what does the illinois state attorney do

Based in Chicago and Springfield, Illinois, the Attorney General is responsible for providing legal counsel for the various state agencies including the Governor of Illinois and Illinois General Assembly

, and conducting all legal affairs pertaining to the state.

Full Answer

What is the role of the Illinois Attorney General?

The Attorney General is the state’s chief legal officer and is responsible for protecting the public interest of the state and its people. The job of the Attorney General is to: Advocate on behalf of all of the people of Illinois; Work with members of the General Assembly for new laws; Represent state government in litigation; and . Litigate to ensure state and federal laws are followed and …

Where is the Illinois State Attorney's office in Chicago?

Mission. The State's Attorney Office works to uphold public safety through the fair and efficient administration of justice. Assistant State’s Attorneys and support staff vigorously prosecute crimes committed in the County and provide extensive services to victims and witnesses. The office also represents the County in civil proceedings.

What does a state's attorney do?

Nov 19, 2018 · What does an attorney general do? The attorney general is the chief legal officer of the state. The attorney general’s office describes its role as follows 1: 1. Advocating for the people of Illinois. 2. Working with members of the General Assembly to push for new legislation. 3. Litigating in court

How do I contact the Illinois State Attorney General?

How a State's Attorney Works. A State's Attorney, along with a phalanx of Assistant State's Attorneys, prosecutes criminal and civil cases for the people. Prosecuting attorneys are the voice of the people in America's courtrooms, enforcing the law and representing the duly elected government at all levels. A State's Attorney is the most common term for a prosecutor, …

What does Illinois state's attorney do?

The states' attorney has the exclusive and statutory responsibility for prosecuting violations of the criminal law of the State of Illinois, as well as many other regulatory laws of the state and county including traffic regulation, juvenile court matters and mental health hearing.

What is the role of the Cook County state's attorney?

Prosecuting all misdemeanor and felony crimes committed in Cook County. ... Serving as legal counsel for Cook County government, its officeholders and employees. Handling cases involving juveniles and civil actions against parents and guardians who abuse or neglect their children.

What is a county state's attorney?

State's Attorneys serve as legal counsel and advisor to the county. They represent the state in criminal cases acting as prosecutor.

Who is the state lawyer in Illinois?

Kwame RaoulIllinois Attorney GeneralAttorney General of IllinoisIncumbent Kwame Raoul since January 14, 2019Term length4 yearsInaugural holderDaniel Pope CookFormationDecember 3, 18183 more rows

How much does the Cook County state's attorney make?

The average Cook County State's Attorney salary ranges from approximately $81,598 per year for an Attorney to $119,600 per year for an Assistant State's Attorney.

Why would a state attorney call me?

The DA is required to call you under the Victim Bill of Rights because this is a domestic violence case. They could get in trouble if they did not do so. They have to send you a victim impact statement, get your position on the case, find out...May 15, 2012

Will County Illinois State's attorney?

James W. GlasgowWill County State's Attorney James W. Glasgow has a long and distinguished career during which he has implemented groundbreaking initiatives to investigate, prosecute and prevent crime.

Why must the county attorney represent the state in county jurisdiction?

The county attorney represents the state in the justice of the peace and county courts, defends suits in which the county is interested, and serves as legal advisor to county and precinct officials. If the county has no district attorney, the county attorney also represents the state in district courts.

Why are district attorneys so powerful?

Power to Negotiate Plea Deals The DA has immense power in influencing an individual's decision to enter into a plea deal or to take their case to trial. More than 90 percent of all criminal cases end in a plea deal. The district attorney has the power to offer a sentence to the individual charged with a crime.

Who is the attorney for the state of Illinois and the people of Illinois?

Attorney General Kwame RaoulAttorney General Kwame Raoul (Democrat) was sworn in as the 42nd Attorney General of Illinois in January 2019. Born in Chicago to Haitian immigrants, Raoul brings a lifetime of legal and policy experience, advocacy and public service to the Office of the Attorney General.

Protecting Consumers

Protecting consumers and businesses that have been victimized by fraud, deception or unfair competition is one of the primary functions of the Attorney General. The office receives approximately 25,000 consumer complaints each year, most commonly concerning motor vehicles and home repair.

Advocating for Women

The Attorney General advocates for an end to domestic violence and sexual assault, offers numerous services to victims of violent crime, and awards grants to domestic violence and sexual assault service providers throughout Illinois.

Keeping Communities Safe

The Attorney General works with law enforcement agencies at the state and local level to keep families and children safe in their communities from dangers ranging from sex offenders to methamphetamine.

Advocating for Older Citizens

The Attorney General works to protect the rights and safety of Illinois' older citizens, who are often targeted by scam artists and abusers. The office is equipped to respond to the special needs of older citizens, including those related to consumer fraud, abuse and neglect, financial exploitation, veterans' rights and health care concerns.

Safeguarding Children

Keeping children safe and healthy is a priority of the Attorney General. The office works on many fronts to reduce sexual assault, advocate for after school and community safety programs, and educate children and parents on various safety issues, including Internet safety and teen dating violence.

