What are the Professional Requirements for Becoming a Lawyer?
U.S. attorney generals should be elected, not appointed. That would instill more independence for the nation’s top law enforcer without being politically beholden to a chief executive. If there is any office that necessitates neutrality, it is the attorney general. Attorney generals are elected in 45 state systems across the country.
Attorney General Chris Carr says his job is to uphold the laws of the state of Georgia. “We’re the lawyers for the executive branch state of the state government,” explained Carr on Friday’s edition of “Closer Look.” Carr further explained to ...
Each state's attorney general is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the laws, as well as the ability to pass new legislation. The state attorney general also has the higher purpose of protecting the people of the state and their interests. Attorney general duties include providing consumer ...
Or if they are appointed to the job, they need an outstanding bio in order to be noticed for the appointment. The job of state attorney general isn't like jobs in private business, where employees receive performance reviews that may lead to a salary raise.
The attorney general of each state also attends meetings where all the state attorneys convene, such as those of the National Association of Attorneys General, usually two to three times each year. They discuss issues relevant to all the attorneys general and listen to speakers talk about selected topics. AGs may also serve as officers of this and other legal organizations and on various committees established to accomplish specific goals.
The attorney general of each state also attends meetings where all the state attorneys convene, such as those of the National Association of Attorneys General, usually two to three times each year. They discuss issues relevant to all the attorneys general and listen to speakers talk about selected topics.
Then, prospective lawyers take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and apply to law schools. Finishing law school generally takes three years. Some states have minimum age requirements for their AGs, while others do not.
Many states set limits on how many years their AG can serve, with the norm being a maximum of eight years. Only Virginia does not set a limit on how long their AG can serve.
Some states have minimum age requirements for their AGs, while others do not. In 43 states, the AG is elected by popular vote. In the other seven states, the AG is appointed by the state government.
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.
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.
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.
The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states, of the federal district, or of any of the territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer. In some states, the attorney general serves as the head of a state department of justice, with responsibilities similar to those of the United States Department of Justice .
Elected attorneys general serve a four-year term, except in Vermont, where the term is two years. Seven states do not popularly elect an attorney general. In Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming, the attorney general is a gubernatorial appointee. The attorney general in Tennessee is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court ...
Many states have passed term limits limiting the selection to 2 consecutive terms (9 states); 2 terms maximum (4 states), but 33 states still have no term limits.
The principles of individual liberty, limited government, economic freedom, and personal responsibility guide the work of the Office of Attorney General.
The Attorney General Ken Paxton is the State of Texas’s chief legal officer. As provided by the Texas Constitution and statutes, the main responsibilities of the Office of Attorney General are:
Although the Attorney General is prohibited from offering legal advice or representing private individuals, he serves and protects the rights of all citizens of Texas through the activities of the various divisions of the agencies.
In some circumstances, the Attorney General has original jurisdiction to prosecute violations of the law, but in most cases, ...
The Attorney General protects the taxpayers as well, by providing legal representation to state government agencies, departments and commissions, and by investigating and cracking down on Medicaid fraud. The Attorney General also oversees the North Carolina Justice Academy and the North Carolina State Crime Lab.
Josh Stein was sworn in as North Carolina’s 50 th Attorney General on January 1, 2017. The Attorney General is elected by the people of North Carolina every four years as the state’s top law enforcement officer and top lawyer. Attorney General Stein is focused on protecting North Carolina families from crime and consumer fraud. Attorney General Stein has also made combating the opioid crisis as a top priority.
Attorney General Stein has also made combating the opioid crisis as a top priority. As the head of the Department of Justice, the Attorney General oversees criminal appeals from state courts to ensure that criminals are kept behind bars and innocent people are not. Stein also ensures that consumers are protected by going after scam artists ...
The Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer of the state of California, as set forth in the state Constitution. Article V vests the Attorney General with broad powers and carries out these duties through the Department of Justice.
According to the state courts, the Attorney General, as the chief law officer of the state, has broad powers derived from the common law and, in the absence of any legislative restriction, has the power to file any civil action or proceeding directly involving the rights and interests of the state, or which he or she deems necessary for the enforcement of the laws of the state, the preservation of order, and the protection of public rights and interests. People ex rel. Harris v. Rizzo (2013) 214 Cal.App. 4 th 921
Finally, the legislative branch of state government bears the sole responsibility and power to define criminal charges and to prescribe its punishment, and it is the executive branch of state government that decides which crime to charge and the judicial branch which imposes sentence with the legislative limits for the chosen crimes. Hence, the separation of powers doctrine mandates that a statute may not constitutionally require the consent of one branch of government for the proper exercise of another branch’s power, unless it is specifically provided for in the state Constitution. People v. Mikhail (1993) 13 Cal.App. 4 th 846, rehearing denied, review denied.
In addition, under Article V, Section 13, the Attorney General and the district attorneys have exclusive responsibility for prosecution of crimes. No private citizen can initiate a misdemeanor complaint absent the district attorney’s approval, authority, or concurrence, nor may the district attorney’s power be controlled by the courts. People v. Shults (1978) 87 Cal.App. 3 rd 101
As an example of this, a district attorney’s authority to enforce the unfair competition law is not limited to the county’s borders. In fact, a district attorney can allege violations occurring outside the county as well as within the county. The trial court did not err in denying a motion to strike allegations of violations outside the county. Nothing in the constitutional provisions concerning the role of the California Attorney General and district attorneys precludes the Legislature from allowing such enforcement. Abbott Laboratories v. Superior Court (2020) 9 Cal. 5 th 642
A State's Attorney, along with a phalanx of Assistant State's Attorneys, prosecutes criminal and civil cases for the people.
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 ...
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.
About half the 50 states use grand jury indictments in criminal prosecutions. Grand juries hear cases brought by State's Attorneys, and only the evidence and witnesses presented by the State's Attorney are considered.
For example, the Cook County State's Attorney in Chicago has more than 900 lawyers and a total staff of 1,600 employees [source: Cook County State's Attorney's Office ]. Assistant State's Attorneys, also known as Deputy State's Attorneys,are the ones who actually appear in court, file the legal briefs and interview witnesses. The State's Attorney, on the other hand, is in charge of policy, staffing and running the office, and making decisions about certain high-profile cases.
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.
But a State's Attorney hardly ever does the job alone . Many have offices that contain dozens or even hundreds of appointed assistant or deputy State's Attorneys, as well as support staff. These assistants or deputies are the ones who routinely appear in court, representing the State's Attorney's office.
The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states, of the federal district, or of any of the territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer. In some states, the attorney general serves as the head of a state department of justice, with responsibilities similar to those of the United States Department of Justice.
The most prevalent method of selecting a state's attorney general is by popular election. 43 states have an elected attorney general. Elected attorneys general serve a four-year term, except in Vermont, where the term is two years.
Seven states do not popularly elect an attorney general. In Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming, the attorney general is a gubernatorial appointee. The attorney general in …
State attorneys general enforce both state and federal laws. Because they are sworn to uphold the United States' constitution and laws as well as the state's, they often decline to defend the state in federal lawsuits.
• State constitutional officer (United States)
• National Association of Attorneys General
• List of U.S. statewide elected officials
• Listing of official State Attorney General websites