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.
What are the requirements to become an 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 are the duties of the Attorney 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.
Should state attorney generals be elected or appointed?
Apr 24, 2016 · The Pennsylvania attorney general is the state’s top lawyer. The office can bring down drug rings, investigate public corruption and it defends the state when it is sued. The attorney general is also a political figure, working with the governor and the Legislature to reform state drug laws, its prison system and to combat the state’s heroin epidemic.
What does it take to be Attorney General?
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. In most states, the attorney general has a substantial influence …
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 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.
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 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 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)
How many territories are there in the US?
Comparison across states. Although Ballotpedia covers the five U.S. territories. The five U.S. territories are American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. and their officeholders, territory officeholders are not included in the following figures.
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.
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.
Who appointed Ellen Rosenblum?
John Kitzhaber appointed Ellen Rosenblum, who was running for 2012 election to the attorney general post at the time, to serve as interim attorney general for the remainder of his unexpired term. Rosenblum was elected to a full term in the general election on November 6, 2012.
What is the role of the Attorney General?
Attorneys throughout the country, the Attorney General may provide guidance interpreting the law to assist in prosecuting or defending the United States in legal proceedings. The Attorney General also oversees the federal prison system and all of the systems that pertain to it.
When was the Office of the Attorney General created?
The Office of the Attorney General was created in 1789 and was intended to be a one-person position. The person in the position was supposed to be “learned in the law” and was tasked with conducting all suits in the Supreme Court and advising the president and cabinet in law-related matters.
How many times has Barr been Attorney General?
Barr has served as Attorney General twice, once during the George H.W. Bush administration from 1991 to 1993, and currently in the Trump administration. Barr has been consistent in his determination that the Executive branch claims absolute executive authority, contrary to our system of checks and balances.
Who is in charge of the Justice Department?
The Attorney General is in charge of the Department and is responsible for all aspects of the Justice Department. The head of this vast bureaucracy has enough impact to shape the way laws are treated by law enforcement professionals across the country.
What is the Department of Justice?
The Department of Justice is responsible for most of the legal business of the government, and therefore, many of the law enforcement agencies throughout the country . There are six litigating divisions in the department: Antitrust.
Who is Marissa Jordan?
Marissa Jordan is an accountant and freelance writer interested in current events, economics, and science. Formerly, she wrote for technical blogs on specialized software. When not writing or accounting, she likes spending time with family, reading, and trivia.
What is the role of the Attorney General of Texas?
As provided by the Texas Constitution and statutes, the main responsibilities of the Office of Attorney General are: Defending the State of Texas and its duly enacted laws by providing legal representation to the State, its officials and agencies, rendering legal opinions, reviewing bonds of public security, and ensuring compliance with ...
What is the Office of the 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 ...
Overview
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.
Selection
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 …
Defense of the state in federal lawsuits
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.
See also
• State constitutional officer (United States)
• National Association of Attorneys General
• List of U.S. statewide elected officials
External links
• Listing of official State Attorney General websites
What Is The Role of The Attorney General?
- The Attorney General is the Head of the Justice Department and the attorney for the United States in all legal matters. They dispense legal advice to the president and the heads of other governmental agencies when requested. The Attorney General may support important cases that go to the Supreme Court of the United States if the case is deemed important in nature. The Atto…
How Does One Become Attorney General?
- The position of Attorney General is an appointed one, nominated by the president and confirmed by the United States Senate. There is also a succession plan in place in the event there is no Attorney General due to absence or death, which allows the Deputy Attorney General to assume all powers and duties of the office. While the Deputy Attorney General would not be a confirmed …
What Are The Most Important Powers of The Attorney General?
- The Attorney General will provide advice and guidance to the president and other high ranking officials regarding the law and how it should be implemented. This provides the Attorney General with a great deal of power, as they would have the ability to shape how laxly or punitively the law is to be applied. As the Justice Department has such wide-reaching tentacles of power in matter…
Who Is The Current Attorney General?
- William Barr is the current Attorney General of the United States. He replaced Jeff Sessions in 2019 after President Trump fired Sessions. Barr has served as Attorney General twice, once during the George H.W. Bush administration from 1991 to 1993, and currently in the Trump administration. Barr has been consistent in his determination that the Executive branch claims a…
What Agencies Are Under The Department of Justice?
- The Department of Justice is responsible for most of the legal business of the government, and therefore, many of the law enforcement agencies throughout the country. There are six litigating divisions in the department: 1. Antitrust 2. Civil 3. Civil Rights 4. Criminal 5. Environmental and Natural Resources 6. Tax Each division is headed up by an Assistant Attorney General, and man…
History of The Attorney General
- The Office of the Attorney General was createdin 1789 and was intended to be a one-person position. The person in the position was supposed to be “learned in the law” and was tasked with conducting all suits in the Supreme Court and advising the president and cabinet in law-related matters. The work quickly grew, requiring the addition of multiple assistants and private attorne…
List of Attorneys General
- William Barr, 2019 – Present
- Jeff Sessions, 2017 – 2018
- Loretta Lynch, 2015 – 2017
- Eric Holder, Jr., 2009 – 2015
The Rantt Rundown
- The Department of Justice, created in 1789, has grown from a part-time, one-person office to become the world’s largest law office, encompassing sixty different agencies and offices. The Attorney General is in charge of the Department and is responsible for all aspects of the Justice Department. The head of this vast bureaucracy has enough impact to shape the way laws are tr…
The Philosophy of The Office of The Attorney General
- The principles of individual liberty, limited government, economic freedom, and personal responsibility guide the work of the Office of Attorney General.
The Values of The Office of The Attorney General
- The Office of Attorney General is committed to performing its duties with excellence, serving Texas with humility and integrity, and exploring innovative solutions in accomplishing the work of the agency.
The Work of The Office of The Attorney General
- The Attorney General Ken Paxton is the State of Texas’s chief legal officer. As provided by the Texas Constitution and statutes, the main responsibilities of the Office of Attorney General are: 1. Defending the State of Texas and its duly enacted laws by providing legal representation to the State, its officials and agencies, rendering legal opinions, reviewing bonds of public security, a…
Popular Posts:
- 1. what form do you need to change power of attorney in iowa
- 2. how to become an attorney after college
- 3. what services can an attorney provide
- 4. what do i need to do to file for. divorce without an attorney in hamilton ohio
- 5. why did the girl attorney stop dating the boy attorney pdf
- 6. who was my court appointed attorney
- 7. what are the qualifications for a district attorney and truth
- 8. how often attorney switch jobs
- 9. i think my attorney screwed up my bankruptcy what do i do
- 10. how long is a power of attorney good for in dc