what are the duties of the attorney general of the state of missouri

by Selina Volkman III 5 min read

What are the duties of the Attorney General?

Apr 05, 2015 · The Missouri Attorney General is a legal and administrative position undertaken by the appointed individual serving as the primary attorney – or Missouri lawyers – on behalf of the State of Missouri. Although the Attorney General Missouri undertakes a vast array of duties and responsibilities, amongst the foremost of their responsibilities is to serve the collective …

What does a criminal attorney do in Missouri?

The Attorney General serves as the chief legal officer of the State of Missouri as mandated by our Constitution. The Attorney General is elected by Missouri voters, serves a four-year term, and is not subject to constitutional term limits. The Attorney General’s Office represents and provides legal advice to most state agencies; defends challenges to the validity of state laws; enforces …

Does the Attorney General represent the state in a lawsuit?

The attorney general may hire any expert counsel necessary to protect the state ‘s interest. 2. The commission or director may request that the attorney general make investigations, on behalf of and in the name of the commission, and bring suits or institute proceedings for any of the purposes necessary and proper for carrying out the ...

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Who is responsible for campaign finance in Missouri?

The Attorney General of Missouri is responsible for all prosecution of criminal violations of Missouri 's campaign finance laws. The Office of Prosecution Services is a division of the state attorney general's office and conducts all investigations of campaign finance law violations that are in the office's jurisdiction.

What is the Missouri Constitution?

The Missouri Constitution addresses the office of attorney general in Article IV, the Executive Department . Under Article IV, Section 12: The executive department shall consist of all state elective and appointive officials and employees except officials and employees of the legislative and judicial departments.

Who must send ballot text to in Missouri?

According to the Missouri initiative and referendum guidelines, when ballot text is submitted to the state secretary of state, a copy of the text must be sent to the attorney general.

Can the attorney general's salary be increased?

The attorney general's salary is set by law and cannot be increased or reduced during the term. Section 3, Article XIII of the Missouri Constitution created a Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials, which sets the compensation of elected government officials.

What is the Missouri Attorney General?

The Missouri Attorney General is identified as an officer within the legal realm of Common Law, which is the legal field and ideology considered to rely on past legal statutes, sentencing, and judicial review to serve as guidelines for sentencing; both the reference and respect of past judicial decisions as a means of determination for current legal hearings is amongst the primary ideologies inherent within Common Law:

Where is the Attorney General's office in Missouri?

The main Office of the Attorney General of the State of Missouri is located in the State Capitol Building in Jefferson City, Missouri; however, there are regional locations in St. Louis, Cape Girardeau, Kansas City, and Springfield.

How long is the term of the Attorney General of Missouri?

The Attorney General is elected by Missouri voters, serves a four-year term , and is not subject to constitutional term limits.

What does the Attorney General's Office do?

In addition, the Office handles all appeals statewide from felony convictions. The Attorney General’s Office brings and defends lawsuits on behalf of the State and prepares formal legal opinions requested by State officers, legislators, or county attorneys on issues of law.

What is the role of the People's Lawyer?

To protect and advance the interests of the state and its citizens through the judicial and legislative process and to serve as the People’s lawyer, fighting for openness and justice, especially for those who have no voice.

What is the mission of the judicial branch?

Mission Statement. To protect and advance the interests of the state and its citizens through the judicial and legislative process and to serve as the People’s lawyer, fighting for openness and justice, especially for those who have no voice.

What is the job of a state attorney general?

Each state's attorney general is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the laws, as well as the ability to pass new legislation. The state attorney general also has the higher purpose of protecting the people of the state and their interests. Attorney general duties include providing consumer ...

How long does it take to get a law degree?

Then, prospective lawyers take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and apply to law schools. Finishing law school generally takes three years. Some states have minimum age requirements for their AGs, while others do not.

What is the job of an attorney general?

The attorney general is the chief legal representative for the state and serves as general counsel for most of the state’s government agencies. Each state’s attorney general manages all legal representation of the state in civil and criminal matters on a state and federal level. Most attorneys general manage specific assistance programs ...

Who is responsible for enforcing the law?

The State's Attorney General is the head of the state's legal office and is responsible for enforcing the law. A state’s attorney general is responsible for enforcing the law in the state where he or she was elected. The attorney general is the chief legal representative for the state and serves as general counsel for most ...

Who is the attorney general for Morningside Church Productions?

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt today announced that his office has recovered $156,000 and obtained a consent judgment against Jim Bakker and Morningside Church Productions.

Who filed the petition for certiorari in Missouri?

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt today filed a petition for writ of certiorari in Schmitt v. Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, asking the Supreme Court of the United States to review Missouri’s law prohibiting abortions of unborn children with Down syndrome.

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Current Officeholder

Authority

Qualifications

  • In order to serve as attorney general, an individual must be a U.S. citizen (number of years not specified) and have been a state resident for at least one year.
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Elections

  • Missouri elects attorneys general in the presidential elections, that is, in leap years. There are no term limitson the position.
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Vacancies

  • Article IV, Section 4of the Missouri Constitution gives the governor the power to fill vacancies in public offices.
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Duties

  • The attorney general is the attorney for the entire state, representing the legal interests of Missouriand its state agencies. As the state's chief legal officer, the attorney general must prosecute or defend all appeals to which the state is a party, including every felony criminal case appealed to the Missouri Supreme Courtand courts of appeal. T...
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Divisions

  • As of January 11, 2021, the Office of the Attorney General of Missouri has two main divisions: Civil and Criminal.
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Role in The Initiative Process

  • According to the Missouri initiative and referendum guidelines, when ballot text is submitted to the state secretary of state, a copy of the text must be sent to the attorney general. Both the secretary of state and attorney general will review the text to make sure that it complies with the form of an initiative. A copy of the ballot text is also sent to the state auditor in order to prepare …
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Compensation

  • The attorney general's salary is set by law and cannot be increased or reduced during the term. Section 3, Article XIII of the Missouri Constitutioncreated a Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials, which sets the compensation of elected government officials. The 21-member commission meets every two years, and is not to be comprised of employees o…
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Historical Officeholders

  • Since 1820, Missouri has had 42 attorneys general. Of the 41, 30 have been Democrats, 11 Republicans and one Whig.
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