The attorney general is an executive office in all 50 states 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.
What is the job of a state Attorney General?
While varying from one jurisdiction to the next due to statutory and constitutional mandates, the role of attorney general typically includes: Issuing formal opinions to state agencies. Acting as public advocates in areas such as child support enforcement, consumer protections, antitrust and utility regulation. Proposing legislation.
What is the state Attorney General in charge of?
State Attorneys General. 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.
What are the duties of the Attorney General?
Apr 24, 2016 · 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. The office also has a unit that pursues antitrust claims, environmental hazards, and investigates consumer and healthcare complaints.
Should state attorney generals be elected or appointed?
Feb 16, 2012 · Though it may vary by state, generally you should be able to request and receive the following from your attorney general’s office. Depending on your specific legal issue, your attorney general should be able to: Tell you what paperwork you need; Help you find affordable representation; Give you statutes; Cite legal precedents pertinent to your state
What does the Attorney General do for you?
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.
Can the state Attorney General prosecute local cases?
Chapter 1, section 1.09, of the Penal Code provides that, “with the consent of the appropriate local county or district attorney, the Attorney General has concurrent jurisdiction with that consenting local prosecutor” to prosecute certain offenses, including: Misuse of state property or funds. Abuse of office.
How do I know if the FBI is investigating me?
Probably the second most common way people learn that they're under federal investigation is when the police execute a search warrant at the person's house or office. If the police come into your house and execute a search warrant, then you know that you are under investigation.
Which level of felony is the highest level of offense?
A class A felony and a level 1 felony are considered the highest class – or worst felony – and carry the most severe punishments. Criminal codes at both the state and the federal levels categorize felony crimes by seriousness, with the first class or level being the most severe.Dec 15, 2018
What is the Attorney General's Office looking into?
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 ...
Who is the chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners?
Shapiro is the chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and was appointed to be the chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency [PCCD] by Gov. Tom Wolf about a year ago.
Who is Joe Peters?
Republican candidate Joe Peters was a Scranton police officer, an organized crime and drug prosecutor in the attorney general's office for 15 years, a federal mafia prosecutor and oversaw a White House drug trafficking program. He most recently served as Kathleen Kane’s spokesman for about eight months in 2013 and 2014.
What is the Roe v Wade ruling?
This was the 1992 landmark abortion ruling that upheld the basic tenet of Roe v. Wade that a woman has the right to an abortion. It established a new “undue burden” test, which struck down part of the Pennsylvania law which required wives to notify their husbands before getting an abortion.
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 ...
What is the Attorney General of Texas?
The Attorney General is the constitutional, statewide elected official who acts as the attorney for the State of Texas. The Attorney General: 1 enforces state consumer protection laws; 2 collects court-ordered child support; and 3 administers the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund.
How to contact the Attorney General for child support?
For information about child support services, call the Office of the Attorney General’s Child Support Division at (800) 252-8014 or consult your phone directory for the number to your local office. Information is also available on the Office of the Attorney General Web site at www.texasattorneygeneral.gov.
What is the state bar of Texas?
The State Bar of Texas is the agency with authority to regulate attorneys in Texas. If you have a complaint about the actions of an attorney, contact the State Bar’s Grievance Committee at (800) 932-1900. I have a complaint against a private business.
Who has jurisdiction in Texas?
In Texas, the county or district attorney has original jurisdiction to pursue alleged violations of the law. These prosecutors are granted discretion in determining which cases will be prosecuted. The Attorney General has no role or oversight of their decisions.
What is the phone number for a small claims court?
The State Bar offers a Lawyer Referral Service at (800) 252-9690.
What is the PUC in Texas?
The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) is the agency charged with ensuring that regulated electric and local telephone utilities observe state rules and service standards. Contact the PUC regarding your concerns at (888) 782-8477 or on the Web at www.puc.state.tx.us.
How to contact Texas Open Meetings?
For information about the Texas Public Information Act or the Texas Open Meetings Act, you may wish to call our open government hotline at (512) 478-OPEN (6736) or toll-free at (877) OPEN TEX (673-6839). In addition, our open government publications are available on our Web site at www.texasattorneygeneral.gov or upon request by calling (512) ...
What does a state attorney general do?
State attorneys general enforce both state and federal laws. Because they are sworn to uphold the United States' constitution and laws as well as the state's, they often decline to defend the state in federal lawsuits.
How long is the attorney general's term in Tennessee?
The attorney general in Tennessee is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court for an eight-year term. In Maine, the attorney general is elected by the state Legislature for a two-year term.
How are state attorneys elected?
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 ...
What is an assistant state attorney?
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 is a prosecutor?
A State's Attorney is the most common term for a prosecutor, someone who represents the people in criminal and civil legal matters. But while the most iconic image of a State's Attorney is ...
What is the job of a criminal prosecutor?
Criminal prosecutions are the chief duty of most State's Attorney offices. In many states, such as Michigan, criminal prosecutions follow a predetermined series of steps [source: Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan ]. First, police file a warrant or charging request with the State's Attorney following an investigation.
How do police arrest a suspect?
First, police file a warrant or charging request with the State's Attorney following an investigation. Attorneys review the request and may decide to issue a warrant, which allows the police to arrest the suspect. An arraignment in court follows, at which the suspect is formally charged with a crime and enters a plea.
What is an arraignment in court?
An arraignment in court follows, at which the suspect is formally charged with a crime and enters a plea. Depending on the type and severity of a crime, there can be several pretrial hearings. At some point during these hearings, a plea bargain may be offered to induce the suspect to enter a guilty plea. Advertisement.
What happens before a trial?
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.
Overview
- Many Texans look to the Office of the Attorney General for guidance with disputes and legal issues. The agency receives hundreds of letters, phone calls and visits each week about crime victims’ compensation, child support, abuse in nursing homes, possible consumer fraud and other topics. We can and do answer many of these questions directly. We can send you an applicatio…
Selection
Defense of the state in federal lawsuits
See also
The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states, of the federal district, or of any of the territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer. In some states, the attorney general serves as the head of a state department of justice, with responsibilities similar to those of the United States Department of Justice.
External links
The most prevalent method of selecting a state's attorney general is by popular election. 43 states have an elected attorney general. Elected attorneys general serve a four-year term, except in Vermont, where the term is two years.
Seven states do not popularly elect an attorney general. In Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming, the attorney general is a gubernatorial appointee. The attorney general in …
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