what does an state attorney general do

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

Should state attorney generals be elected or appointed?

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?

 · 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 is the state Attorney General in charge of?

 · Attorney generals are one of the most important legal advisers for their government, state, or country. They provide legal advice and may be called on to advise ordinary citizens who may or may not be within the country's jurisdiction.

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 ...

What is the responsibility of the Attorney General?

These efforts include narcotics investigations as well as many other criminal investigations that cross enforcement areas. Managing the data associated with these investigations is also the responsibility of the attorney general’s office.

Who manages child support?

The state’s attorney general manages the child support process in some states. The office may run programs specifically to increase public safety or reduce unfair or fraudulent activities. In some states, this office is the guardian of the state’s natural resources through law enforcement.

Who is the head of the state's legal office?

R. Kimball. 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.

Is the Attorney General responsible for the state penal system?

These cases might be criminal or civil, depending upon the issue in the suit. In certain states, the state’s attorney general is responsible for representing the state penal system in an appeal to a federal court. The attorney general himself or herself cannot be present in court for each of these incidences, but a member ...

What is the role of the Attorney General?

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 .

How long does an attorney general serve?

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 Tennessee is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court ...

How many terms can an attorney general serve in Puerto Rico?

Many states have passed term limits limiting the selection to 2 consecutive terms (9 states); 2 terms maximum (4 states), but 33 states still have no term limits.

What does the Attorney General do?

The attorney general’s office investigates crimes or schemes that span multiple counties. It also works with federal investigators on cases that span multiple states.

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 ...

What did Preate feel about being a district attorney?

While Preate talked highly of being a district attorney, he felt that leadership experience was attainable from many places.

What does the Criminal Division do?

The criminal division investigates drug trafficking, child predators (more than 150 were arrested each of the past two years), organized crime and public corruption, according to the office’s 2015 annual report.

How old do you have to be to become an attorney general in Pennsylvania?

To become attorney general, you have to be able to practice law in Pennsylvania, be at least 30 years old and have lived in Pennsylvania for the past seven years (exceptions for politicians and public employees). Of the five candidates, there are two politicians and three with extensive experience as prosecutors.

How many employees does the Attorney General have?

The office works on criminal, civil and consumer protection cases and has 830 employees in offices across the state, according to the latest figures provided by the attorney general’s office. More than half of those employees work on criminal cases.

Does the Attorney General appear in court?

The attorney general rarely appears in court, but makes key decisions on major cases, assists in local and federal investigations and meets with legislators and constituents on a regular basis, according to Walter Cohen, who served as first deputy attorney general over six years and then as acting attorney general for several months in 1995.

What is the role of an attorney general?

Attorney generals are one of the most important legal advisers for their government, state, or country. They provide legal advice and may be called on to advise ordinary citizens who may or may not be within the country's jurisdiction. Their power varies depending on the laws of the state or country. Most of them have special executive power related to the enforcement of laws. Attorney Generals also provide legal services to state departments and agencies.

How much does an attorney general make?

Attorneys general average about $47.77 an hour, which makes the attorney general annual salary $99,362. Additionally, attorneys general are known to earn anywhere from $66,000 to $149,000 a year. This means that the top-earning attorneys general make $83,000 more than the lowest earning ones.

How many attorneys general have a bachelor's degree?

Over half of attorneys general have graduated with a bachelor's degree. In fact, it seems 31.6% of people who became an attorney general earned a bachelor's degree. When it comes down to graduating with a master's degree roughly 10.7% in this career have them. If you're wanting to pursue this career, it seems it may be possible to be successful with a high school degree. In fact, most attorneys general have a college degree. But about one out of every eight attorneys general didn't attend college at all.

What percentage of attorneys general are proficient in legal advice?

We calculated that 52 % of Attorneys General are proficient in Legal Advice, Counsel, and Administrative Law. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Interpersonal skills, and Problem-solving skills.

What is a lawyer's role?

Represent and advise clients in the areas of business, contracts, estate planning, family law, and civil litigation.

How many attorney general jobs will be available in 2028?

In addition, the number of attorney general opportunities that are projected to become available by 2028 is 50,100.

What is a solo lawyer?

Solo legal practitioner practicing in the areas of estate planning, bankruptcy, family law, disability, and criminal defense.

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 ...

Why do you need a bio for an attorney general?

Or if they are appointed to the job, they need an outstanding bio in order to be noticed for the appointment. The job of state attorney general isn't like jobs in private business, where employees receive performance reviews that may lead to a salary raise.

How often do attorneys general meet?

The attorney general of each state also attends meetings where all the state attorneys convene, such as those of the National Association of Attorneys General, usually two to three times each year. They discuss issues relevant to all the attorneys general and listen to speakers talk about selected topics. AGs may also serve as officers of this and other legal organizations and on various committees established to accomplish specific goals.

How many times does the Attorney General meet with the Attorney General?

The attorney general of each state also attends meetings where all the state attorneys convene, such as those of the National Association of Attorneys General, usually two to three times each year. They discuss issues relevant to all the attorneys general and listen to speakers talk about selected topics.

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.

How long can an AG serve?

Many states set limits on how many years their AG can serve, with the norm being a maximum of eight years. Only Virginia does not set a limit on how long their AG can serve.

How many states have an AG?

Some states have minimum age requirements for their AGs, while others do not. In 43 states, the AG is elected by popular vote. In the other seven states, the AG is appointed by the state government.

What can the attorney general do within that structure?

Perhaps one surprising aspect of the office is that the attorney general rarely steps inside the courtroom.

What do the current candidates have to offer?

Five candidates, three Democrats and two Republicans, are running to succeed Democratic Attorney General Kathleen Kane. She declined to run for a second term after being charged with perjury and obstruction of justice, among other crimes, and had her law license suspended by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

What is the job of a state attorney?

A State's Attorney, along with a phalanx of Assistant State's Attorneys, prosecutes criminal and civil cases for the people.

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 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 many states have grand jury indictments?

About half the 50 states use grand jury indictments in criminal prosecutions. Grand juries hear cases brought by State's Attorneys, and only the evidence and witnesses presented by the State's Attorney are considered.

How many lawyers are there in Cook County?

For example, the Cook County State's Attorney in Chicago has more than 900 lawyers and a total staff of 1,600 employees [source: Cook County State's Attorney's Office ]. 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.

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.

Does a state attorney do the job alone?

But a State's Attorney hardly ever does the job alone . Many have offices that contain dozens or even hundreds of appointed assistant or deputy State's Attorneys, as well as support staff. These assistants or deputies are the ones who routinely appear in court, representing the State's Attorney's office.

Overview

Selection

Defense of the state in federal lawsuits

See also

External links