The main responsibilities of the Office of the Attorney General are defending the State of Texas and its duly elected laws by providing legal representation to the State, serving the children of Texas through the enforcement of the state's child support laws, securing justice for Texans, protecting Texans from waste, ...
What are the duties of the Texas Attorney General?
AUSTIN, Texas (CN ... him authority "to perform whatever duties the Legislature sees fit." Paxton also stressed that the Legislature can and should be trusted to delegate additional powers to the office of attorney general. “The framers of the ...
What is the job of the Texas Attorney General?
- defend the laws and the Constitution of the State of Texas
- represent the State in litigation
- approve public bond issues
How do you contact Attorney General in Texas?
- the emergency management director designated under Section 418.1015 for the political subdivision;
- the county judge or a commissioner of a county subject to the declaration; or
- the mayor of a municipality subject to the declaration.
What is legal age to move out Texas Attorney General?
Texas, as do many other states, recognizes 18 as the "age of majority," at which point residents are legally considered adults (as opposed to "minors"). But Texas legal ages laws also govern a minor's eligibility for emancipation, the legal capacity for signing a contract or consenting to medical treatment.
What are the duties of the attorney general of Texas?
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 the Texas Public Information Act.
What is the main purpose 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.
What power does the US attorney general have?
As the chief officer of the Department of Justice, the attorney general enforces federal laws, provides legal counsel in federal cases, interprets the laws that govern executive departments, heads federal jails and penal institutions, and examines alleged violations of federal laws.
Who is the attorney general of Texas?
Ken Paxton (Republican Party)Texas / Attorney generalWarren Kenneth Paxton Jr. is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the Attorney General of Texas since January 2015. Paxton has described himself as a Tea Party conservative. Paxton was re-elected to a second term as Attorney General in 2018. Wikipedia
What is Attorney General Paxton's approach to protecting the health and safety of Texasans?
Attorney General Paxton has also been aggressive in his approach to protecting the health and safety of Texans from illegal synthetic drugs. His office has filed more than a dozen lawsuits to block the sale of synthetic cannabinoids (known as Kush and Spice) in Texas.
How many employees does Attorney General Paxton have?
He was re-elected to a second term in 2018. As the state’s top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Paxton leads more than 4,000 employees in 38 divisions and 117 offices around Texas.
What did Attorney General Paxton do to the Obama Clean Power Plan?
Attorney General Paxton led a successful multistate coalition against the Obama-era Clean Power Plan, which would have increased consumer prices for electricity and weakened the power grid in Texas. Most recently, a U.S. District Court agreed with his 20-state coalition lawsuit holding Obamacare unconstitutional.
How much money did the Texas Department of Revenue collect in 2020?
In fiscal year 2020, the division collected more than $4.8 billion for Texas families – an unprecedented amount in one year by any state. This success helped Texas taxpayers avoid over $1 billion in additional public assistance costs. Attorney General Paxton is focused on protecting Texans and upholding Texas laws and the Constitution.
What is the role of the Attorney General?
The attorney general is charged by the state constitution to represent the state in civil litigation and approve public bond issues. There are nearly 2,000 references to the Office of the Attorney General in state laws.
How long is the term of the Texas Attorney General?
The attorney general is elected to a four-year term. In 2013, former Attorney General Greg Abbott announced he would not seek reelection and would run for governor. In November 2014, he was elected as the governor of Texas. Ken Paxton defeated former House Representative Dan Branch in the Republican primary by a 26% margin ...
What building houses the Attorney General's office?
The William P. Clements State Office Building houses the Attorney General offices. The Office of the Attorney General was first established by executive ordinance of the Republic of Texas government in 1836.
What is the law enforcement division in Texas?
In addition, the Law Enforcement Division is the state of Texas liaison to Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The office is also charged with proceedings to secure child support through its Child Support Division.
Who is the 50th attorney general of Texas?
Ken Paxton defeated former House Representative Dan Branch in the Republican primary by a 26% margin and was elected easily in the general election as the 50th attorney general of Texas, (there is a historical dispute whether he is the 50th or 51st attorney general). Paxton was sworn in on January 5, 2015, in the Senate Chamber in the Texas Capitol.
Does the Texas Constitution give the Attorney General powers?
The Texas Constitution gives the attorney general no general law-enforcement powers; instead it limits the attorney general's authority in criminal cases to that dictated by statute. The Texas Legislature has not given the attorney general broad law-enforcement authority, but permits the attorney general to act in criminal cases "at ...
What is the Attorney General of Texas?
14 Footnotes. The Attorney General of Texas is the chief lawyer and legal officer for the state of Texas. According to the Texas Constitution, the attorney general defends the laws and the constitution of the state of Texas, represents the state in litigation, and approves public bond issues.
What is the Texas Statutes of the Attorney General?
See statutes: Texas Statutes Title 6, Chapter 659. The attorney general, along with the rest of Texas' executive officers, is entitled by Article 4, Section 23 of the Texas Constitution to receive an annual salary, pursuant to Title 6, Section 659.011 of the Texas Statutes.
Who won the 2010 Texas election?
To view the electoral history dating back to 2002 for the office of Texas Attorney General, Click to expand the section. On November 2, 2010, Greg Abbott won re-election to the office of Texas Attorney General. He defeated Barbara Ann Radnofsky (D) and Jon Roland (L) in the general election.
