who is in charge of the state attorney gnereals

How are state attorneys general chosen?

The most prevalent method of selecting a state attorneys 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.

What is a state attorney?

A State's Attorney is the most common term for a prosecutor, someone who represents the people in criminal and civil legal matters. But while the most iconic image of a State's Attorney is the trial prosecutor depicted in countless television shows, books and films, State's Attorneys don't just prosecute accused criminals.

Who is the current Attorney General of Georgia?

Attorney General Chris Carr As Attorney General, Carr believes he has no more solemn duty than to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution and laws of the State of Georgia and the interests of the people of the State of Georgia. He also believes that his office must play a significant role in protecting Georgians.

What is an attorneys general and what do they do?

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.

Who oversees the US attorney general?

The U.S. Attorney General is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

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.

Does every us state have an attorney general?

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.

Is the US attorney general elected or appointed?

The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States. Washington, D.C. 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.

Who is above the district attorney?

In practice, district attorneys, who prosecute the bulk of criminal cases in the United States, answer to no one. The state attorney general is the highest law enforcement officer in state government and often has the power to review complaints about unethical and illegal conduct on the part of district attorneys.

How much does the NY Attorney General make?

State executive salariesOffice and current officialSalaryAttorney General of New York Letitia JamesNew York Secretary of State Robert RodriguezNew York Public Service Commission James Alesi$127,000New York Commissioner of Agriculture Richard A. Ball$120,80011 more rows

What is the job of the attorney general of a state?

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.

What is the duty of Attorney General?

(2) It shall be the duty of the Attorney-General to give advice to the Government of India upon such legal matters, and to perform such other duties of a legal character, as may from time to time be referred or assigned to him by the President, and to discharge the functions conferred on him by or under this ...

Which officer of the state ensures that the state's money is spent legally by a state agency?

It is responsible for using audits to ensure that all state money is spent legally and properly. The auditor general was created by an act of the General Assembly in 1809. The auditor general was appointed by the governor until 1850, when it became an elected office.

How many U.S. general attorneys are there?

Holder, Jr. is the current and 82nd United States Attorney General, serving under President Barack H. Obama. He is the first African-American United States Attorney General in history.

What is the difference between Attorney General and Chief Justice?

In layman terms, Chief Justice is a Judge and Attorney General is a Lawyer, both have distinct roles to play. The Attorney General of India is the highest law officer of the country and he/she is the chief legal advisor to the GoI. He is responsible to assist the government in all its legal matters.

Who is the head of the Department of Justice 2021?

Attorney General Merrick B. GarlandAttorney General Merrick B. Garland was sworn in as the 86th 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.

What is the role of the Attorney General?

The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states, of the federal district, or of any of the territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer. In some states, the attorney general serves as the head of a state department of justice, with responsibilities similar to those of the United States Department of Justice .

How long does an attorney general serve?

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 Tennessee is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court ...

How many terms can an attorney general serve in Puerto Rico?

Many states have passed term limits limiting the selection to 2 consecutive terms (9 states); 2 terms maximum (4 states), but 33 states still have no term limits.

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.

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)

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.

Who appointed Ellen Rosenblum as the Attorney General?

Gov. 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.

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.

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How are state attorneys elected?

In general, State's Attorneys are elected by the people they represent. Their duties are spelled out in the laws of the local governments they represent, and they're held accountable by the voters for how well they do their jobs and how well their performance matches up with the local politics of the area. But a State's Attorney hardly ever does ...

Who heads up the criminal and civil divisions?

Both criminal and civil divisions are often headed up by a Deputy or Chief Deputy State's Attorney. Other divisions in State's Attorney offices may focus on areas such as alternative sentencing, juvenile justice and victim's services.

What is the job of a criminal prosecutor?

Criminal prosecutions are the chief duty of most State's Attorney offices. In many states, such as Michigan, criminal prosecutions follow a predetermined series of steps [source: Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan ]. First, police file a warrant or charging request with the State's Attorney following an investigation.

How many states have grand jury indictments?

About half the 50 states use grand jury indictments in criminal prosecutions. Grand juries hear cases brought by State's Attorneys, and only the evidence and witnesses presented by the State's Attorney are considered.

What is a Commonwealth's Attorney?

States that refer to themselves as commonwealths, such as Virginia and Kentucky, refer to them as Commonwealth's Attorneys [source: Commonwealth's Attorneys Services Council ]. State's Attorneys generally represent a defined geographic area, such as a county, judicial district or judicial circuit. These generally hold the title ...

What is a prosecutor?

A State's Attorney is the most common term for a prosecutor, someone who represents the people in criminal and civil legal matters. But while the most iconic image of a State's Attorney is ...

What happens before a trial?

Before a trial takes place, the process of discovery takes place, at which the State's Attorney and the defense attorney share information they intend to introduce as evidence at trial.

Who is the Attorney General of Illinois?

ATTORNEY GENERAL KWAME RAOUL. Attorney General Kwame Raoul (Democrat) was sworn in as the 42nd Attorney General of Illinois in January 2019. Born in Chicago to Haitian immigrants, Raoul brings a lifetime of legal and policy experience, advocacy and public service to the Office of the Attorney General. As the state’s chief legal and law enforcement ...

How long was Attorney General Raoul in office?

Before he was elected as Attorney General in November 2018, Attorney General Raoul spent 14 years serving as a state senator representing the 13th legislative district.

What is the role of an attorney general?

As chief legal officers of the states, commonwealths, District of Columbia, and territories of the United States, the role of an attorney general is to serve as counselor to state government agencies and legislatures, and as a representative of the public interest.

What is the People's Lawyer podcast?

The People’s Lawyer is a biweekly podcast from NAAG that explores the role of state and territory attorneys general as chief legal officers and their work protecting the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution.

Why is the Maine governor suing the attorney general?

In Maine, the state’s governor is suing its attorney general for refusing to represent him in federal lawsuits. In Louisiana, the state attorney general has sued the governor over a four-million-dollar funding dispute.

Why did Governor Raimondo ask for the 38 Studios?

Governor Raimondo—along with other Rhode Island political leaders—nevertheless asked the court to order the release of the 38 Studios materials based on the “profound and sustained public interest in [the deal’s] underlying circumstances and consequences.”. This request was not unprecedented.

Do state governors and attorneys general clash?

When State Governors and Attorneys General Clash. State governors and attorneys general typically find themselves on the same side of the law. Nonetheless, an overwhelming majority of states directly elect their attorneys general. This framework creates a natural opportunity for conflicts to erupt, particularly when officials act to protect ...

Did the Governor's petition satisfy the grand jury?

The Court held that the Governor’s petition did not satisfy any of the exceptions governing the release of grand jury materials provided by Rhode Island law.

Will the governor appeal the Rhode Island case?

The Governor has not stated whether she will appeal the decision. The Rhode Island General Assembly is in any event poised to consider legislation that would deem any record created by the State Police or Attorney General’s Office related to the investigation a public record.