how many state attorney generals are there

by Jack Bahringer MD 5 min read

43 states have an elected attorney general.

Who appoints the Attorney General?

57 rows · The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states, of the federal district, or of any of ...

Are state attorney generals elected?

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.

Is the US Attorney General elected or appointed?

29 rows · The attorney general is directly elected in 43 states. The attorney general is appointed ...

How many US Attorney Generals are there?

20 rows · Alabama: Troy King Attorney General of Alabama Office of the Attorney General State House ...

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Who is the highest legal officer in the state?

Advocate General of the StateAdvocate General of the State is the highest law officer in the state. The Constitution of India (Article 165) has provided for the office of the Advocate General for the states. Also, he corresponds to the Attorney General of India.

How many attorney generals does New York have?

New York Former Attorneys GeneralBarbara Underwood (Acting)2018Eric Schneiderman2011 – 2018Andrew M. Cuomo2007 – 2010Eliot Spitzer1999 – 2006Dennis Vacco1995 – 199859 more rows

Who is the highest Attorney General?

The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States....United States Attorney GeneralFlag of the United States Attorney GeneralIncumbent Merrick Garland since March 11, 2021United States Department of JusticeStyleMr. Attorney General (informal) The Honorable (formal)13 more rows

Who is higher than the states attorney?

The U.S. attorney general, who is the chief law enforcement officer in the United States and the head of the Department of Justice, has supervisory responsibility over U.S. attorneys.

How much does the NY Attorney General make?

Attorney General of New YorkFirst holderEgbert BensonSuccessionElection by joint session of New York State LegislatureSalary$210,000 (2019)Websiteag.ny.gov8 more rows

Who is the attorney general for Florida?

Ashley Moody (Republican Party)Florida / Attorney generalAshley Brooke Moody is an American attorney and politician serving as the Florida attorney general since January 2019. Wikipedia

Who has more power governor or Attorney General?

The vast majority of state attorneys general are elected separately from the governor, which means they're free to make their own decisions about which cases to prosecute. Governors can try to influence them informally—and in most cases, their interests line up—but they have no formal power over the AGs.

Who is state Attorney General?

Merrick GarlandUnited States / Attorney generalMerrick Brian Garland is an American lawyer and jurist serving as the 86th United States attorney general since March 2021. He served as a circuit judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1997 to 2021. Wikipedia

Who is the head of justice department?

Attorney General GarlandMeet the Attorney General As the nation's chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Garland leads the Justice Department's 115,000 employees, who work across the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide.

What is the difference between US Attorney and Attorney General of a state?

A lawyer who represents the state in local criminal cases is usually referred to as the "District Attorney," although, depending on your state, these attorneys can go by other titles such as "Prosecuting Attorney" or "County Attorney." The Attorney General of a state typically represents the state in civil cases, but ...

What does an Attorney General do?

The Attorney General is chief legal adviser to the Crown and has a number of independent public interest functions, as well as overseeing the Law Officers' departments.

Can you sue the DOJ?

No. Federal government agencies cannot be sued in Small Claims Court, but you can file a Claim For Damages (other DOJ forms).

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)

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.

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.

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.

Who ran for governor in 2012?

Two - Montana AG Steve Bullock (D) and Washington AG Rob McKenna (R) - ran for the governorship in their respective states in 2012. One - Utah AG Mark Shurtleff (R) - retired from office. One - 2011 appointee Pennsylvania AG Linda Kelly (R) - did not run for election due to the terms of her Senate confirmation.

How many elections were held in 2010?

Thirty attorney general elections were held on November 2, 2010. Of the 30 seats that were up for election, 20 were held by a Democrat and 10 by a Republican. Of those 30 races, 16 were won by Republicans and 14 by Democrats- a net gain of six by Republicans over their pre-election total.

How long is the term of the California Attorney General?

