what does the florida office of the attorney general do?

by Prof. Freddy Littel Sr. 8 min read

Who is the Florida Attorney General and what does he do?

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 many terms can an attorney general serve in Florida?

The 15-member Council, chaired by Attorney General Moody, builds on existing state and local partnerships working to combat human trafficking Scams At A Glance Savvy consumers can stop fraud in its tracks. By knowing consumer tips to avoid falling victim to emerging scams, you can help us build a Stronger, Safer Florida. Consumer Alert

Who is the Chief Legal Officer of the state of Florida?

Division of Administrative Services assists the Attorney General in administering the agency, including budget, finance, and accounting activities, and provides other services such as facilities management and human resources. Statewide Prosecution investigates and prosecutes multi-circuit crime, and

What does the Florida Office of Inspector General do?

27 rows · The Attorney General serves as the attorney for the State of Florida and as a member of the Florida Cabinet. Working for the Office of the Attorney General affords staff an opportunity to serve the community and citizens of Florida in areas of criminal appeals, civil litigation, consumer protection, Medicaid fraud and victims and civil rights.

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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 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 does the office of the state attorney do?

The functions of the State Attorney is as follows: The drafting and managing of contracts on behalf of the State. The handling of criminal and civil litigation cases instituted against State officials and committed by means of acts or omissions while executing their official duties.

Does Florida have an Attorney General?

Incumbent The office is one of Florida's three elected state cabinet posts, along with the chief financial officer and agriculture commissioner. The current attorney general is Republican Ashley Moody, who took office on January 8, 2019.

What is the authority of the US 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.

Who is the state attorney of Florida?

Ashley Moody (Republican Party)Florida / Attorney generalAshley Brooke Moody is an American attorney and politician serving as the Florida attorney general since January 2019. Wikipedia

Who is above the district attorney?

In practice, district attorneys, who prosecute the bulk of criminal cases in the United States, answer to no one. The state attorney general is the highest law enforcement officer in state government and often has the power to review complaints about unethical and illegal conduct on the part of district attorneys.

What is the difference between advocate and attorney?

An advocate is a specialist attorney who represents clients in a court of law. Unlike an attorney an advocate does not deal directly with the client – the attorney will refer the client to an advocate when the situation requires it. Advocates can also appear in the higher courts on behalf of a client.

What is one of the major aims of the Legal Practice Act?

The Act makes provision for a legal services ombudsman to be established. The mandate will be to protect and promote the public interest in relation to the rendering of legal services and to ensure the fair, efficient and effective investigation of complaints against allegations of misconduct by legal practitioners.

How much does the attorney general of Florida make?

State executive salariesOffice and current officialSalaryAttorney General of Florida Ashley B. MoodyFlorida Secretary of State Laurel LeeFlorida Commissioner of Insurance Regulation David Altmaier$133,158Florida Public Service Commission Gary Clark$131,0368 more rows

How do I file a complaint with the Florida attorney general?

Citizens with general inquiries, or who want to file a consumer complaint, should contact the Office of Citizens Services by calling (866) 966-7226, (850) 414-3990 or filing out an online form here.

How many Florida State attorneys are there?

20 State AttorneysThere are 20 State Attorneys in the State of Florida representing 20 judicial circuits. For more information about each of the circuits, visit Florida's State Attorneys.

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 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 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 are executive salaries determined in Florida?

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.

Be A Florida Hero

Attorney General Ashley Moody launched a nationwide law enforcement recruitment initiative to encourage job seekers to pursue law enforcement careers in Florida. BeAFloridaHero.com is the first-of-its-kind, one-stop shop for anyone seeking to protect and serve.

Scams at a Glance: Cryptocurrency Scams

Attorney General Moody has released a new resource to help Floridians avoid falling victim to cryptocurrency scams. Scams at a Glance: Cryptocurrency Scams provides information about cryptocurrency as well as the different types of scams to watch out for.

Hearts 4 Heroes Challenge

This February, to show appreciation for law enforcement, Attorney General Moody is challenging Floridians through social media to show their love for law enforcement.

Historic Opioid Litigation

Attorney General Moody has secured billions in nationwide, historic settlement agreements, through aggressive litigation and negotiation efforts to hold major corporations responsible for distributing, manufacturing and marketing deadly opioids fueling the deadly epidemic.

Senior Protection Team

Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Senior Protection Team is an intra-agency group of attorneys and investigators dedicated to stopping senior fraud and abuse.

Back the Blue

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 opioids such as heroin and fentanyl.

Who is the Attorney General of Florida?

The current Attorney General is Ashley Moody. The Florida Constitution designates the Attorney General as the chief state legal officer. The constitution requires the Attorney General to be elected every four years and be at least 30 years old.

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.

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 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 purpose of the Office of Inspector General?

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) mission is to promote accountability, integrity and efficiency for the citizens of Florida by providing objective, timely audit and investigative services. The OIG conducts independent and objective audits, investigations as well as review of agency issues and programs to assist the department in accomplishing its mission.

Where to file a complaint in Florida?

Departments Other than the Department of State: For complaints that involve matters not under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of State, complainants should file with the Office of Inspector General for the agency or department which has jurisdiction over the complaint.

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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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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 May 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