what is the term of a u.s. attorney general?

by Ellis Goodwin 9 min read

President of the United States. with United States Senate advice and consent. Term length. No fixed term.

What are the responsibilities of the US Attorney General?

Feb 16, 2022 · Definition of attorney general. : the chief law officer of a nation or state who represents the government in litigation and serves as its principal legal adviser.

What is the job description of the US Attorney General?

Apr 05, 2015 · The United States Attorney General, as a term, refers to the individual who operates within the President’s cabinet and acts as the head of the Department of Justice for the United States Federal Government. Primary Duty of the United States Attorney General:

What exactly is an attorney general?

The attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal or a state government. The plural form is attorneys general. The plural form is attorneys general. The U.S. Attorney General oversees the Department of Justice , represents the United States in litigation , and advises the President and heads of federal executive departments on legal matters.

What does the US Attorney General do?

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland was sworn in as the 86 th Attorney General of the United States on March 11, 2021. As the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Garland leads the Justice Department’s 115,000 employees, who work across the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide.

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How long do US attorney generals serve?

Under the state Constitution, the Attorney General is elected to a four-year term in the same statewide election as the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Controller, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Insurance Commissioner.

What is the term of a US attorney?

An attorney, acting under the direction of the Attorney General, who enforces federal laws within his or her jurisdiction and represents the federal government in civil and criminal cases. The United States Attorney is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for a term of four years.

How many terms do US attorneys serve?

A current contact list for the U.S. Attorneys' Offices is available online at http://www.justice.gov/usao/districts. U.S. Attorneys are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, and they serve terms of four years or at the President's discretion.

Who is the current US Attorney General?

Merrick GarlandUnited States / Attorney generalMerrick Brian Garland is an American lawyer and jurist serving as the 86th United States attorney general since March 2021. He served as a circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1997 to 2021. Wikipedia

Are U.S. attorneys confirmed by the Senate?

Like these individuals, U.S. Attorneys are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate; like most federal judicial nominations, U.S. Attorneys are subject to the blue slip process in which home state senators of the president's party are able to recommend (or block) nominations to positions within their ...

How does the U.S. Attorney General get elected?

The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States. Under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution, the officeholder is nominated by the president of the United States, then appointed with the advice and consent of the United States Senate.

What are the duties of the U.S. 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 the duties and responsibilities of the attorney general?

Attorney General Job DutiesEnforcing and representing state laws and regulations in civil and criminal cases.Managing the state's law enforcement agencies; appointing, investigating, or disciplining officers; reviewing their reports; and attending public police functions as representatives of the state.More items...•Oct 27, 2021

How many US attorneys are appointed by the President?

President Trump nominated 86 people to be U.S. attorneys, and 84 of them were confirmed. There are a total of 93 U.S. attorneys in the Department of Justice....List of United States Attorneys.DistrictAlabamaU.S. Attorney for the District of ColumbiaAttorneyMichael R. SherwinAssumed officeMay 18, 2020 (Interim)Left officeMarch 3, 2021118 more columns

Who was attorney general in the 1980s?

George DeukmejianOf all in state government, the Office of the Attorney General has probably changed the most dramatically in its more than 160 year history....1850 until Present.NamesDates of OfficeGeorge DeukmejianJan. 1979 - Jan. 1983Evelle J. YoungerJan. 1971 - Jan. 1979Thomas C. LynchSep. 1964 - Jan. 197131 more rows

Who is the former attorney general?

Former Attorney General William Barr stands for a portrait at his house in McLean, Virginia, on Wednesday, March 2. William P. Barr's memoir — out Tuesday — spans seven decades but is inevitably dominated by his two years as attorney general under former President Donald Trump.2 days ago

Who was the first female Attorney General of the United States?

Janet RenoOfficial portrait, c. 1990s78th United States Attorney GeneralIn office March 12, 1993 – January 20, 2001PresidentBill Clinton16 more rows

Overview

Presidential transition

It is the practice for the attorney general, along with the other Cabinet secretaries and high-level political appointees of the President, to tender a resignation with effect on the Inauguration Day (January 20) of a new president. The deputy attorney general is also expected to tender a resignation, but is commonly requested to stay on and act as the attorney general pending the confirmation by the Senate of the new attorney general.

