019

How many attorney generals are there in Texas?

OfficeholdersNo.NameTerm of service47Dan Morales1991–199948John Cornyn1999–200249Greg Abbott2002–201550Ken Paxton2015–present46 more rows

How are US attorneys selected?

United States Attorneys are appointed by the President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the United States Senate, and serve at the direction of the Attorney General.

Is it hard to work for the DOJ?

Nice people and flexibility with hours for staff I enjoyed my time working at DOJ, although it can be stressful. The employees work hard and are very friendly. ... I spend most of my career at DOJ and enjoyed it throughout. I felt the pay was excellent and they provided training for advancement.

Why do prosecutors sometimes choose not to prosecute criminal cases?

A prosecutor may choose not to pursue a criminal case for several reasons. Political pressure. ... Because the role of top prosecutor is an elected position in many jurisdictions, prosecutors may face political pressure to prosecute or refrain from prosecuting a person suspected of committing a crime. Limited resources.

How much does the Texas attorney general make?

What is the highest salary at Texas Attorney General? The highest-paying job at Texas Attorney General is an Attorney with a salary of $157,080 per year.

What are two major functions of the Texas Attorney General?

The main responsibilities of the Office of the Attorney General are defending the State of Texas and its duly elected laws by providing legal representation to the State, serving the children of Texas through the enforcement of the state's child support laws, securing justice for Texans, protecting Texans from waste, ...

How long does the US Attorney General serve?

four-yearUnder the state Constitution, the Attorney General is elected to a four-year term in the same statewide election as the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Controller, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Insurance Commissioner.

What does the Attorney General do in Texas?

The attorney general acts against persons or corporations violating the environmental-protection laws of Texas or illegally extracting natural resources. The office also enforces the state's antitrust laws and prosecutes persons who mishandle state funds.

When was the Texas Attorney General established?

With roots in the British common law and Spanish civil law, the office of Texas attorney general was first established by executive ordinance in 1836 . The attorneys general of the Republic of Texas and the first four attorneys general under the first state constitution (1845) were appointed by the governor;

What is the role of the Attorney General?

The attorney general acts as an instrument for achieving administrative flexibility in the state's legal system, thus enabling government to adjust to changing policy demands through flexible interpretations of statutory and constitutional law.

What does the OAG do?

The OAG responds to the complaints it receives, which are normally vetted by the Secretary of State, and determines whether an offense occurred, and whether , based on the strength of the evidence, the case may be prosecuted successfully .

What is an election clerk?

Election clerks are trained, under current law, not to question whether the voter is qualified for assistance or has requested the "assistant" to help them. Votes are then secured for the candidates of the assistant’s choice.

What is the importance of secure elections?

Secure elections are the cornerstone of a thriving republic. The legislature made significant improvements in the laws governing state election integrity in 2017 which has contributed to a steady increase in the number of voter fraud referrals. A key priority of the Attorney General is to investigate and prosecute the increasing allegations ...

What is a diversion program?

A prosecution may also be resolved by a diversion program, which is a contractual agreement with a prosecutor, wherein a perpetrator of an election offense typically admits to committing an election offense, receives education regarding the law, and agrees to comply with the law going forward.

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Current Officeholder

  • The current officeholder is Republican Ken Paxton. He was first elected attorney general in November 2014, and took office on January 5, 2015.
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Qualifications

  • According to the Texas Secretary of State, state law says that no person shall be eligible for to run for the office of attorney general unless they are: 1. at least 18 years of age 2. a citizen of the United States 3. a resident of Texas for at least 12 months
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Vacancies

  • Article 4, Section 12 (a) of the Texas Constitutionstates: "All vacancies in State or district offices, except members of the Legislature, shall be filled unless otherwise provided by law by appointment of the Governor."
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Elections

  • Article 4, Section 2 of the Texas Constitution states: "All the above officers of the Executive Department (except Secretary of State) shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State at the time and places of election for members of the Legislature." The attorney general is elected to serve for a four-year term. There is no term limitfor this office.
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Divisions

  • As of January 11, 2021, divisions within the Attorney General's Office included: 1. General Counsel 2. Opinion Committee 3. Solicitor General 4. Open Records 5. Civil Litigation 6. Child Support 7. Criminal Justice 8. Law Enforcement 9. Crime Victim Services and Victims Assistance Grants 10. Colonias 11. Administrative Functions
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Historical Officeholders

  • Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Attorney General of Texas has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any a…
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Recent News

  • The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Texas Attorney General.These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
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