what does the attorney general do in pa

by Krystina Bogisich 9 min read

Who is the Attorney General of Pennsylvania?

Feb 16, 2022 · Protecting consumers and combating scams is a top priority of the Office of Attorney General. It’s important for Pennsylvanians to know what schemes are out there – so they can avoid getting scammed and help our Office protect other consumers.

What is an attorneys general and what do they do?

Apr 05, 2015 · What does the Attorney General of Pennsylvania do? The Attorney General Pennsylvania is an independent office headed by the elected individual. The office is responsible for prosecuting crimes that were originally prosecuted by the state, including all acts of organized crime, public corruption and consumer protection issues.

How many terms can an attorney general serve in Pennsylvania?

The Pennsylvania Attorney General is therefore the Commonwealth’s chief law enforcement officer responsible for the appropriate functioning of all of these services and programs. Additional duties include the collection of debts and taxes that are due to the Commonwealth. These taxes and debts will be managed by the Attorney General at all times.

What is the Office of the state Attorney General?

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.

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What are the duties of the PA attorney general?

He or she serves as the chief law enforcement officer of Pennsylvania and represents the state and its agencies in any action brought by or against them. The attorney general is responsible for collecting all debts, taxes, and accounts due to the state.

What does the US attorney general investigate?

AGs investigate and bring actions under their states' respective unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices laws (“UDAP laws”). UDAP laws tend to broadly prohibit “deceptive” or “unconscionable” acts against consumers.

What is the Pennsylvania attorney general?

Josh Shapiro (Democratic Party)Pennsylvania / Attorney generalPennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro serves as Pennsylvania's attorney general to combat crime, uphold individual rights and protect consumers. He is the sixth person elected to the office, and was sworn in on Jan.

What power does the US Attorney General have?

The Attorney General of the United States – appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate – heads the DOJ with its more than 100,000 attorneys, special agents, and other staff. It represents the United States in federal criminal and civil litigation, and provides legal advice to the President and Cabinet.

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.

How long is an Attorney General term in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania Attorney GeneralAttorney General of the Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaTerm lengthFour yearsFormation1683Salary$162,000 per yearWebsiteattorneygeneral.gov2 more rows

Are there term limits for PA Attorney General?

He was re-elected in 1984 for his second term, expiring on Jan. 16, 1989. The state constitution limits the Attorney General to two consecutive terms. Soon after assuming office as Pennsylvania's chief legal and law- enforcement officer, Mr.

Who is Pennsylvania governor now?

Tom Wolf (Democratic Party)Pennsylvania / GovernorThomas Westerman Wolf is an American politician and businessman serving as the 47th and current governor of Pennsylvania since 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he defeated Republican incumbent Tom Corbett in the 2014 gubernatorial election and was reelected in 2018 by a margin of 17.1%. Wikipedia

What are the divisions of the Attorney General?

As of January 11, 2021, divisions within the Office of the Attorney General included: 1 Criminal Law 2 Public Protection 3 Civil Law 4 Office of Public Engagement

What is the job of the Attorney General of Pennsylvania?

He or she serves as the chief law enforcement officer of Pennsylvania and represents the state and its agencies in any action brought by or against them. The attorney general is responsible for collecting all debts, ...

How long does it take for the Pennsylvania governor to appoint a successor?

This nomination must be made to the Pennsylvania State Senate within 90 days of the vacancy. The senate must then take action (confirming or rejecting nomination) within 25 legislative days.

Who did Kelly run against in 2012?

On November 6, 2012, Kathleen Kane (D) defeated David Freed (R) and Marakay Rogers (L) in the general election.

Who was the first woman to be elected as an attorney general?

Kane was the first woman and first Democrat to be elected attorney general since it became an elected office in 1980. On November 4, 2008, Tom Corbett won re-election to the office of Pennsylvania Attorney General. He defeated John M. Morganelli (D) and Marakay J. Rogers (L) in the general election.

SCAM ALERTS

Protecting consumers and combating scams is a top priority of the Office of Attorney General. It’s important for Pennsylvanians to know what schemes are out there – so they can avoid getting scammed and help our Office protect other consumers.

EDUCATION & OUTREACH

The Office of Public Engagement offers a number of free educational programs to help school personnel, students, parents and the community empower Pennsylvanians with knowledge to keep them safe and to make good decisions.

ONLINE PROGRAMMING

We would love to joing your online classroom and give a presentation today. Here are a few examples of our available presentations.

What is the office of the Attorney General of Pennsylvania?

The Attorney General Pennsylvania is an independent office headed by the elected individual. The office is responsible for prosecuting crimes that were originally prosecuted by the state, including all acts of organized crime, public corruption and consumer protection issues.

Who is William Ryan?

William Ryan is the acting Attorney General of Pennsylvania. Ryan is a graduate of Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree, Ryan earned his J.D. from the Villanova University Law School.

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 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.

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.

What is the role of an attorney general?

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.

What is the People's Lawyer podcast?

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.

What is the role of a public advocate?

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.

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Current Officeholder

  • The current officeholder is Democrat Josh Shapiro. Shapiro won election to the position on November 8, 2016, and assumed office on January 17, 2017.
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Authority

  • The Pennsylvania Constitution addresses the office of the attorney general in Article IV. Under Article IV, Section 4:
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Qualifications

  • Article IV Section 5 of the state constitutionalso outlines the qualifications for holding the office of attorney general. 1. at least 30 years old 2. a resident of Pennsylvania for at least the previous seven years 3. a member of bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Article IV, Section 5:
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Elections

  • Pennsylvania elects the attorney general in presidential election years. The term for the office begins on the third Tuesday of January following the election. In the primary election of 1978, Pennsylvania voters approved a constitutional amendment that changed the attorney general from an appointed position to an elected position. The change was implemented in 1980 when …
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Vacancies

  • Article IV, Section 8 of the Pennsylvania Constitution grants the governor the power to appoint officers to fill vacancies. In the event of a vacancy in the office of attorney general, the governor nominates a successor. This nomination must be made to the Pennsylvania State Senatewithin 90 days of the vacancy. The senate must then take action (confirming or rejecting nomination) …
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Divisions

  • As of January 11, 2021, divisions within the Office of the Attorney General included: 1. Criminal Law 2. Public Protection 3. Civil Law 4. Office of Public Engagement
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