who first headed the office of the attorney general

by Kris D'Amore 7 min read

Edmund Randolph

Who is the current Attorney General?

115 rows · Living former U.S. attorneys general. As of May 2022, there are nine living former U.S. attorneys ...

Who was the first black female attorney?

Mar 12, 2021 · 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. Eighty-six distinguished Americans have served as Attorney General.

Who is lawfully the Attorney General right now?

Apr 11, 2021 · On Sept. 26, 1789, Washington made the last two appointments to his Cabinet, Edmund Randolph (1753–1813) as attorney general and Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) as secretary of state. Randolph had been a delegate to the Constitutional Convention and had introduced the Virginia Plan for the creation of a bicameral legislature.

Who is the current head of DOJ?

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. Under his leadership, the Department of Justice is …

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Who created the Office of the Attorney General?

Attorneys General Throughout History

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.
Mar 12, 2021

Who was the 1st Attorney General?

Edmund Jennings Randolph
The Judiciary Act of 1789 establishes the Office of the Attorney General. The Judiciary Act of 1789 established the Office of the Attorney General. On 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?

The United States attorney general is the head of the U.S. Department of Justice.
...
List of U.S. attorneys general.
Attorney GeneralYears of service
Merrick Garland2021-Present
John Macpherson Berrien1829-1831
William Wirt1817-1829
Richard Rush1814-1817
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Who was the first secretary Attorney General?

Washington held his first full cabinet meeting on November 26, 1791, with Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph. One prominent individual who did not attend cabinet meetings was Vice President John Adams.

Who was the first attorney in America?

Congress created the job of attorney general in 1789 when it passed the act that established the president's cabinet. Since each president chooses the members of his cabinet, George Washington chose the first attorney general. He chose Edmund Randolph for the job.

Who was the first Attorney General of India?

M. C. Setalvad
Venugopal. He was reappointed by President Ram Nath Kovind in 2020. He began his service on 30 June 2017.
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Attorney-General for India.
Attorney General for India
Formation28 January 1950
First holderM. C. Setalvad
DeputySolicitor General of India Additional Solicitors General of India
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Who is the head of the Justice Department?

Attorney General Garland
Meet the Attorney General

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.
3 days ago

Who is the secretary of justice?

U.S. Department of Justice
Department of Justice
Secretary:Merrick Garland
Year created:1789
Official website:Justice.gov
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Who does the attorney general of New York report to?

The attorney general advises the executive branch of state government and defends actions and proceedings on behalf of the state. The attorney general acts independently of the governor of New York.

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 of the United States during WWII?

Levi served as attorney general (President Bush) from Jan. 14, 1975 to Jan. 20, 1977. He was born in Chicago, IL (May 9, 1942) and attended the University of Chicago and Yale University. During WWII, he served in the DOJ Anti-Trust Division. Before being named AG, he was served in various leadership roles at the the Univeristy of Chicago, being named president in 1968. He was also a member of the White House Task Force on Education, 1966 to 1967. Died March 7, 2000.

Who was the attorney general of Georgia?

Bell served as attorney general (President Carter) from Jan. 26, 1977 to Aug. 16, 1979. He was born in Americus, GA (Oct. 31, 1918) and attended Georgia Southwestern College and Mercer Univerity Law School. He was a major in the US Army in WWII. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy appointed Bell to the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Bell led the effort to pass the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in 1978. He served on President George H.W. Bush's Commission on Federal Ethics Law Reform and was counsel to President Bush during the Iran-Contra affair.

What is the job of the Attorney General?

The US Attorney General (AG) is the head of the US Department of Justice and is the chief law enforcement officer of the US government. These are the Attorney Generals from 1960 to 1980.

Who was the attorney general of Arizona during the Nixon administration?

Kleindienst served as attorney general (President Nixon) from Feb. 15, 1972 to May 25, 1973. He was born in Winslow, AZ (Aug. 5, 1923) and attended Harvard University. He served in the Army from 1943 to 1946. Kleindienst served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 1953 to 1954. He was in private practice before becoming Deputy AG in 1969. He resigned in the midst of the Watergate scandal, the same day (April 30, 1973) that John Dean was fired and H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman quit. He was convicted of a misdemeanor for perjury during his testimony in the Senate during his confirmation hearings. Died Feb. 3, 2000.

Who was Richardson in the military?

Richardson served as attorney general (President Nixon) from May 25, 1973 to Oct. 20, 1973. He was born in Boston, MA (July 20, 1920) and attended Harvard University. He served in the Army from 1942 to 1945. He was Assistant Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare for Legislation 1957 to 1959.

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 was the first person to oversee the Department of War?

He would have a profound impact on the early economic development of the United States. On Sept. 12, 1789, Washington appointed Henry Knox (1750–1806) to oversee the U.S. Department of War. Knox was a Revolutionary War hero who had served side-by-side with Washington.

Who was the last president to be appointed to the Cabinet?

