what does the colorado attorney general do

by Jade Senger 9 min read

Who is the Attorney General of the state of Colorado?

The Attorney General and the Department of Law, collectively referred to as the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, represents and defends the legal interests of the people of the State of Colorado and its sovereignty. The Attorney General exercises the responsibilities given to the office by the Colorado Constitution, statutes enacted by the Colorado General Assembly, and …

What is an attorneys general and what do they do?

The Attorney General and the Department of Law, collectively referred to as the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, represents and defends the legal interests of the people of the State of Colorado and its sovereignty. The Attorney General exercises the responsibilities given to the office by the Colorado Constitution, statutes enacted by the Colorado General Assembly, and …

What does the Colorado Department of law do for the community?

Jun 19, 2017 · The Attorney General Protects Our Natural Resources As your next Attorney General, I will continue Colorado’s leadership on protecting our land, air, and water. I will also reject U.S. EPA head Scott Pruitt’s denial of climate change and agenda to undermine U.S. international leadership to protect our planet.

What are the duties of a state attorney?

Sep 23, 2017 · Watch the video, below: Phil Weiser, candidate for Colorado Attorney General, describes what the Attorney General does, and, why it is important for all Coloradans. Transcription: Hi. My name is Phil Weiser, and I’m running to be Colorado’s next Attorney General. On the campaign trail, the question I get more than any other question is: what does the …

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What does an attorney general do?

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?

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.

Who reports to the U.S. attorney general?

President of the United StatesUnited States Attorney GeneralMember ofCabinet National Security CouncilReports toPresident of the United StatesSeatRobert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building Washington, D.C.AppointerPresident of the United States with United States Senate advice and consent13 more rows

How does attorney general influence executive branch?

The Attorney General is the head of the DOJ and chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters, advises the President and the heads of the executive departments of the government, and occasionally appears in person before the Supreme Court.

Who is the Colorado Attorney General?

The incumbent Colorado Attorney General is Democrat Phil Weiser, who was elected in November 2018 to a four-year term that began on January 8, 2019.

When was Colorado admitted to the Union?

1869–1873. From 1873 to 1877 the Attorney General position was filled by the U.S. Attorney due to lack of funding by the territorial government. In 1876 Colorado was admitted to the Union as a State. Attorney General of the State of Colorado. Political party.

What is the role of the Attorney General?

The Attorney General has primary authority for enforcement of consumer protection and antitrust laws, prosecution of criminal appeals and some complex white-collar crimes, the Statewide Grand Jury, training and certification of peace officers, and most natural resource and environmental matters.

What is the Colorado Department of Law?

The Colorado Department of Law (DOL) advances respect for the law and the public interest, and provides independent, ethical, quality, and professional legal services to the State of Colorado for the benefit of the public and in the interest of justice .

How many terms can an attorney general serve in Colorado?

Per the Colorado Term Limits Amendment, Issue 5 (1990), attorneys general, like all statewide constitutional officers, are limited to two consecutive terms in office. Former officeholders may run again after one term out of office. Serving more than one half of a term as an appointed replacement as attorney general counts as a full term.

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

The attorney general must be at least 25 years old and an attorney in good standing licensed by the Colorado Supreme Court. Additionally, he must be a citizen of the United States and have been a Colorado resident for at least two years prior to election.

What happens when the Colorado Attorney General becomes vacant?

If the office of attorney general becomes vacant, the governor appoints a replacement with the consent of the Colorado State Senate. The replacement serves until the next election. If the vacancy occurs while the state senate is out of session, the appointee serves until it can meet.

How are executive salaries determined in Colorado?

The salaries of all elected executives in Colorado are determined by state law as mandated by the Colorado Constitution. Article IV, Section 19 of the state constitution notes that legislators cannot decrease state executive salaries during their current terms in office.

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 role of the Attorney General?

Attorneys throughout the country, the Attorney General may provide guidance interpreting the law to assist in prosecuting or defending the United States in legal proceedings. The Attorney General also oversees the federal prison system and all of the systems that pertain to it.

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.

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.

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.

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 Marissa Jordan?

Marissa Jordan is an accountant and freelance writer interested in current events, economics, and science. Formerly, she wrote for technical blogs on specialized software. When not writing or accounting, she likes spending time with family, reading, and trivia.

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Current Officeholder

  • The current attorney general is Phil Weiser, a Democrat who was first elected in 2018. Weiser was sworn for a four-year term as attorney general January 8, 2019.
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Authority

  • The state constitution establishes the office of attorney general in Article IV, the Executive Department. Colorado Constitution, Article IV, Section 1
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Qualifications

  • The attorney general must be at least 25 years old and an attorney in good standing licensed by the Colorado Supreme Court. Additionally, he must be a citizen of the United States and have been a Colorado resident for at least two years prior to election. Colorado Constitution, Article IV, Section 4
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Elections

  • Attorneys general are elected to four-year terms during federal midterm election years (2018, 2022, 2026, etc.). The candidate that earns a plurality of the votes is the winner, and, per Article IV, Section 1 of the state constitution, he assumes office on the second Tuesday of January in the year following his election. Colorado Constitution, Article IV, Section 1
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Vacancies

  • If the office of attorney general becomes vacant, the governor appoints a replacement with the consent of the Colorado State Senate. The replacement serves until the next election. If the vacancy occurs while the state senateis out of session, the appointee serves until it can meet. Colorado Constitution, Article IV, Section 6
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Duties

  • The Colorado Attorney General serves as the state government's legal counsel and advisor. As head of the Colorado Department of Law, the attorney general's statutory duties include, "enforcing the criminal laws of the state in cooperation with district attorneys, and "[representing] and [defending] the legal interests of the people of the State of Colorado." According to the offic…
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Divisions

  • As of January 12, 2021, the Colorado Attorney General's Office is composed of the following divisions: 1. Administration 2. Business & Licensing 3. Civil Litigation & Employment Law 4. Consumer Protection 5. Criminal Appeals 6. Criminal Justice 7. Natural Resources & Environment 8. Office of Community Engagement 9. Revenue & Utilities 10. State Services
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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 Colorado 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 Colorado.These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
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Contact Information

  • Address:Colorado Attorney General 1525 Sherman Street, 7th Floor Denver, CO 80203 Phone: 303-866-4500 Fax: 303-866-5691 E-mail: [email protected]
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