The attorney general ensures the state's laws are followed and defends challenges to state law in court. The elected official oversees the California Department of Justice, which has over 4,500 employees and is one of the largest agencies in the state.
The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states and territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer.
Although formally a member of the executive branch, the office's powers are primarily legislative. The attorney general is the state's lawyer, representing Texas in civil matters and issuing opinion on the constitutionality and legality of state actions.
The division also performs the agency cash appropriations management function, coordinates the preparation of the indirect cost rate plan, manages legislative performance measures, prepares interagency contract billings for legal services, and prepares fiscal notes for the legislative session.
attorney general. the position of the head of the Justice Department and the chief law enforcement officer of the United States.
The solicitor general decides what cases the government will appeal from lower courts and personally approves every case the government presents to the Supreme Court.
Civil Case. A case where a lawsuit is brought by one party who claims to have suffered a loss and seeks damages from the other party. Plaintiff.
What is an independent agency? Independent Agencies are outside of the executive branch and are not under the supervision of the president. They were in most cases created by Congress to deal with matters that have become too complex for the scope of ordinary legislation.
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.
In 2020, the attorney general received a salary of $153,750 according to the Council of State Governments.
Justin Nelson advanced from the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Texas on March 6, 2018.
Incumbent Ken Paxton defeated Justin Nelson and Michael Ray Harris in the general election for Attorney General of Texas on November 6, 2018.
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.
Texas has a Republican triplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
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 ...
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.
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.
Attorney General Paxton is focused on protecting Texans and upholding Texas laws and the Constitution. Fighting federal overreach, he filed 27 lawsuits against the Obama administration during a two-year stretch, of which six were heard in the U.S. Supreme Court. He's obtained an injunction or other winning ruling in more than 75 percent of the cases he's brought against the federal government.
He was re-elected to a second term in 2018. As the state’s top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Paxton leads more than 4,000 employees in 38 divisions and 117 offices around Texas.
His office has filed more than a dozen lawsuits to block the sale of synthetic cannabinoids (known as Kush and Spice) in Texas. The agency’s website provides Texans with the information and resources they need to become fully informed about the dangers of synthetic drugs and the opioid painkiller abuse crisis.
First elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2002, Attorney General Paxton represented House District 70 for 10 years, one of the fastest-growing regions in the state. In 2012, he was elected to the Texas state Senate, representing Senate District 8 in Collin and Dallas counties.
Attorney General Paxton graduated from Baylor University, where he served as student body president, earning a B.A. in psychology and an M.B.A. After receiving a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, he worked as an attorney at Strasburger & Price, LLP, in-house counsel for J.C. Penney Company, and headed up his own law firm for 14 years in McKinney.
Stopping the EPA's “Waters of the United States” rule preserved Texans' ability to regulate their own natural resources, including ponds, puddles and streams on private property. Businesses were protected and jobs preserved in Texas when Attorney General Paxton prevailed against the Department of Labor’s “Overtime” rule.
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, fraud, and abuse, and safeguarding the freedoms of Texans as guaranteed by the United States and Texas constitutions.
The Office of the Attorney General operates Administrative Divisions that maintain the core agency functions such as accounting and budgeting, contract management and procurement, information technology and management, and internal audit.
To fulfill the agency’s constitutional and statutory responsibilities, the OAG provides legal representation, counsel, and assistance to fulfill the needs of the State of Texas and its authorized entities and employees, including state officers, state agencies, and institutions of higher education. The OAG responds to the litigation needs ...
There are thirteen civil and defense litigation divisions at the Office of the Attorney General. They perform a wide variety of functions ranging from prosecuting antitrust violations to providing representation to other state agencies.
Child Support. As the statutorily-designated child support enforcement agency for the State of Texas, the Office of the Attorney General Child Support Division (CSD) is responsible for the establishment and enforcement of child support. All states that receive federal funding for Temporary Assistance.
Attorney General Ken Paxton’s position is clear that the governor’s orders and state law apply to all Texans and protect their right to make
We regularly identify unique threats to Texas—and we take action to defeat them.
Ken Paxton is the 51st Attorney General of Texas. He was elected on November 4, 2014, and sworn into office on January 5, 2015.
Republican primary for Attorney General of Texas. Incumbent Ken Paxton advanced from the Republican primary for Attorney General of Texas on March 6, 2018.
Incumbent Ken Paxton defeated Justin Nelson and Michael Ray Harris in the general election for Attorney General of Texas on November 6, 2018.
Justin Nelson advanced from the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Texas on March 6, 2018.
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This race was featured in The Heart of the Primaries, a newsletter capturing stories related to conflicts within each major party. Click here to read more about conflict in this and other 2022 Republican attorney general primaries. Click here to subscribe to the newsletter.
Texas voted Republican in all six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.