when was the attorney general appointed into office

What does the Attorney General of the United States do?

About the Office. 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...

What is the history of the Office of the Attorney General?

Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789 which, among other things, established the Office of the Attorney General.

How long is the term of office for the Attorney General?

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.

How many states elect the Attorney General directly?

Although Ballotpedia covers Washington, D.C., and the five U.S. territories and their officeholders, D.C. and territory officeholders are not included in the following figures. The attorney general is directly elected in 43 states.

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When and why was the attorney general created?

History: 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 was the first Attorney General of the United States?

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

Who was the attorney general of the United States in 1962 63?

President Kennedy's appointment of his 35-year-old brother Robert Francis Kennedy as the attorney general of the United States was controversial.

What did the attorney general do in 1789?

Another duty of the attorney general is to give legal advice to the president and the other cabinet members. The attorney general is also the chief law enforcement officer in the United States. Congress created the job of attorney general in 1789 when it passed the act that established the president's cabinet.

Has the U.S. ever had a female Attorney General?

On March 11, 1993, the Senate confirmed Reno by a vote of 98 to 0. She was sworn in the next day, becoming the first woman to serve as U.S. Attorney General.

Who was the last Attorney General?

California Former Attorneys GeneralMatthew Rodriguez2021 – 2021Kamala D. Harris2010 – 2017Edmund G. Brown, Jr.2007 – 2011Bill Lockyer1999 – 2007Daniel E. Lungren1991 – 199929 more rows

Who was the youngest Attorney General?

He was one of the War Hawks who advocated war with Britain. In 1814 Madison offered Rush the choice of Secretary of the Treasury or Attorney General of the United States, of which positions Rush chose the latter. With his appointment as Attorney General, Rush became the youngest person to serve in that office.

Who was Trump's last Attorney General?

William BarrPresidentDonald TrumpDeputyRod Rosenstein Ed O'Callaghan (acting) Jeffrey A. RosenPreceded byJeff SessionsSucceeded byMerrick Garland30 more rows

Who served as US attorney general twice?

William Pelham BarrWilliam Pelham Barr was sworn in as the 85th Attorney General of the United States on February 14, 2019. He is only the second person in history to serve as U.S. Attorney General twice. Barr previously served as Attorney General from 1991 to 1993 during the administration of George H. W.

Why is it called Attorney General?

The term was originally used to refer to any person who holds a general power of attorney to represent a principal in all matters. In the common law tradition, anyone who represents the state, especially in criminal prosecutions, is such an attorney.

What is the head Attorney General called?

United States Attorney GeneralIncumbent Merrick Garland since March 11, 2021United States Department of JusticeStyleMr. Attorney General (informal) The Honorable (formal)Member ofCabinet National Security Council13 more rows

Who appoints the Attorney General?

the PresidentAttorney General is appointed by the President on the advice of the government. There are the following qualifications: He should be an Indian Citizen. He must have either completed 5 years in High Court of any Indian state as a judge or 10 years in High Court as an advocate.

Who was the first female U.S. Attorney General?

On March 12, 1993, Ms. Reno became the first woman and 78th attorney general. She went on to become the longest serving attorney general in the 20th century.

Who was Trump's first Attorney General?

Jeff SessionsPersonal detailsBornJefferson Beauregard Sessions III December 24, 1946 Selma, Alabama, U.S.Political partyRepublicanSpouse(s)Mary Blackshear ​ ( m. 1969)​33 more rows

Who is the current Attorney General of the USA?

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

Who was president Trump's Attorney General?

William BarrOfficial portrait, 201977th and 85th United States Attorney GeneralIn office February 14, 2019 – December 23, 2020PresidentDonald Trump30 more rows

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.

Who is the Attorney General of Australia?

The Attorney-General is the minister responsible for legal affairs, national and public security, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. Michaelia Cash is the current Attorney-General.

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 role of the Attorney General of Kenya?

In Kenya the Attorney General is the Principal Legal Adviser to the Government and ex officio Member of Parliament and Cabinet. His duties include the formulation of legal policy and ensuring proper administration of Kenya's legal system including professional legal education. Assisting the Attorney General in the performance of his duties as Principal Legal Adviser to the Government are:

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 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".

Who is a power of attorney?

The term was originally used to refer to any person who holds a general power of attorney to represent a principal in all matters. In the common law tradition, anyone who represents the state , especially in criminal prosecutions , is such an attorney.

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 is the role of the Attorney General?

The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters generally and gives advice and opinions to the President and to the heads ...

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.

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…”.

Who was the attorney general in 2013?

