Missouri Attorney General. The Office of the Missouri Attorney General was created in 1806 when Missouri was part of the Louisiana Territory. Missouri's first Constitution in 1820 provided for an appointed Attorney General, but since the 1865 Constitution, the Attorney General has been elected.
In 16 states, the office of Attorney General is subject to term limits. Most states with term limits specify that an office-holder may serve two consecutive terms. Most states do not specify that the two terms are an absolute limit, so that a former Attorney General may usually run again after a time, usually unspecified, out of office.
Each year, attorneys in the Criminal Division brief and argue more than 700 cases in the Missouri Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Missouri. Division attorneys also assist with extraditions to and from Missouri of those charged in criminal cases.
According to the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), state constitutions establish the Office of the Attorney General in 44 states and the selection method and term length in 42 states. Constitutions in 23 states set specific qualifications for office, the most common being minimum age and residency requirements.
As of January 2021, there have been 43 attorneys general in Missouri. Eric S. Schmitt was appointed to become the 43rd Attorney General in January 2019 filling the mid-term vacancy created by Josh Hawley 's election to the United States Senate.
Offices of the Attorney General are located throughout the state of Missouri with the main office being in the Supreme Court building in Jefferson City .
The attorney general also renders official opinions to the executive and legislative branch and the county prosecuting attorneys on questions of law relating to their duties. The attorney general may institute quo warranto proceedings against anyone unlawfully holding office or move to oust any public official for malfeasance in office.
Legal battles over the Missouri River often pit Missouri against states that are upstream (specifically North Dakota and South Dakota) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Missouri's consumer protection statutes prohibit deception, fraud, unfair practices and misrepresentation or concealment of material facts in the sale or advertisement of goods or services. These laws authorize the attorney general to take action against such fraud and ensure that consumers' rights are protected.
The Missouri Attorney General was the first Attorney General in the United States to blog. That blog is a consumer education blog published by members of the Consumer Protection division and is part of a larger consumer education effort that includes a consumer encyclopedia, online calculators, quizzes and worksheets .
Under the Missouri Antitrust Law, the attorney general has the authority to represent the state or any of its political subdivisions, public agencies, school districts or municipalities in actions to prohibit monopolies and trade restraints.
The attorney general renders official opinions to the General Assembly, the governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, the heads of the various state departments and the circuit or prosecuting attorneys on questions of law relating to their duties.
In order to fulfill these and other responsibilities, the attorney general has organized his office into eight divisions: Litigation, Consumer Protection, Governmental Affairs, Environmental Protection, Criminal Appeals, Governmental and Financial Entities, Labor, and Public Safety.
Missouri’s first constitution (1820) provided for an appointed attorney general. Since the 1865 constitution, the attorney general has been elected. The attorney general is the attorney for the state.
The Attorney General is elected by Missouri voters, serves a four-year term , and is not subject to constitutional term limits.
In addition, the Office handles all appeals statewide from felony convictions. The Attorney General’s Office brings and defends lawsuits on behalf of the State and prepares formal legal opinions requested by State officers, legislators, or county attorneys on issues of law.
Mission Statement. To protect and advance the interests of the state and its citizens through the judicial and legislative process and to serve as the People’s lawyer, fighting for openness and justice, especially for those who have no voice.
Governmental Affairs. The Criminal Division includes: Public Safety. Criminal Appeals. Medicaid Fraud. The Office also includes an Office of Solicitor General, who represents the interests of the state in appellate and national matters.
According to the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), state constitutions establish the Office of the Attorney General in 44 states and the selection method and term length in 42 states.
The most common qualifications address minimum age, citizenship, residency, electoral status, and bar admission. Others prohibit the attorney general from holding multiple offices.
Must be an attorney in good standing to practice law in the state and engaged in active practice for at least five years before election
Must be a practicing lawyer for at least eight years before election
Must be an active-status member of the Georgia State Bar for seven years
The Office of the Missouri Attorney General was created in 1806 when Missouri was part of the Louisiana Territory. Missouri's first Constitution in 1820 provided for an appointed attorney general, but since the 1865 Constitution, the Attorney General has been elected. As of January 2021, there have been 43 attorneys general in Missouri. Eric S. Schmitt was appointed to become the 43rd Attorne…
The Missouri Attorney General is the attorney for the state, representing the legal interests of Missouri and its state agencies.
As the state's chief legal officer, the attorney general must prosecute or defend all appeals to which the state is a party, including every felony criminal case appealed to the Supreme Court of Missouri and Missouri Court of Appeals. The attorney general also is required to institute, in the n…
The mission of the Agriculture and Environment Division is to "protect Missouri's natural resources and agricultural productivity."
Attorneys shall take legal action to stop pollution of the state's air, water and soil and penalize polluters through fines, penalties and, in the most serious cases, incarceration.
The attorney general has taken action in recent years to protect the state's interests in manage…
• Attorney general
• List of attorneys general of Missouri
• Jay Nixon (1993–2009) – longest serving at 16 years, Governor of Missouri
• John Ashcroft (1977–1985) – Attorney General of the United States, United States Senator, Governor of Missouri
• John Danforth (1969–1977) – United States Ambassador to the United Nations, United States Senator
• Missouri Attorney General articles at ABA Journal
• News and Commentary at FindLaw
• Missouri Revised Statutes at Law.Justia.com
• U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Missouri" at FindLaw