what does the fl attorney general do

by Eric Hyatt MD 9 min read

Who is the current Attorney General of Florida?

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 …

What is an attorneys general and what do they do?

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.

How do I become an attorney general in Florida?

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 ...

How many terms can an attorney general serve in Florida?

Oct 24, 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 the Florida Attorney General?

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 enforcing the state's antitrust laws.

What are the duties and responsibilities of the attorney general?

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.

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.

What is the difference between Attorney General and Solicitor General?

The Solicitor General of India is subordinate to the Attorney General for India. They are the second law officer of the country, assists the Attorney General, and is assisted by Additional Solicitors General for India. Currently, the Solicitor General of India is Tushar Mehta.

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.

Living former Florida attorneys general

As of August 2021, 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).

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.

Who won the Florida primary?

Ashley B. Moody defeated Frank White in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Florida on August 28, 2018.

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.

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 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 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 Dose of Reality website?

Attorney General Ashley Moody launched a new website seeking to educate Floridians about the dangers of misusing prescription painkillers and other opioids such as heroin and fentanyl.

Who released Hurricane Preparedness Guide 2021?

Attorney General Ashley Moody released the 2021 Hurricane Preparedness Guide. She urges Floridians to review the preparedness guide now and understand that planning will be different this year as Floridians continue to take measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Who is the Attorney General of Florida?

Attorney General Ashley Moody has activated Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline for all consumers statewide. The opening of the hotline comes as Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in response to COVID-19.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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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 January 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

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The current attorney general is Ashley B. Moody, a Republicanfirst elected in 2018. Before becoming attorney general, Moody was a judge for the Florida 13th Circuit Courtfrom 2007 to 2017.
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Authority

  • The office of attorney general is established in the Article IV, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution. Florida Constitution, Article IV, Section 4
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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 identity theft, drug trafficking and gang activity thr…
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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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What Is The Role of The Attorney General?

  • The Attorney General is the Head of the Justice Department and the attorney for the United States in all legal matters. They dispense legal advice to the president and the heads of other governmental agencies when requested. The Attorney General may support important cases that go to the Supreme Court of the United States if the case is deemed important in nature. The Atto…
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How Does One Become Attorney General?

  • The position of Attorney General is an appointed one, nominated by the president and confirmed by the United States Senate. 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 …
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What Are The Most Important Powers of The Attorney General?

  • The Attorney General will provide advice and guidance to the president and other high ranking officials regarding the law and how it should be implemented. This provides the Attorney General with a great deal of power, as they would have the ability to shape how laxly or punitively the law is to be applied. As the Justice Department has such wide-reaching tentacles of power in matter…
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Who Is The Current Attorney General?

  • William Barr is the current Attorney General of the United States. He replaced Jeff Sessions in 2019 after President Trump fired Sessions. 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 a…
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What Agencies Are Under 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: 1. Antitrust 2. Civil 3. Civil Rights 4. Criminal 5. Environmental and Natural Resources 6. Tax Each division is headed up by an Assistant Attorney General, and man…
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History of The Attorney General

  • The Office of the Attorney General was createdin 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. The work quickly grew, requiring the addition of multiple assistants and private attorne…
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List of Attorneys General

  1. William Barr, 2019 – Present
  2. Jeff Sessions, 2017 – 2018
  3. Loretta Lynch, 2015 – 2017
  4. Eric Holder, Jr., 2009 – 2015
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The Rantt Rundown

  • The Department of Justice, created in 1789, has grown from a part-time, one-person office to become the world’s largest law office, encompassing sixty different agencies and offices. 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 tr…
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