what does the attorney general of florida do

by Mr. Darrell Roberts 9 min read

What responsibilities does the Florida Attorney General have?

The Attorney General is the statewide elected official directed by the Florida Constitution to serve as the chief legal officer for the State of Florida. The Attorney General is responsible for protecting Florida consumers from various types of fraud and …

How to contact Florida Attorney General?

The Office of the Attorney General, Department of Legal Affairs, provides a wide variety of legal services, including defending the state in civil litigation cases, representing the people of Florida in criminal appeals in state and federal courts, operating consumers protection programs and victim service programs, prosecuting some criminal offenses, and investigating Medicaid fraud.

What is the Florida oath of attorney?

Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Back the Blue Campaign awards law enforcement officers, citizens and organizations going above and beyond to support law enforcement. Dose of Reality Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody launched a new website seeking to educate Floridians about the dangers of misusing prescription painkillers and other ...

Who is the Attorney General in Florida?

Oct 23, 2018 · "The attorney general is charged with defending the laws of the state of Florida and I will do that without regard for my own personal opinion," she said.

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What is the role of Attorney General in Florida?

The Office of the Attorney General, Department of Legal Affairs, provides a wide variety of legal services, including defending the state in civil litigation cases, representing the people of Florida in criminal appeals in state and federal courts, operating consumers protection programs and victim service programs, ...

What are the duties of the Attorney General?

The principal duties of the Attorney General are to:Represent the United States in legal matters.Supervise and direct the administration and operation of the offices, boards, divisions, and bureaus that comprise the Department.More items...•Oct 8, 2021

What power does the Attorney General have?

The NSW Attorney General is the legal advisor to the Government of NSW. The Attorney General is responsible for representing the State and may act on its behalf in all legal proceedings in which the State is a party. preserves civil liberties.

What is the purpose of the Attorney General's position in power?

The Attorney General's responsibilities include safeguarding Californians from harm and promoting community safety, preserving California's spectacular natural resources, enforcing civil rights laws, and helping victims of identity theft, mortgage-related fraud, illegal business practices, and other consumer crimes.

What is the difference between chief justice and Attorney General?

In layman terms, Chief Justice is a Judge and Attorney General is a Lawyer, both have distinct roles to play. The Attorney General of India is the highest law officer of the country and he/she is the chief legal advisor to the GoI. He is responsible to assist the government in all its legal matters.Feb 20, 2020

What is the difference between Attorney General and Governor General?

The attorney-general is usually a member of the Federal Cabinet, but need not be. Under the Constitution, they are appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister, and serve at the Governor-General's pleasure.

Who can be Attorney General?

They must be a person qualified to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court. Hence, they must have been a judge of some high court for five years or an advocate of some high court for ten years, or an eminent jurist in the opinion of the President. The 15th and current Attorney General is K. K. Venugopal.

What is a Contradictor in law?

In the normal course, courts generally have a respondent to an application by a plaintiff. In cases where there is no direct respondent, a 'contradictor' may be enlisted to counter the arguments of the applicant, often being a government agency, or a representative of a group of affected parties.Apr 13, 2018

What does the Solicitor General do in Florida?

defends the constitutional power, duties, and responsibilities of all three branches of Florida government through the Solicitor General. provides other services such as facilities management and human resources. assists state and local law enforcement in their efforts to combat organized crime.

How often does the Attorney General of Florida have to be elected?

The constitution requires the Attorney General to be elected every four years and be at least 30 years old. To qualify for election, the Attorney General must have resided in the state for the preceding seven years and have been a member of the Florida Bar for the preceding five years.

Does the Florida Election Commission enforce campaign finance laws?

Yes, the Florida Elections Commission enforces Florida's campaign finance laws. The commission is housed in the Attorney General's office for administrative purposes only. It is not subject to the control, supervision, or direction of the Attorney General.

What is the Florida Attorney General?

The Florida attorney general is an elected cabinet official in the U.S. state of Florida. The attorney general serves as the chief legal officer of the state and is head of the Florida Department of Legal Affairs. The office is one of Florida's three elected state cabinet posts, along with the chief financial officer and agriculture commissioner.

Can the Attorney General of Florida be impeached?

The Florida attorney general can be impeached for committing a "misdemeanor in office" by the State House of Representatives, and then convicted and thereby removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the State Senate .

What is the Florida Attorney General's job?

Duties. The attorney general is responsible for "protecting Florida consumers from various types of fraud," and prosecuting violations of its antitrust laws. Additionally, the office is responsible for representing the state in civil litigation and in criminal appeals.

What is the role of the Attorney General?

The attorney general is responsible for the enforcement of state consumer protection and antitrust laws as well as civil prosecution of criminal racketeering. In the area of criminal law, the attorney general represents the state when those convicted appeal their convictions, including capital murder cases. The attorney general issues formal legal ...

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

Per Article IV, Section 5 of the state constitution, the attorney general must be a qualified elector at least 30 years old and have resided in Florida for at least seven years prior to election. The attorney general is also required to have been a member of the state bar for five years.

How many years can an attorney general serve in Florida?

As one of the three members of the Florida Cabinet (alongside the chief financial officer and the commissioner of agriculture ), the attorney general is barred by the state constitution from seeking re-election after eight consecutive years in office, meaning that attorneys general may not serve more than two consecutive four-year terms .

How is the compensation of elected officials determined in Florida?

