who is virginias attorney general

by Alysa Bruen 9 min read

Who is the current Attorney General of Virginia?

Republican Jason Miyares defeated Democratic incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring in Virginia on Tuesday. Polls in Virginia closed at 7 p.m. ET. Miyares has served as a Republican member of Virginia's House of Delegates, which encompasses part of Virginia Beach, since 2016.

Does Attorney General have to be an attorney?

The Attorney General invariably has been, but is not legally required to be, a lawyer. The Constitution is silent as to his or her qualifications, and 28 U.S.C. 503 provides simply, “The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, an Attorney General of the United States.

Who won VA Attorney General?

Republican Jason Miyares has been elected Virginia’s attorney general. Miyares defeated two-term incumbent Mark Herring.

Does Attorney General have to be appointed?

The Attorney-General is usually a member of the Federal Cabinet, but need not be. Under the Constitution, they are appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister, and serve at the Governor-General's pleasure. In practice, the Attorney-General is a party politician and their tenure is determined by political factors.

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Who is the Attorney General of Virginia?

Mark Herring became the 48th Attorney General of Virginia on January 11, 2014. He is working to keep Virginia families safe in their communities and neighborhoods, promote justice, equality, and opportunity for all Virginians, and provide legal services to the people of Virginia and their government.

How much has Attorney General Herring won?

Attorney General Herring’s Consumer Protection section has won more than $100 million in debt relief for veterans and military families who were targeted by shady businesses. He has recovered millions from banks and mortgage companies who he believes took advantage of Virginians.

How often is the Attorney General of Virginia elected?

The Attorney General of Virginia is elected every four years at the same time the governor is elected. These elections take place one year after the presidential elections. In Virginia, 2021, 2025, 2029, and 2033 are all election years for the attorney general.

Who was the last Republican attorney general in Virginia?

The last Republican attorney general in Virginia was Ken Cuccinelli, who served from 2010 to 2014. Cuccinelli’s election in 2009, along with that year’s election of former Governor Bob McDonnell (R), was the last time a Republican candidate won statewide office in Virginia.

What percentage of the vote did Virginia get in 2016?

In the 2016 presidential election, Virginia was a battleground state. Hillary Clinton (D) won Virginia with 49.7 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 44.4 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Virginia voted Democratic 56.67 percent of the time and Republican 43.33 percent of the time.

How many terms has the Attorney General of Virginia served?

A Virginia attorney general has not served three consecutive terms since 1945 when Abram Penn Staples (D) was elected for the third time. The Attorney General of Virginia is a publicly elected executive official in the Virginia state government.

What does the Attorney General do?

The attorney general provides legal advice and representation for all state agencies. The attorney general also provides written legal advice in the form of official opinions to members of the Virginia General Assembly and other government officials. This page focuses on Virginia's general election for attorney general.

Who won the 2013 Virginia election?

To view the full electoral history for Attorney General of Virginia, click to expand the full section. Incumbent Mark Herring (D) defeated John Adams (R) in the election for Attorney General of Virginia. On November 5, 2013, Mark Herring won election to the office of Attorney General of Virginia.

Who is the delegate for District 82 in Virginia?

Miyares has served as state delegate representing District 82 in the Virginia House of Delegates since 2016. During the primary, Herring was endorsed by Reps. Gerry Connolly (D) and Don Beyer (D) and The Washington Post.

Who was the attorney general for James Fields?

Attorney General Mark R. Herring and his team have successfully defended the convictions of James Fields, who was convicted of running his car into a group of pedestrians during the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville killing one and injuring others.

Who signed the Victims of Crime Act?

Today, Attorney General Mark Herring joined President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, members of Congress, victims’ advocates, and others at the White House for the signing of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).

Who was the attorney general of West Virginia?

The attorney general was John Randolph Tucker. The other, as one of the United States of America and known initially as the Restored government of Virginia, met first at Wheeling (until West Virginia became a state in 1863) and then at Alexandria, where a new constitution was written in 1864.

How long does an attorney general serve?

