who elects the general attorney

by Emmanuelle Okuneva 5 min read

Attorneys general are the top legal officers of their state or territory. They advise and represent their legislature and state agencies and act as the “People's Lawyer” for the citizens. Most are elected, though a few are appointed by the governor. Select your state to connect to your state attorney general's website.

How does an attorney general get elected?

115 rows · 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 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 …

Who appoints the Attorney General?

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 …

Who is the current Attorney General?

Attorneys general are the top legal officers of their state or territory. They advise and represent their legislature and state agencies and act as the “People’s Lawyer” for the citizens. Most are elected, though a few are appointed by the governor. Select your state to connect to your state attorney general's website.

Does the Attorney General have to be a lawyer?

The attorney general is directly elected in 43 states. 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

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Is the US attorney general elected or appointed?

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.

Is Texas attorney general elected or appointed?

The attorneys general of the Republic of Texas and the first four attorneys general under the 1845 state constitution were appointed by the governor. The office was made elective in 1850 by constitutional amendment. The attorney general is elected to a four-year term.

Is the attorney general called general?

In the federal government of the United States, the Attorney General is a member of the Cabinet and, as head of the Department of Justice, is the top law enforcement officer and lawyer for the government. The plural is “Attorneys General” or “Attorneys-General”.

How do you address a state attorney general?

Address the letter appropriately. The salutation of the letter should be: Dear Attorney General (last name). For the Attorney General of a State address the envelop: The Honorable/ (Full name)/Attorney General of (Name of State)/ (Address). The salutation of the letter should read: Dear Attorney General (last name).

How do I contact the Attorney General of the United States?

Messages to the Department of Justice, including the Attorney General, may be sent using this form….The Department may be contacted by phone at the following:

How do you address a letter to a US attorney?

Presidentially appointed United States Attorneys are noted with an asterisk (*) after their name and should be addressed as “The Honorable.” All others should be addressed as “Mr.” or “Ms.” Acting United States Attorneys are designated by a caret sign (^).

How do you address an assistant attorney general in a letter?

Assistant attorney generals are addressed as ‘the Honorable (Full Name)’. —-The salutation is simply: —-–—Dear Mr./Ms.

What does a state attorney general do?

State attorneys general enforce both state and federal laws. Because they are sworn to uphold the United States' constitution and laws as well as the state's, they often decline to defend the state in federal lawsuits.

How long is the attorney general's term in Tennessee?

The attorney general in Tennessee is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court for an eight-year term. In Maine, the attorney general is elected by the state Legislature for a two-year term.

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.

Which states have elected an attorney general in 2015?

Three states held elections for attorney general in 2015: Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi. In Kentucky, Andy Beshear (D) won election to the attorney general seat. Democrat Jim Hood was re-elected in Mississippi, while Republican Jeff Landry defeated incumbent Buddy Caldwell, also a Republican, in a runoff in Louisiana.

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)

Who ran for governor in 2012?

Two - Montana AG Steve Bullock (D) and Washington AG Rob McKenna (R) - ran for the governorship in their respective states in 2012. One - Utah AG Mark Shurtleff (R) - retired from office. One - 2011 appointee Pennsylvania AG Linda Kelly (R) - did not run for election due to the terms of her Senate confirmation.

How many elections were held in 2010?

Thirty attorney general elections were held on November 2, 2010. Of the 30 seats that were up for election, 20 were held by a Democrat and 10 by a Republican. Of those 30 races, 16 were won by Republicans and 14 by Democrats- a net gain of six by Republicans over their pre-election total.

Who appointed Ellen Rosenblum?

John Kitzhaber appointed Ellen Rosenblum, who was running for 2012 election to the attorney general post at the time, to serve as interim attorney general for the remainder of his unexpired term. Rosenblum was elected to a full term in the general election on November 6, 2012.

When is the attorney general election in New York?

New York is holding an election for attorney general on November 8, 2022. There are no official candidates yet for this election. Contents. 1 Candidates and election results.

When is the next election in 2022?

There are no official candidates yet for this election. The general election will occur on November 8, 2022.

Who did Letitia James beat?

Letitia James defeated Keith Wofford, Michael Sussman, Christopher B. Garvey, and Nancy Sliwa in the general election for Attorney General of New York on November 6, 2018. There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

U.S. ATTORNEY GENERALS SHOULD BE ELECTED

This Op-Ed by yours truly appears in Florida Today newspaper. Title speaks for itself:

Marshall Frank: US attorney generals should be elected

If President Bill Clinton had Eric Holder for attorney general in 1998, there would never have been an impeachment for committing perjury. Instead, America was treated to a fair investigation. Clinton had appointed a straight-laced attorney general named Janet Reno, probably the least political-minded AG in history.

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Overview

Selection

The most prevalent method of selecting a state's attorney general is by popular election. 43 states have an elected attorney general. Elected attorneys general serve a four-year term, except in Vermont, where the term is two years.
Seven states do not popularly elect an attorney general. In Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming, the attorney general is a gubernatorial appointee. The attorney general in …

Defense of the state in federal lawsuits

State attorneys general enforce both state and federal laws. Because they are sworn to uphold the United States' constitution and laws as well as the state's, they often decline to defend the state in federal lawsuits.

See also

• State constitutional officer (United States)
• National Association of Attorneys General
• List of U.S. statewide elected officials

External links

• Listing of official State Attorney General websites