The California attorney general is elected to a four-year term, with a maximum of two terms. The election is held at the same statewide election as the governor, lieutenant governor, controller, secretary of state, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, and insurance commissioner .

Where is the California Attorney General's office?

The California attorney general's main office in Sacramento is housed in this building. According to the state Constitution, the Code of Civil Procedure, and the Government Code, the attorney general: As the state's chief law officer, ensures that the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced.

What are the duties of an attorney general?

According to the state Constitution, the Code of Civil Procedure, and the Government Code, the attorney general: 1 As the state's chief law officer, ensures that the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced. 2 Heads the Department of Justice, which is responsible for providing state legal services and support for local law enforcement. 3 Acts as the chief counsel in state litigation. 4 Oversees law enforcement agencies, including district attorneys and sheriffs.

Who will be the next attorney general in 2021?

On March 24, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he would be appointing Rob Bonta as attorney general to succeed Xavier Becerra, who resigned the position to become Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden.

What is the OAG?

oag .ca .gov. The attorney general of California is the state attorney general of the Government of California. The officer's duty is to ensure that "the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced" ( Constitution of California, Article V, Section 13).

How many states have an attorney general?

The attorney general is appointed by the governor in five states: Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Wyoming. In Maine, the attorney general is chosen by the state legislature, while in Tennessee the choice falls to the state supreme court .

What is the job of an attorney general?

The primary job of a state attorney general is to serve as chief legal adviser to the agencies and legislative organs that make up his or her state's government, in addition to the citizens residing within the state. It is this last common aspect of the role, ...

What are the requirements for a state office?

Of the 35 states: 1 7 designate an officeholder must be at least 30 years of age. ( FL, ID, KY, NM, NY, PA and VA) 2 10 require a minimum age of 25. ( AL, AZ, GA, IL, LA, MT, NV, ND, UT and WV) 3 13 require a minimum age of 18. ( AK, CA, CT, IA, MA, MI, NJ, OH, OR, RI, SD, VT and WA) 4 2, Minnesota and North Carolina, set the limit at 21. 5 1, Oklahoma, sets the limit at 31. 6 1, Colorado, sets the limit at 27. 7 1, Mississippi, sets the limit at 26.

Who has the power to represent the state in criminal appeals?

Attorneys general: Power to represent state in criminal appeals#N#Attorneys general: Power to represent state in criminal appeals#N#+#N#–#N#In no cases#N#In some cases#N#In all cases#N#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.

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Overview

The attorney general of California is the state attorney general of the Government of California. The officer's duty is to ensure that "the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced" (Constitution of California, Article V, Section 13). The California attorney general carries out the responsibilities of the office through the California Department of Justice. The department employs over 1,…

Duties

According to the state Constitution, the Code of Civil Procedure, and the Government Code, the attorney general:
• As the state's chief law officer, ensures that the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced.
• Heads the Department of Justice, which is responsible for providing state legal services and support for local law enforce…

History

Although the office of attorney general dates to the admission of California to the Union, the office in its modern form dates to Proposition 4 of 1934, sponsored by Alameda County District Attorney Earl Warrenas one of four initiatives he sponsored to substantially reform law enforcement and the judiciary. Previously, the attorney general lacked jurisdiction over matters in the jurisdiction of locally elected district attorneys and sheriffs. Warren went on to become attor…

Diversity

• Stanley Mosk was the first adherent of Judaism to hold the office.
• George Deukmejian was the first Armenian American to hold the office.
• Kamala Harris was the first woman, the first Asian American, and the first African American to hold the office.

List of attorneys general of California

Major other offices held
• Xavier Becerra (2017–2021) – 25th Secretary of Health and Human Services (2021–present)
• Jerry Brown (2007–2011) – 34th and 39th Governor of California (1975–1983; 2011–2019)
• Pat Brown (1951–1959) – 32nd Governor of California (1959–1967)

External links

• Official website
• California Attorney General articles at ABA Journal
• News and Commentary at FindLaw