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
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.
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.
It is the responsibility of the Attorney General to protect public interests. In doing so, the Attorney General's Office may file lawsuits on behalf of the state against companies that violate laws protecting consumers.
As chief legal officers of the states, commonwealths, District of Columbia, and territories of the United States, the role of an attorney general is to serve as counselor to state government agencies and legislatures, and as a representative of the public interest.
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. Enforcing federal and state environmental laws. Representing the state and state agencies before the state and federal courts.
The People’s Lawyer is a biweekly podcast from NAAG that explores the role of state and territory attorneys general as chief legal officers and their work protecting the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution.
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.
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.
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.
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 ...
With so much to be accomplished, state attorneys general work full-time and often work overtime. They are on the go much of the time, rather than sitting behind a desk. The job can be a stressful one. Whether elected or appointed to the position, the AG has many people to keep happy.
Rather, the state attorney general has the responsibility to uphold the laws of the state and country and to ensure that its citizens are protected from harm as much as possible.
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.
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.
Of course, a state AG can't handle all of these tasks single-handedly. AGs rely on the heads of different divisions within the state's judicial system. These typically include civil, criminal, fraud and family divisions, in addition to the executive office and possibly other divisions depending on the state. The attorney general of each state also ...
By law, though, 19 states do not have provisions mandating that their AG must have a law degree. Nevertheless, all of the AGs in those states do have law degrees and experience as a lawyer. Getting a law degree requires first earning a bachelor's degree.
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 ...
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:
In some circumstances, the Attorney General has original jurisdiction to prosecute violations of the law, but in most cases, ...
In addition to its constitutionally prescribed duties, the Office of the Attorney General files civil suits upon referral by other state 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 ...
In this video, Professor James E. Tierney, former Attorney General of Maine, provides an introduction to the office of state attorneys general. His remarks are directed to lawyers and non-lawyers interested in the history, culture, jurisdiction and operations of state attorneys general offices (17:28).
Generic Organizational Chart of a typical State Attorney General’s Office (click above to open/download as a PDF).
The National State Attorneys General Program at Columbia Law School was privileged to host a series of guest speakers in 2009 who reflected on their time in government service. Their talks were recorded on video and are linked to below.