when was attorney general established

What created the Office of Attorney General?

115 rows · 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 …

Who was the first Attorney General?

Mar 12, 2021 · The Judiciary Act of 1789 created the Office of the Attorney General which evolved over the years into the head of the Department of Justice and chief law enforcement officer of the Federal Government. The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters generally and gives advice and opinions to the President and to the heads of the executive departments …

Does Attorney General have to be an attorney?

Mar 23, 2010 · In 1472, the first formal appointment was made [source: History of the Attorney General's Office]. The office of the attorney general has always been of great importance; the attorney general was both legal representative of the king and royal government as well as the parens patriae, or "guardian of public interests." As such, the attorney general was charged …

What is the job description of an attorney general?

The Office of the Attorney General was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789 (ch. 20, sec. 35, 1 Stat. 73, 92-93), as a one-person part-time position. The Act specified that the Attorney General was to be "learned in the law," with the duty "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 …

Why was the attorney general established?

The Judiciary Act of 1789 created the Office of the Attorney General (AG) to represent the federal government in cases before the US Supreme Court and to give legal advice to the President or the heads of cabinet-level departments.

Who created the Attorney General?

The Judiciary Act of 1789, passed by the First Congress and signed into law President George Washington, established the office of the attorney general. According the provisions made when creating the office, the United States attorney general would be appointed by the president of the United States.

Who was the very 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.

Who is the boss of the US attorney general?

Meet the Attorney General Attorney General Merrick B. Garland was sworn in as the 86th Attorney General of the United States on March 11, 2021.4 days ago

How many attorney generals are there in the US?

Of the 50 Attorneys General, 25 do not have a formal provision specifying the number of terms allowed. Of the 44 elected attorneys general, all serve four-year terms with the exception of Vermont, who serves a two-year term. 11 face a two term limit, otherwise unspecified.

How many attorney generals are there in California?

33 California attorneys generalThere have been 33 California attorneys general since 1849. Of the 32 officeholders, 19 were Democrat, 13 were Republican and one was American Independent.

Who was the 1980s Attorney General?

California Former Attorneys GeneralMatthew Rodriguez2021 – 2021John K. Van de Kamp1983 – 1991George Deukemejian1979 – 1983Evelle J. Younger1971 – 1979Thomas C. Lynch1964 – 197129 more rows

Who was the Attorney General in 1973 to 1978?

William BarrPersonal detailsBornWilliam Pelham Barr May 23, 1950 New York City, U.S.Political partyRepublicanSpouse(s)Christine Moynihan ​ ( m. 1973)​30 more rows

Who was Attorney General under George W Bush?

Alberto GonzalesOfficial portrait, 200580th United States Attorney GeneralIn office February 3, 2005 – September 17, 2007PresidentGeorge W. Bush31 more rows

Who was the last US attorney general?

List of U.S. attorneys generalAttorney GeneralYears of serviceMerrick Garland2021-PresentLoretta Lynch2015-2017Eric Holder2009-2015Michael B. Mukasey2007-200982 more rows

Is the attorney general a real general?

Incumbent. Merrick Garland Washington, D.C. 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.

Who is the head of the Department of Justice 2021?

Merrick GarlandThe department is headed by the U.S. Attorney General, who reports directly to the president of the United States and is a member of the president's Cabinet. The current attorney general is Merrick Garland, who was sworn on March 11, 2021.

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.

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 the main legal advisor to the government?

In common law jurisdictions, main legal advisor to the government. In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG) 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, ...

What is the second type of attorney general?

The second type of attorney-general ("procureur-generaal", while their replacements are called "advocaat-generaal") is an independent advisor to the Supreme Court . These people give an opinion on cases (called "conclusies") in any field of law (not just criminal law), supported by a scientific staff.

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 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.

What is the mission of the Attorney General of Ireland?

The Mission of the Office of the Attorney General is to provide the highest standard of professional legal services to Government, Departments and Offices. The Attorney General of Ireland is the legal adviser to the Government and is therefore the chief law officer of the State.

When was the Attorney General's Office created?

The Judiciary Act was passed by Congress and signed by President George Washington on September 24, 1789 , making the Attorney General position the fourth in the order of creation by Congress of those positions that have come to be defined as Cabinet level positions.

What was the name of the agency that created the Office of the Attorney General?

The Judiciary Act of 1789 created the Office of the Attorney General which evolved over the years into the head of the Department of Justice and chief law enforcement officer of the Federal Government.

When did the Department of Justice start?

The Department of Justice traces its beginning to the First Congress meeting in New York in 1789, at which time the Congress devoted itself to creating the infrastructure for operating the Federal Government.

Who does the Attorney General represent?

The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters generally and gives advice and opinions to the President and to the heads of the executive departments of the Government when so requested. In matters of exceptional gravity or importance the Attorney General appears in person before the Supreme Court.

What was the Judiciary Act?

After meeting for several months the legislators passed a bill known as the Judiciary Act that provided for the organization and administration of the judicial branch of the new government, and included in that Act was a provision for appointment of “…a meet person, learned in the law, to act as attorney-general for the United States…”.