Defending Your Rights

Attorney General Raoul is committed to defending the rights of all the people of Illinois. Bureaus within the office are dedicated to specifically protecting civil, labor and employment, disability and veterans rights.

Communications, Community Engagement and Outreach

The Attorney General works closely with community leaders and organizations to provide information and resources to residents across the state. Through the work of the Communications and Community Engagement Bureau, our staff are available to address audiences on topics ranging from consumer fraud to crime victim’s assistance.

What is the Criminal Prosecutions Bureau?

The Criminal Prosecutions Bureau is divided into several divisions including Felony Trial, Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, Municipal, Traffic, Conviction Integrity, Community Justice as well as the nationally recognized Victim Witness Assistance Unit that provides specialized services to victims of crime and their families

What is the Narcotics Bureau?

The Narcotics Bureau handles tens of thousands of cases each year and focuses most of its efforts on long-term investigations that target major dealers operating often with violent street gangs. The bureau seeks treatment programs, such as a successful Drug School, for low-level users.

What is the administrative services bureau?

The Administrative Services Bureau, which consists of all office support personnel, handles all administrative tasks of the State's Attorney's Office. This includes providing administrative support in the form of data entry, administrative assistants, clerks, receptionists, mailroom/supply clerks, warehouse facility clerks, law librarians, ...

What is the Open Meetings Act?

Open Meetings Act. The methamphetamine crisis. When necessary, the attorney general’s office also works with state and local law enforcement agencies on investigating these issues. 1 Illinois Attorney General’s Office, About the Office of the Attorney General. Back to table of contents ⤴.

Is Kwame Raoul a Democrat?

Following the November 2018 election, Kwame Raoul is the attorney general-elect of Illinois. Like Madigan, he is a Democrat. He will assume office on January 14, 2019. Back to table of contents ⤴.

What does "defending" mean in the law?

3. To defend any state officer acting in his or her official capacity in a proceeding or acting brought against them. The attorney general does not have a duty to represent a state officer who was acting in his or her personal capacity.

What is the office of the Attorney General?

The attorney general’s office generally focuses on crimes in which the state itself a victim or a defendant or in which a state officer acting in his or her official capacity is the defendant. 1. There are situations in which both the attorney general and the state's attorney have jurisdiction over a case.

What is a prosecutor?

A State's Attorney is the most common term for a prosecutor, someone who represents the people in criminal and civil legal matters. But while the most iconic image of a State's Attorney is ...

How are state attorneys elected?

In general, State's Attorneys are elected by the people they represent. Their duties are spelled out in the laws of the local governments they represent, and they're held accountable by the voters for how well they do their jobs and how well their performance matches up with the local politics of the area. But a State's Attorney hardly ever does ...

What is the job of a criminal prosecutor?

Criminal prosecutions are the chief duty of most State's Attorney offices. In many states, such as Michigan, criminal prosecutions follow a predetermined series of steps [source: Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan ]. First, police file a warrant or charging request with the State's Attorney following an investigation.

How do police arrest a suspect?

First, police file a warrant or charging request with the State's Attorney following an investigation. Attorneys review the request and may decide to issue a warrant, which allows the police to arrest the suspect. An arraignment in court follows, at which the suspect is formally charged with a crime and enters a plea.

What is an arraignment in court?

An arraignment in court follows, at which the suspect is formally charged with a crime and enters a plea. Depending on the type and severity of a crime, there can be several pretrial hearings. At some point during these hearings, a plea bargain may be offered to induce the suspect to enter a guilty plea. Advertisement.

How many judicial districts does the US have?

One U.S. Attorney is assigned to each of 93 federal judicial districts around the country and is the top law enforcement official for the federal government in those districts. From there, the attorney will prosecute criminal cases, represent the federal government and collect debts owed to the federal government.

What happens before a trial?

Before a trial takes place, the process of discovery takes place, at which the State's Attorney and the defense attorney share information they intend to introduce as evidence at trial.

What does a state attorney do?

1 The state’s attorney represents the state and prosecutes all legal actions and lawsuits in which the state may be involved.

Can a felony be a misdemeanor?

However, if the state’s attorney’s office declines to prosecute or rejects the felony charges brought by the police, the police can still file misdemeanor charges.

What happens if a grand jury finds probable cause?

If a grand jury or judge finds probable cause that a suspect committed a crime, an arrest warrant may be issued.

What is the job of an attorney general?

The attorney general is the chief legal representative for the state and serves as general counsel for most of the state’s government agencies. Each state’s attorney general manages all legal representation of the state in civil and criminal matters on a state and federal level. Most attorneys general manage specific assistance programs ...

Who is responsible for enforcing the law?

The State's Attorney General is the head of the state's legal office and is responsible for enforcing the law. A state’s attorney general is responsible for enforcing the law in the state where he or she was elected. The attorney general is the chief legal representative for the state and serves as general counsel for most ...

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.