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.
Who maintains the oversight of state agencies in Texas?
Many agencies have ombudsmen or complaint resolution procedures available to Texans. Ultimate oversight of state agencies is maintained by the Texas Legislature, which establishes agency mandates and approves agency budgets.
How to contact the Texas State Law Library?
The Library, which houses all state and federal codes and statutes, can be reached at (512) 463-1722 or on the Web at www.sll.state.tx.us. I’m having trouble with my utility.
What to do if you disagree with Texas appraisal?
If you disagree with the tax rate, make your views known to the appropriate taxing authority (city, county, school district or other). If you want to complain about the actions of an appraiser, contact the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board at (512) 465-3950 or on the Web at www.talcb.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) ...
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.
How to contact the state bar?
The State Bar offers a Lawyer Referral Service at (800) 252-9690. If you cannot afford an attorney, you might be able to find assistance at a clinic sponsored by a nearby law school. I’m the victim of a violent crime in Texas.
What is the Texas Attorney General?
What is the Attorney General Texas? The Texas Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the state of Texas. The Office of the Attorney General Texas was first established through executive ordinance of the state’s government in 1836. Under the state’s constitution, in 1845, the Texas Attorney General was appointed by the governor; however, ...
How to contact the TX Attorney General?
The Consumer Protection hotline of the TX Attorney General Office may be reached via telephone at 800-621-0508. Furthermore, the Child Support State Office may be reached via phone at 512-460-6000.
What does the Attorney General do in Texas?
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 ...
How many references to the Attorney General are there in Texas?
Texas statutes contain nearly 2000 references to the Attorney General. In addition to its constitutionally prescribed duties, the Office of the Attorney General files civil suits upon referral by other state agencies.
Who protects the rights of all citizens of Texas?
Although the Attorney General is prohibited from offering legal advice or representing private individuals, he serves and protects the rights of all citizens of Texas through the activities of the various divisions of the agencies.
Who has jurisdiction to prosecute a violation of the law?
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 the request of a local prosecutor.
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.
Candidates and election results
The primary will occur on March 1, 2022. The general election will occur on November 8, 2022. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
March 1 Democratic primary
Ballotpedia identified the March 1, 2022, Democratic primary as a battleground primary. For more on the Republican primary, click here. For more on the Democratic primary, click here.
March 1 Republican primary
Ballotpedia identified the March 1, 2022, Republican primary as a battleground primary. For more on the Republican primary, click here. For more on the Democratic primary, click here.
Past elections
Incumbent Ken Paxton defeated Justin Nelson and Michael Ray Harris in the general election for Attorney General of Texas on November 6, 2018.
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 opinio...
Overview
The Texas attorney general is the chief legal officer of the U.S. state of Texas. The current officeholder, Republican Ken Paxton, has served in the position since January 5, 2015.
The office is housed at the William P. Clements State Office Building in Downtown Austin.
History
The Office of the Attorney General was first established by executive ordinance of the Republic of Texas government in 1836. The attorneys general of the Republic of Texas and the first four attorneys general under the 1845 state constitution were appointed by the governor. The office was made elective in 1850 by constitutional amendment.
Duties and responsibilities
The attorney general is charged by the state constitution to represent the state in civil litigation and approve public bond issues. There are nearly 2,000 references to the Office of the Attorney General in state laws.
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 an…
Political prominence
Many leading political figures in Texas history have served as attorney general, several of them using the office as a jumping-off place to other offices in the state and national government. Attorneys general James S. Hogg, Charles A. Culberson, Dan Moody, James V. Allred, Price Daniel, Mark White, and Greg Abbott were elected governor. Culberson, Daniel, and John Cornyn were later elected to the United States Senate.
Notes
1. First elected attorney general (AG) of state of Texas; previously elected AG of the Republic of Texas
2. Resigned
3. Appointed
External links
• Texas Attorney General official website
• Texas Attorney General articles at ABA Journal
• News and Commentary at FindLaw
• U.S. Supreme Court Opinions – "Cases with title containing: State of Texas" at FindLaw
Current Officeholder
Qualifications
- According to the Texas Secretary of State, state law says that no person shall be eligible for to run for the office of attorney general unless they are: 1. at least 18 years of age 2. a citizen of the United States 3. a resident of Texas for at least 12 months
Vacancies
- Article 4, Section 12 (a) of the Texas Constitutionstates: "All vacancies in State or district offices, except members of the Legislature, shall be filled unless otherwise provided by law by appointment of the Governor."
Elections
- Article 4, Section 2 of the Texas Constitution states: "All the above officers of the Executive Department (except Secretary of State) shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State at the time and places of election for members of the Legislature." The attorney general is elected to serve for a four-year term. There is no term limitfor this office.
Divisions
- As of January 11, 2021, divisions within the Attorney General's Office included: 1. General Counsel 2. Opinion Committee 3. Solicitor General 4. Open Records 5. Civil Litigation 6. Child Support 7. Criminal Justice 8. Law Enforcement 9. Crime Victim Services and Victims Assistance Grants 10. Colonias 11. Administrative Functions
Historical Officeholders
- Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Attorney General of Texas has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional infor…
Recent News
- The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Texas Attorney General.These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
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