What is the history of the Attorney General?

The history of attorney general in the United States dates back to the American Revolution and the establishment of a federal government free from Great Britain. Although Americans did not want to create a monarchy like Britain's, they thought it was important to institute an office similar to the British attorney general.

Who created the office of Attorney General?

The Judiciary Act of 1789, passed by the First Congress and signed into law President George Washington, established the office of the attorney general. According the provisions made when creating the office, the United States attorney general would be appointed by the president of the United States.

How many people have served as an attorney general?

Throughout the history of the office, 81 Americans have served as attorney general. When individual states were drafting their constitutions, most modeled their government on the federal system, and thus established the office of the attorney general on a state level.

When was the first attorney general appointed?

During this time, French legal terms were introduced into the English system of government. The first mention of the term attornus Regis, or "king's attorney," was made in 1253. In 1472, the first formal appointment was made ...

Who was the first female attorney general?

Janet Reno was appointed as the first female Attorney General in 1993. Appointed by President Bill Clinton, Reno, the 78th attorney general of the U.S., also holds the distinction of being the longest-serving attorney general of the 20th century (1993-2001).

When was the first king's attorney appointed?

The first mention of the term attornus Regis, or "king's attorney," was made in 1253. In 1472, the first formal appointment was made [source: History of the Attorney General's Office ]. The office of the attorney general has always been of great importance; the attorney general was both legal representative of the king and royal government as well ...

What is the office of the Attorney General?

The Office of the Attorney General was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789 (ch. 20, sec. 35, 1 Stat. 73, 92-93), as a one-person part-time position . The Act specified that the Attorney General was to be "learned in the law," with the duty "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, touching any matters that may concern their departments."

When did the Department of Justice start?

Officially coming into existence on July 1, 1870, the Department of Justice was empowered to handle all criminal prosecutions and civil suits in which the United States had an interest.

What is the role of the Department of Justice?

From its beginning as a one-man, part-time position, the Department of Justice has evolved into the world's largest law office and the chief enforcer of federal laws. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “The most sacred of the duties of government [is] to do equal and impartial justice to all its citizens.”.

What is the 1870 Act?

The 1870 Act remains the foundation for the Department’s authority, but the structure of the Department of Justice has changed over the years, with the addition of the offices of Deputy Attorney General, Associate Attorney General, and the formation of various components, offices, boards and divisions. From its beginning as a one-man, part-time ...

Where did Tong go to law school?

He graduated from Phillips Academy Andover, Brown University, and the University of Chicago Law School . Tong is the oldest of five children and grew up working side-by-side with his immigrant parents in their family’s Chinese restaurant.

Who is William Tong?

William Tong is the 25th Attorney General to serve Connecticut since the office was established by the state constitution in 1897. He took office on January 9, 2019 and is the first Asian American elected at the state level in Connecticut. General Tong previously practiced for 18 years as a litigator in both state and federal courts, first at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York City and then at Finn Dixon & Herling LLP in Stamford. He served for 12 years as a State Representative in the Connecticut General Assembly, where he served as House Chairman of the Judiciary Committee as well as the Banking Committee.

When was the Texas Attorney General established?

With roots in the British common law and Spanish civil law, the office of Texas attorney general was first established by executive ordinance in 1836 . The attorneys general of the Republic of Texas and the first four attorneys general under the first state constitution (1845) were appointed by the governor;

What is the role of the Attorney General?

The attorney general acts as an instrument for achieving administrative flexibility in the state's legal system, thus enabling government to adjust to changing policy demands through flexible interpretations of statutory and constitutional law.

What does the Attorney General do in Texas?

The attorney general acts against persons or corporations violating the environmental-protection laws of Texas or illegally extracting natural resources. The office also enforces the state's antitrust laws and prosecutes persons who mishandle state funds.

Why is the Attorney General important?

Wherever the political system and the legal systems converge or conflict, the attorney general is essential to state government. The office effects innovative but incremental change that fosters administrative and political viability and stability.

What is the modern office in Texas?

The modern office is the result of an intricate combination of rules, traditions, and circumstances. Many of the leading political figures in Texas history have served as attorney general, several of them using the office as a jumping-off place to other offices in state and national government.

When was the Office of Attorney General established?

SUMMARY. The Office of Attorney General was established by the legislature in 1897. The constitution requires a general election for attorney general every four years. This requirement was added to the constitution in 1974. The constitution does not impose any duties or confer any powers on the attorney general.

What does the Attorney General represent?

The attorney general must represent the public interest in the protection of any gifts, legacies, or devises intended for public or charitable purposes . All writs, summonses, or other processes served upon such officers and legislators must be transmitted by them to the attorney general.

What is the power of the attorney general?

General Powers and Duties (CGS § 3-125) The law gives the attorney general supervision over all legal matters in which the state is an interested party, except those over which prosecuting officers have direction.

Overview

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

Similar offices in non-common law jurisdictions

External links