what is the job of the attorney general of virginia

by Lucienne Parker PhD 3 min read

The Attorney General of Virginia is a publicly elected executive official in the Virginia state government. The attorney general provides legal advice and representation for all state agencies.

What are the powers of the Virginia Attorney General?

The Office of the Attorney General provides legal services to the Commonwealth’s agencies, boards, commissions, colleges and universities. They are the Commonwealth’s law firm, defending the interests of Virginians and Virginia government and also work with law enforcement throughout the Commonwealth to prepare for emerging public safety threats …

What is the role of the Attorney General?

May 07, 2021 · The Office of the Attorney General is established in the Virginia Constitution with a clearly defined role. That is to defend the state in criminal appeals and suits against the state, provide legal advice and representations in court for the state and the Governor, provide legal counsel and official opinions to the General Assembly, and defend the constitutionality of …

How do I become an attorney general in Virginia?

Jan 15, 2022 · RICHMOND, Va. -- When he takes office, new Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares plans to take Virginia in a different direction. The 45-year-old Republican attorney will be Virginia's first ...

How long is the term for Attorney General in Virginia?

Jan 17, 2022 · Hailing a new day in Virginia, state Attorney General Jason Miyares vowed on Newsmax to hold school boards accountable to the law and the parents they save, while taking a "victims first" role in defending public safety. "The governor said we have a new Virginia; we're not going to try to divide people by race, and if there's any silver lining of this horrific shutdown of …

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What is the role of the attorney general in Virginia?

Responsibilities. The Attorney General heads the Office of the Attorney General, also known as the Department of Law. ... Providing legal advice, official opinions, to members of the Virginia General Assembly and local government officials. Defending the state in cases of criminal appeals and suits against the state.

What are the duties of the attorney general?

The principal duties of the Attorney General are to:Represent the United States in legal matters.Supervise and direct the administration and operation of the offices, boards, divisions, and bureaus that comprise the Department.More items...•Oct 8, 2021

What are 3 jobs of the Virginia Attorney General?

The OAG is responsible for conducting and assisting in criminal investigations, defending appealed convictions, enforcing consumer-protection laws, and providing legal advice and representation to the state government.

Does the attorney general control the FBI?

Within the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI is responsible to the attorney general, and it reports its findings to U.S. Attorneys across the country. The FBI's intelligence activities are overseen by the Director of National Intelligence.

What is the difference between chief justice and Attorney General?

In layman terms, Chief Justice is a Judge and Attorney General is a Lawyer, both have distinct roles to play. The Attorney General of India is the highest law officer of the country and he/she is the chief legal advisor to the GoI. He is responsible to assist the government in all its legal matters.Feb 20, 2020

What is an attorney called?

A lawyer (also called attorney, counsel, or counselor) is a licensed professional who advises and represents others in legal matters. Today's lawyer can be young or old, male or female.Sep 10, 2019

Who was the first Attorney General?

Edmund Jennings RandolphOn September 26, 1789, Edmund Jennings Randolph was appointed the first Attorney General of the United States by President George Washington.

What is the name of Virginia's law making body?

The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, and an upper house, the Senate of Virginia.

What is the role of the Attorney General of Virginia?

The attorney general provides legal advice and representation for all state agencies. The attorney general also provides written legal advice in the form of official opinions to members of the Virginia General Assembly ...

What are the duties of the Attorney General?

The duties and powers of the office of the attorney general include: Provide legal advice and representation to the governor and executive agencies, state boards and commissions and institutions of higher education.

Who was the attorney general of Virginia during the Civil War?

There were two attorneys general in this era: Republican James S. Wheat (1861-1862) and Unionist/Republican Thomas Russell Bowden (1863-1869). Bowden served past the end of the Restored Government.

How often is the Attorney General elected?

The attorney general is elected every four years at the same time the governor is elected. These elections take place one year after the presidential elections (e.g. 2017, 2021, 2025, etc.).

What does the judicial branch do?

Provide written legal advice in the form of official opinions to members of the general assembly and government officials. Defend criminal convictions on appeal and defend the state when prisoners sue concerning their incarceration. Defend the constitutionality of state laws when they are challenged in court.

Who won the 2013 Virginia election?

2013. On November 5, 2013, Mark Herring won election to the office of Attorney General of Virginia. He defeated Mark Obenshain (R) in the general election. [ hide]Attorney General of Virginia, 2013.

What is the role of the Attorney General of Virginia?

That is to defend the state in criminal appeals and suits against the state, provide legal advice and representations in court for the state and the Governor, provide legal counsel and official opinions to the General Assembly, ...

Who was the first governor of Virginia?

Don't forget Francis Pierpont. He was the first governor of the Restored Virginia. Pierpont passed the torch to the hero of the Battle of Franklin, John Schofield. Most white southerners in Virginia were denied the right to vote because of a reluctance to take the Oath of Allegiance.

What was the General's Redoubt Board of Directors' resolution?

On July 1, The General’s Redoubt Board of Directors approved a resolution declaring its lack of confidence in President William C. Dudley. The dissident alumni group also urged its 9,700 alumni and other supporters to “evaluate carefully” whether to continue donating to the private university until leadership issues could be resolved. Here follows the text of the resolution. A detailed bill of particulars can be found here, and in the post that follows. — JAB Whereas, at a duly convened meeting ...

Does the right hand know what the left hand is doing in the Northam administration?

Bacon Does the right hand know what the left hand is doing in the Northam administration? On the one hand (as recounted on this blog), the State Board for Community Colleges has ordered the Patrick Henry Community College (PHCC) in Martinsville to change its name. Henry, once revered as a founding father, is now problematic. He owned slaves. The PHCC board is resisting the name change, and the dispute is ongoing. Meanwhile, nine days ago, Governor Ralph Northam issued ...

What is the role of a prosecutor in Virginia?

Crime victims in Virginia have protections under the Virginia Constitution, and prosecutors play an important role in protecting victims’ rights and ensuring that victims remain at the center of the criminal justice system.

What are the rights of defendants?

Defendants have extensive rights in our legal system. These rights stem directly from the Constitution of the United States, as well as the Constitution of Virginia. It is the job of Commonwealth’s Attorney to do everything in his or her power to protect the rights of anyone who is charged in a criminal case.

What is the Fifth Amendment?

THE FIFTH AMENDMENT gives defendants the right to remain silent. This right is rooted in the American legal process wherein the burden of proof lies with the prosecutor and the defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.

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.

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.

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.

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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Current Officeholder

Authority

The Attorney General heads the Office of the Attorney General, also known as the Department of Law. The Attorney General and their Office have several duties and powers granted by state law. These include:
• Providing legal advice and representation in court for the Governor and the state government in general

Qualifications

Elections

Vacancies

  • The current officeholder is Republican Jason Miyares. He was first elected in 2021 and was sworn in on January 15, 2022.
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Duties

  • The office of attorney general is established in Article 5, Section 15 of the Virginia Constitution. Article V, Section 15:
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Divisions

  • Article V, Section 15 of the Virginia Constitutionalso establishes the qualifications of the office: 1. U.S. citizen 2. at least 30 years old 3. is qualified to be a judge of a court of record in the state
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Historical Officeholders

  • The attorney general is elected every four years at the same time the governor is elected. These elections take place one year after the presidential elections (e.g. 2017, 2021, 2025, etc.).Legally, the inauguration is always held on the Saturday after the second Wednesday in January after an election.
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Recent News

  • In the event of a vacancy in the office, the governorshall fill the vacancy by appointment. The appointee shall hold office until the next general election.
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