what is the responsibility of the attorney general?

by Elva Carroll PhD 7 min read

What are the duties of the Attorney General?

While varying from one jurisdiction to the next due to statutory and constitutional mandates, the role of attorney general typically includes: 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

What are the responsibilities of the US Attorney General?

Oct 02, 2020 · Attorney generals are one of the most important legal advisers for their government, state, or country. They provide legal advice and may be called on to advise ordinary citizens who may or may not be within the country's jurisdiction. Their power varies depending on the laws of the state or country.

What is the role of the Attorney General?

115 rows · The United States attorney general ( AG) leads the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief lawyer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all legal matters. The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United ...

What do attorneys general do?

To fulfill these responsibilities, the Office of the Attorney General serves as legal counsel to all boards and agencies of state government, issues legal opinions when requested by the Governor, heads of state agencies and other officials and agencies as provided by Texas statutes, sits as an ex-officio member of state committees and commissions, and defends challenges to state …

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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 percentage of attorneys general are proficient in legal advice?

We calculated that 52 % of Attorneys General are proficient in Legal Advice, Counsel, and Administrative Law. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Interpersonal skills, and Problem-solving skills.

What is a lawyer?

A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.

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. Furnish advice and opinions, formal and informal, on legal matters to the President and the Cabinet and to the heads ...

What is the Office of the Associate Attorney General?

Office of the Associate Attorney General. The Office of the Associate Attorney General (OASG) was created by Attorney General Order No. 699-77 on March 10, 1977. As the third-ranking official at the Department of Justice, the ASG is a principal member of the Attorney General’s senior management team. The major functions of the ASG are to:

Who created the Office of the Deputy Attorney General?

Office of the Deputy Attorney General. On May 24, 1950, Attorney General J. Howard McGrath created the Office of the Deputy Attorney General (ODAG). The Deputy Attorney, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the Department's second-ranking official and functions as a Chief Operating Officer;

When was the Department of Justice established?

In June 1870 Congress enacted a law entitled “An Act to Establish the Department of Justice.”. This Act established the Attorney General as head of the Department of Justice and gave the Attorney General direction and control of U.S. Attorneys and all other counsel employed on behalf of the United States. The Act also vested in the Attorney General ...

What is an attorney general?

Attorneys-General in common law jurisdictions, and jurisdictions with a legal system which is partially derived from the common law tradition, share a common provenance.

Does the Attorney General give legal advice?

In practice, the extent to which the attorney general personally provides legal advice to the government varies between jurisdictions, and even between individual office-holders within the same jurisdiction, often depending on the level and nature of the office-holder's prior legal experience.

What is the role of the Attorney General in Fiji?

In Fiji, the role of the Attorney General is defined as "providing essential legal expertise and support to the Government". More specific functions include "legislative drafting", "legal aid", "the prerogative of mercy" (advising the President), "liquor licensing" and "film censorship".

Is the Attorney General the same as the Minister of Justice?

The Attorney-General attends Cabinet, but the post is not the same as the Minister of Justice. By tradition, persons appointed to the position of Attorney-General have been lawyers. Only two former Attorneys-General have not been lawyers, most recently Dr Michael Cullen who held the post in 2005, and again from 2006.

What is the office of the Attorney General of the Philippines?

The Office of the Solicitor General is the law firm of the Republic of the Philippines. It is tasked with representing the Philippines, the Philippine Government, and all its officials in any litigation or matter requiring the services of a lawyer especially before appellate courts. It is an independent and autonomous office attached to the Department of Justice for budgetary purposes.

When was the Attorney General of Tonga established?

The office of Attorney General was established in Tonga in 1988, and was held jointly with the portfolio of Justice Minister until the two were separated in 2009. The Attorney General is defined as the "Chief Legal Advisor to Government".

What is a non common law office?

Non-common law jurisdictions usually have one or more offices which are similar to attorneys-general in common law jurisdictions, some of which use "attorney-general" as the English translation of their titles.

What is the job of the Attorney General?

The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United Stateson all legal matters. The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States.

Is "general" a noun?

The title "attorney general" is an example of a noun (attorney) followed by a postpositive adjective(general).[8]". General" is a description of the type of attorney, not a title or rank in itself (as it would be in the military).[8]

What is the role of the Attorney General of Texas?

As provided by the Texas Constitution and statutes, the main responsibilities of the Office of Attorney General are: Defending the State of Texas and its duly enacted laws by providing legal representation to the State, its officials and agencies, rendering legal opinions, reviewing bonds of public security, and ensuring compliance with ...

What is the Office of the Attorney General?

To fulfill these responsibilities, the Office of the Attorney General serves as legal counsel to all boards and agencies of state government, issues legal opinions when requested by the Governor, heads of state agencies and other officials ...

What is the job of a state attorney general?

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 ...

How long does it take to get a law degree?

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.

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 ...

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Office of The Attorney General

  • The position of Attorney General was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789. In June 1870 Congress enacted a law entitled “An Act to Establish the Department of Justice.” This Act established the Attorney General as head of the Department of Justice and gave the Attorney General direction and control of U.S. Attorneys and all other counsel employed on behalf of the United States. Th…
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Office of The Deputy Attorney General

  • On May 24, 1950, Attorney General J. Howard McGrath created the Office of the Deputy Attorney General (ODAG). The Deputy Attorney, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the Department's second-ranking official and functions as a Chief Operating Officer; 25 components and 93 U.S. Attorneys report directly to the Deputy and 13 additional component…
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Office of The Associate Attorney General

  • The Office of the Associate Attorney General (OASG) was created by Attorney General Order No. 699-77 on March 10, 1977. As the third-ranking official at the Department of Justice, the ASG is a principal member of the Attorney General’s senior management team. The major functions of the ASG are to: 1. Advise and assist the Attorney General and Deput...
See more on justice.gov

Overview

In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen ) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enforcement, prosecutions or even responsibility for legal affairs generally. In practice, the extent to which the attorney general personally provides legal advice to the government varies betwee…

Attorneys-general in common law and hybrid jurisdictions

Attorneys-General in common law jurisdictions, and jurisdictions with a legal system which is partially derived from the common law tradition, share a common provenance.
In Australia, the attorney-general is the chief law officer of the Crown and a member of the Cabinet. The Attorney-General is the minister responsible for legal affairs, national and public security, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. Michaelia Cashis the current Attorney-General. …

Etymology

In regard to the etymology of the phrase Attorney General, Steven Pinker writes that the earliest citation in the Oxford English Dictionary is from 1292: "Tous attorneyz general purrount lever fins et cirrographer" (All general attorneys may levy fines and make legal documents). The phrase was borrowed from Anglo-Norman French when England was ruled by Normans after the conquest of Englandin the 11th-century. As a variety of French, which was spoken in the law courts, schools, …

Similar offices in non-common law jurisdictions

Non-common law jurisdictions usually have one or more offices which are similar to attorneys-general in common law jurisdictions, some of which use "attorney-general" as the English translation of their titles.
The state attorney (ríkislögmaður) represents the state in civil lawsuits. The state attorney is appointed by the Prime Ministerfor a period of 5 years and must have the same qualifications re…

External links

• Quotations related to Attorney general at Wikiquote