On Sept. 26, 1789, Washington made the last two appointments to his Cabinet, Edmund Randolph (1753–1813) as attorney general and Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) as secretary of state. Randolph had been a delegate to the Constitutional Convention and had introduced the Virginia Plan for the creation of a bicameral legislature.

What were the three departments that George Washington created?

In the first year of George Washington’s presidency, only three executive departments were established: the Departments of State, Treasury, and War. Washington selected secretaries for each of these positions. His choices were Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, ...

How many members are in the President's Cabinet?

In contrast to having only four ministers, in 2019 the President’s Cabinet consists of 16 members which include the vice president.

How long did it take for the Senate to fill the four positions?

The four positions were quickly filled in only 15 days. He hoped to balance out the nominations by choosing members from different regions of the newly formed United States. Alexander Hamilton (1787–1804) was appointed and quickly approved by the Senate as the first secretary of the treasury on Sept. 11, 1789.

When was the first cabinet meeting?

President Washington held his first cabinet meeting on Feb. 25, 1793. James Madison coined the term "cabinet" for this meeting of the executive department heads. Washington’s cabinet meetings soon became quite acrimonious, with Jefferson and Hamilton taking opposite positions over the issue of a national bank that was part ...

Which article of the Constitution provides for the Cabinet?

Although the United States Constitution does not expressly provide for a Cabinet, Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 states that the president “may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices.”.

Who was the first attorney general appointed under the Constitution?

The “Proprietary” Attorneys General existed until 1776 when the Attorney General became a constitutional officer of the democratic Commonwealth. John Morris was the first Attorney General appointed under the Constitution.

When was the Attorney General created?

The position of Attorney General was created in 1643, before the arrival of English Common Law, as an office within government of the area known as New Sweden. Appointees were selected by the King of Sweden.

What is Attorney General Josh's job?

As Attorney General Josh is directing an urgent, across-the-board fight against the big drug companies and trafficking rings that fuel the heroin and opioid epidemic, including more treatment for those suffering from addiction. He is tackling the scourge of gun violence across Pennsylvania and is committed to improving trust in the justice system with a comprehensive integrity agenda, a more diverse workforce, and smart-on-crime criminal justice reforms.

What are the duties of the Attorney General?

As provided by the Commonwealth Attorneys Act, the fundamental duties of the Attorney General are: To be the Commonwealth’s chief law enforcement officer charged with the responsibility for the prosecution of organized crime and public corruption.

How many departments does the Attorney General have?

The Attorney General is served by a staff of several hundred prosecutors, attorneys, investigators, agents and support staff in offices across the state, divided into four sections: the Criminal Law Division, the Public Protection Division, the Civil Division and the Operations Division.

What is the Office of Public Engagement?

The Office of Public Engagement prevents crime through outreach in communities across Pennsylvania. The office teaches young adults and parents about drug addiction and shows seniors how to avoid becoming the victim of a scam. Request a presentation and access resources from the office online.

When was the Attorney General of Pennsylvania elected?

At the primary election of 1978, Pennsylvania voters approved a Constitutional amendment providing for the election of an Attorney General effective with the general election of 1980.

Who was the first president to meet with the cabinet?

One prominent individual who did not attend cabinet meetings was Vice President John Adams.

What did George Washington do when he signed the Judiciary Act?

When Washington signed the Judiciary Act of 1789, he not only created the federal judiciary but also founded the office of Attorney General. Unlike Washington’s other cabinet officials, the Attorney General did not head an executive department.

Why did George Washington choose a cabinet?

In order to establish both credibility and balance, George Washington chose a cabinet that included members from different regions of the country. On September 11, 1789, George Washington sent his first cabinet nomination to the Senate.

Who was the secretary of the Treasury?

Just minutes later, the Senate approved the appointment of Alexander Hamilton unanimously as the Secretary of the Treasury. The group came to be known as the cabinet based on a reference made by James Madison, who described the meetings as “the president’s cabinet.”.

Who was the only person who did not attend cabinet meetings?

One prominent individual who did not attend cabinet meetings was Vice President John Adams. In fact, Adams found his role as vice president to be so tedious that he once referred to it as "the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived."

What constitutional reference is used to serve as justification for the creation of the cabinet?

The constitutional reference utilized to serve as justification for the creation of the cabinet reads that the President: “may require the Opinion , in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments , upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices.”

What is the Attorney General's Office?

The Attorney General's Office is committed to protecting the rights of all people. Recognizing that discrimination has no place in our society,The Attorney General's Office is fighting to protect transgender students and adults across the nation, and strictly enforcing the recently enacted California law that prohibits state-funded travel to states that discriminate against LGBTQ communities.

What is the Attorney General's Office's view on the economic security of working families?

The Attorney General's Office believes that the economic security of working families is crucial to the economic well-being of California and will fight to make sure that everyone in our state can benefit from economic growth and consumer protections.

What is the Bureau of Children's Justice?

Bureau of Children's Justice. The Bureau’s mission is to protect the rights of children and focus the attention and resources of law enforcement and policymakers on the importance of safeguarding every child. View More.

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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

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