History

Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789 which, among other things, established the Office of the Attorney General. The original duties of this officer were "to prosecute and conduct all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States shall be concerned, and to give his advice and opinion upon questions of law when required by the president of the United States, or when requested by the heads of any of the departments". Some of these duties have since been transferred to the U…

Line of succession

U.S.C. Title 28, §508 establishes the first two positions in the line of succession, while allowing the attorney general to designate other high-ranking officers of the Department of Justice as subsequent successors. Furthermore, an Executive Order defines subsequent positions, the most recent from March 31, 2017, signed by President Donald Trump. The current line of succession is:
1. United States Deputy Attorney General

See also

• Executive Order 13787 for "Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of Justice"

Overview

United States attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district courts and United States courts of appeals.
The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the case against an individual suspected of breaking the law, initiating and directing further criminal investigations, guiding and recommending the sentencing of offenders, and ar…

Appointment

The U.S. attorney is appointed by the President of the United States for a term of four years, with appointments subject to confirmation by the Senate. A U.S. attorney continues in office, beyond the appointed term, until a successor is appointed and qualified. By law, each United States attorney is subject to removal by the President. The Attorney General has had the authority since 1986 to appoint interim U.S. attorneys to fill a vacancy.

History and statutory authority

The Office of the United States Attorney was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789, along with the office of Attorney General and United States Marshal. The same act also specified the structure of the Supreme Court of the United States and established inferior courts making up the United States Federal Judiciary, including a district court system. Thus, the office of U.S. Attorney is older than the Department of Justice. The Judiciary Act of 1789 provided for the appointment in each judici…

Role of U.S. attorneys

The U.S. attorney is both the primary representative and the administrative head of the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the district. The U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) is the chief prosecutor for the United States in criminal law cases, and represents the United States in civil law cases as either the defendant or plaintiff, as appropriate. However, they are not the only ones that may represent the United States in Court. In certain circumstances, using an action called a qui tam, any U.S. citizen…

Executive Office for United States Attorneys

The Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) provides the administrative support for the 93 United States attorneys (encompassing 94 United States Attorney offices, as the Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands has a single U.S. attorney for both districts), including:
• General executive assistance and direction,
• Policy development,

List of current U.S. attorneys' offices

1. U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama
2. U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama
3. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama
4. U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska

Defunct U.S. attorneys' offices

• U. S. Attorney for the District of Michigan (February 24, 1863)
• U. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of South Carolina (October 2, 1965)
• U. S. Attorney for the Western District of South Carolina (October 2, 1965)

See also

• List of United States attorneys appointed by Joe Biden
• List of United States attorneys appointed by Donald Trump
• Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy (2007)
• 2017 dismissal of U.S. attorneys

What Is The Role of The Attorney General?

  • The Attorney General is the Head of the Justice Department and the attorney for the United States in all legal matters. They dispense legal advice to the president and the heads of other governmental agencies when requested. The Attorney General may support important cases that go to the Supreme Court of the United States if the case is deemed important in nature. The Atto…
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How Does One Become Attorney General?

  • The position of Attorney General is an appointed one, nominated by the president and confirmed by the United States Senate. There is also a succession plan in place in the event there is no Attorney General due to absence or death, which allows the Deputy Attorney General to assume all powers and duties of the office. While the Deputy Attorney General would not be a confirmed …
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What Are The Most Important Powers of The Attorney General?

  • The Attorney General will provide advice and guidance to the president and other high ranking officials regarding the law and how it should be implemented. This provides the Attorney General with a great deal of power, as they would have the ability to shape how laxly or punitively the law is to be applied. As the Justice Department has such wide-reaching tentacles of power in matter…
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Who Is The Current Attorney General?

  • William Barr is the current Attorney General of the United States. He replaced Jeff Sessions in 2019 after President Trump fired Sessions. 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 a…
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What Agencies Are Under 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: 1. Antitrust 2. Civil 3. Civil Rights 4. Criminal 5. Environmental and Natural Resources 6. Tax Each division is headed up by an Assistant Attorney General, and man…
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History of The Attorney General

  • The Office of the Attorney General was createdin 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. The work quickly grew, requiring the addition of multiple assistants and private attorne…
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List of Attorneys General

  1. William Barr, 2019 – Present
  2. Jeff Sessions, 2017 – 2018
  3. Loretta Lynch, 2015 – 2017
  4. Eric Holder, Jr., 2009 – 2015
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The Rantt Rundown

  • The Department of Justice, created in 1789, has grown from a part-time, one-person office to become the world’s largest law office, encompassing sixty different agencies and offices. 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 tr…
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