Compensation. The salaries of elected executive officials in Florida are determined by state law as mandated in the Florida Constitution. Article II, Section 5 of the state constitution states that compensation of state officers is determined by the Florida State Legislature.

How long is the term of an attorney general?

Attorneys general are elected to four-year terms in federal midterm election years (e.g. 2014, 2018, 2022, etc.) and assume office on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in the January following their election. Thus, January 4, 2011, and January 6, 2015, were inauguration days.

How long does it take for a governor to fill a vacancy in Florida?

If there are more than 28 months left remaining in the term when the vacancy occurs , the replacement appointee serves until the first Tuesday after the first Monday following the next general election.

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 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.

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 Florida Department of Financial Services?

The Florida Department of Financial Services’ is the state agency charged with regulating the state’s insurance industry. Within that Department is the Division of Consumer Services that provides public outreach and serves as a mediator in disputes between insurance companies and consumers.

What is the phone number for the Attorney General's Office of Civil Rights?

Those who feel that they are the victims of discriminatory practices should call the Attorney General’s Office of Civil Rights at (954) 712-4607. If the office is unable to sufficiently assist, a referral to the appropriate source will be offered. 19. I do not know all of the details on the products that I buy.

What is the Florida Constitution?

The Florida Constitution provides the Florida Legislature with sole authority to pass, and amend, the statutes. The Constitution provides the Attorney General with authority to investigate and prosecute violations of duly enacted statutes.

What is the Florida Department of Revenue's phone number?

The Department of Revenue’s toll-free number for child support matters is 1-800-622-5437 (1-800-622-KIDS). This information can be accessed on the web at http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/childsupport/phone.html. 9. I am having trouble with my insurance company.

What is the number to call for identity theft in Florida?

If you are a victim of this crime, you are urged to call the Attorney General’s Fraud Hotline toll free at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM, or 1-866-966-7226.

What is the phone number for the FBI?

The telephone number is 1-800-435-7352 (1-800-HELP-FLA). En Espanol (1-800-FL-AYUDA). If you believe that you are the victim of a scam or fraud, please call the Attorney General’s toll free hotline at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (or 1-866-966-7226). 3.

Can the Attorney General represent a private person in a legal dispute?

By law, the Office of the Attorney General may not represent private citizens in legal disputes. The Lawyer Referral Service may be reached at 1-800-342-8011 (FL only) or 1-800-342-8060 (National). The Florida Bar’s web site address is http://floridabar.com. 2. I have a complaint against a private business.

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.

What happens if there is no Attorney General?

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 Attorney General, they would have all of the powers of the office at hand as interim Attorney ...

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 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.

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.

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Overview

The Florida attorney general is an elected cabinet official in the U.S. state of Florida. The attorney general serves as the chief legal officer of the state and is head of the Florida Department of Legal Affairs.
The office is one of Florida's three elected state cabinet posts, along with the chief financial officer and agriculture commissioner. The current attorney gener…

Election and terms of office

As with other elected statewide offices in Florida, the attorney general is limited to serving two consecutive four-year terms.
The attorney general appoints the Florida solicitor general who serves at his or her pleasure. The current solicitor is Amit Agarwal.
The attorney general is second (behind the lieutenant governor) in the line of successionto the of…

Living former Florida attorneys general

As of March 2022, there are six living former Florida attorneys general, the oldest being James C. Smith (served 1979–1987, born 1940). The most recent attorney general to die was Robert L. Shevin on July 11, 2005 (served 1971–1979, born 1934).
• James C. Smith, 1979–1987
• Bob Butterworth, 1987–2002

See also

• Constitution of Florida
• Florida Cabinet
• Florida Democratic Party
• Republican Party of Florida

External links

• Florida Attorney General official website
• Florida Attorney General articles at ABA Journal
• News and Commentary at FindLaw
• Florida Statutes at Law.Justia.com

Current Officeholder

Authority

Qualifications

  • Per Article IV, Section 5 of the state constitution, the attorney general must be a qualified elector at least 30 years old and have resided in Floridafor at least seven years prior to election. The attorney general is also required to have been a member of the state bar for five years. Florida Constitution, Article IV, Section 5
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Elections

  • Attorneys general are elected to four-year terms in federal midterm election years (e.g. 2014, 2018, 2022, etc.) and assume office on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in the January following their election. Thus, January 4, 2011, and January 6, 2015, were inauguration days.
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Vacancies

  • The Governor of Floridafills a vacancy in any, "state, district, or county office," by appointing a replacement to serve out the remainder of the term. If there are more than 28 months left remaining in the term when the vacancy occurs, the replacement appointee serves until the first Tuesday after the first Monday following the next general election.
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Duties

  • The attorney general is responsible for "protecting Florida consumers from various types of fraud," and prosecuting violations of its antitrust laws.Additionally, the office is responsible for representing the state in civil litigation and in criminal appeals. The attorney general's office also investigates large-scale criminal activities like iden...
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Divisions

  • As of January 7, 2021, the Florida Attorney General's Office is divided into the following divisions:
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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 Florida 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 a…
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Recent News

  • The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Attorney General Florida.These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
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Contact Information

  • Address: Office of Attorney General State of Florida The Capitol PL-01 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050 Telephone Switchboard: 850-414-3300 Citizens Services: 850-414-3990 Florida Relay/TDD: 800-955-8771 Florida Toll Free: 1-866-966-7226
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