One state, Virginia, held a regularly scheduled attorney general election in 2013. State Senators Mark Herring (D) and Mark Obenshain (R) faced off in the general election on November 5, 2013, and the race was considered too close to call until the State Board of Elections certified the results of the race on November 25, 2013, naming Herring the victor by a margin of 165 votes. Since the margin was equal to or less than 0.5 percent of the total vote, Obenshain, as the losing candidate, was entitled to request a publicly financed recount, which he did on November 27. The recount began on December 26, and Obenshain conceded to Herring two days later, giving a Democrat control of the office for the first time in almost two decades.

How many states have an attorney general?

The attorney general is directly elected in 43 states and Washington, D.C. The attorney general is appointed by the state Legislature in Maine, by the state Supreme Court in Tennessee, and by the governor in the remaining five states. Compensation of state attorneys general (2017)

How many attorney generals did the Democratic Party control in 1977?

In 1977, the Democratic Party held a total of 27 elected attorney general offices to the Republican Party 's 16. The Democratic lead in attorney general offices would be maintained through the 1990s, as opposed to the other three top executive offices, which became majority-Republican following the 1994 midterm elections. In the 2010 midterm elections, the Republican Party gained a lead in elected attorney general offices, with 22 elected attorneys general to the Democrats' 21. The Democratic victory in the 2013 Virginia election for attorney general caused the party to briefly regain a 22-21 majority of elected attorney general offices. This lead was lost in the 2014 midterm elections. After that point, the Republican Party continued to grow its majority control of elected attorney general offices.

How much does an attorney general make?

According to compensation figures for 2017 compiled by the Council of State Governments in the Book of the States, the highest salary for an attorney general is $182,688 in Tennessee, while the lowest is $80,000 in Colorado. To view the compensation of a particular attorney general, hover your mouse over the state.

What is the job of the Attorney General?

The attorney general is an executive office in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., that serves as the chief legal advisor and chief law enforcement officer for the state government and is empowered to prosecute violations of state law, represent the state in legal disputes and issue legal advice to state agencies and the legislature.

How many states have the power to appeal a criminal case?

Attorneys general: Power to represent state in criminal appeals. The attorney general has the power to represent the state in criminal appeals in 46 states, although this power is restricted in five of those states. Attorney general term limits. Attorney general term limits.

How many states were elected in 2012?

2012. Ten states held attorney general elections in the 2012 electoral cycle: Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia . Heading into the November election, the Democrats held six of the seats and the Republicans held four seats.

Why did Attorney General Bonta become a lawyer?

It's why he decided to become a lawyer — to help right historic wrongs and fight for people who have been harmed. He worked his way through college and graduated with honors from Yale University and attended Yale Law School.

What did Attorney General Bonta do?

In the State Assembly, Attorney General Bonta enacted nation-leading reforms to inject more justice and fairness into government and institutions.

How many employees does Attorney General Paxton have?

He was re-elected to a second term in 2018. As the state’s top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Paxton leads more than 4,000 employees in 38 divisions and 117 offices around Texas.

What is Attorney General Paxton's job?

Attorney General Paxton is focused on protecting Texans and upholding Texas laws and the Constitution. Fighting federal overreach, he filed 27 lawsuits against the Obama administration during a two-year stretch, of which six were heard in the U.S. Supreme Court. He's obtained an injunction or other winning ruling in more than 75 percent of the cases he's brought against the federal government.

What district is Attorney General Paxton in?

First elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2002, Attorney General Paxton represented House District 70 for 10 years, one of the fastest-growing regions in the state. In 2012, he was elected to the Texas state Senate, representing Senate District 8 in Collin and Dallas counties.

Where did Attorney General Paxton go to law school?

Attorney General Paxton graduated from Baylor University, where he served as student body president, earning a B.A. in psychology and an M.B.A. After receiving a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, he worked as an attorney at Strasburger & Price, LLP, in-house counsel for J.C. Penney Company, and headed up his own law firm for 14 years in McKinney.

What is the office of the Attorney General?

The Attorney General is the state's top lawyer and law enforcement official, protecting and serving the people and interests of California through a broad range of duties. The Attorney General's responsibilities include safeguarding Californians from harm and promoting community safety, ...

How many lawyers does the Attorney General oversee?

Overseeing more than 4,500 lawyers, investigators, sworn peace officers, and other employees, the Attorney General:

How long is the term of the Attorney General of California?

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. In 1990, California voters imposed a two-term limit on these statewide offices.

What does the judicial officer do?

Serves as legal counsel to state officers and, with few exceptions, to state agencies, boards and commissions. Assists district attorneys, local law enforcement and federal and international criminal justice agencies in the administration of justice.

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. Mark Dreyfus is the current Attorney-General. Th…

Etymology

Similar offices in non-common law jurisdictions

See also

External links

Political Parties

• The chart below is a breakdown of the political parties pertaining to the state executive office of attorney general. For other state executive offices, click here.

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Current Officeholders

Comparison Across States

Election History

Recent News

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