Beginning with the Constitution of 1851, the voters elect the attorneys general for four-year terms. Attorneys general are eligible for reelection. Should the office become vacant, the General Assembly, if in session, is empowered to elect an attorney general to serve until the next general election; otherwise, the governor appoints a replacement to serve until the next session of the General Assembly or the next general election, whichever occurs first. The only exception was in the period 1865–1870, during Reconstruction (1865–1877), when the commanding general of the military district of Virginia appointed and dismissed the attorney general.

How many states did Virginia have during the Civil War?

Attorneys General during the Civil War. During the American Civil War (1861–1865), Virginia had two state governments. The state officials in office at the time of Virginia’s secession in 1861 continued to act in Richmond under the Constitution of 1851 and as one of the Confederate States of America. That government ceased to function in May 1865.

How long was Virginia without an executive?

Until the General Assembly in 1956 remedied the discrepancy, with the voters’ later approval of a constitutional amendment to take effect in 1958, Virginia was without an executive administration for approximately half a day each inaugural year.

When was the attorney general dismissed?

The only exception was in the period 1865–1870, during Reconstruction (1865–1877), when the commanding general of the military district of Virginia appointed and dismissed the attorney general.

When was Virginia self-governing?

Records are sparse for the period 1652–1660, during the Interregnum, when Virginia was virtually self-governing. For these years under the Commonwealth of England, there appears to have been no incumbent attorney general.

Who was the governor of Orange County in 1877?

Died in office. James Gavin Field (1826–1902), from Orange County, appointed by Governor James Lawson Kemper August 29, 1877, to fill an unexpired term, subsequently elected by the voters, and served until January 1, 1882, Conservative.

Who is the Attorney General of Virginia?

Attorney General Mark R. Herring recognizes that nothing is more important than the safety of our children. That’s why he has made Virginia a national leader in the use of innovative technology to protect children and catch perpetrators, and led a bipartisan effort to expand the reach of Virginia’s efforts. He and his team have helped put hundreds of child predators behind bars through aggressive prosecutions and digital forensics work.

How many terms has the Attorney General of Virginia served?

A Virginia attorney general has not served three consecutive terms since 1945 when Abram Penn Staples (D) was elected for the third time. The Attorney General of Virginia is a publicly elected executive official in the Virginia state government.

What is the role of Attorney General Herring in the Virginia patent litigation?

Attorney General Herring and his team have worked on legislation to help Virginia prepare for the growing “sharing economy,” and to combat “patent trolls” that force Virginia businesses into expensive litigation over bad-faith claims of patent infringement.

What is the Attorney General's Five Point Plan?

Attorney General Herring launched an unprecedented five-point plan to address the crisis which includes legislation, education, prevention, enforcement, and collaboration. He was recognized with the “Bronze Key Award” from the McShin Foundation for his commitment and effectiveness in addressing substance abuse.

What is the role of Attorney General Herring?

Attorney General Herring has brought together law enforcement, community leaders, the faith community, and others to find common ground, identify solutions, and ensure the safety of our communities and the equal and fair treatment of all our citizens. He and his team led an ambitious 21st century policing training initiative that helped hundreds of officers receive training on critical skills like implicit bias control, de-escalation, and crisis intervention training. He has also advocated for policing reforms that will reduce brutality and abuses of power by law enforcement, increase transparency, accountability, justice, and equality. These include enabling the Attorney General to conduct “patterns or practice” investigations; making it easier to remove bad officers from the law enforcement profession; creating a “duty to intervene” for law enforcement officers; modernizing, standardizing, and elevating the rigor of police training; among others.

What does the Attorney General do?

The attorney general provides legal advice and representation for all state agencies. The attorney general also provides written legal advice in the form of official opinions to members of the Virginia General Assembly and other government officials. This page focuses on Virginia's Democratic attorney general primary.

When was the Civil Rights Division created in Virginia?

Jones called for the creation of a Civil Rights Division within the Virginia attorney general's office. After Herring created one in February 2021, Jones said he wanted to ensure the division was working in the interest of Virginians.

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