who works under the state attorney general

How are state attorneys general chosen?

State Attorneys 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.

What services does the Attorney General's Office offer?

 · Just as every state has a governor who oversees the state government, each state also has an attorney general (AG) who is its top legal authority. It …

What does the Office of the Deputy Attorney General do?

The attorney general is an executive office in all 50 states 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. In most states, the attorney general has a substantial influence on …

How does a state attorney work in the US?

About the AG. About 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, preserving California's spectacular …

What are the 5 divisions of the office for the attorney general of the state of Delaware?

DivisionsCivil.Civil Rights & Public Trust.Criminal.Family.Fraud & Consumer Protection.

Does the attorney general work in state or local government?

The office of attorney general exists in all 50 U.S. states. The primary job of a state attorney general is to serve as chief legal adviser to the agencies and legislative organs that make up his or her state's government, in addition to the citizens residing within the state.

Is attorney general a political position?

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 the highest law officer?

Attorney General is the highest law officer in the country. 2. Attorney General is appointed by the President of India.

Who has more power governor or Attorney General?

The vast majority of state attorneys general are elected separately from the governor, which means they're free to make their own decisions about which cases to prosecute. Governors can try to influence them informally—and in most cases, their interests line up—but they have no formal power over the AGs.

What is the job of Attorney General?

Being the highest law officer of the country, it is the duty of the attorney general to advise the government on legal matters that are referred to him by the president. He is also duty-bound to undertake any responsibilities of duties of legal character that are assigned to him by the president.

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.

What is the difference between chief justice and Attorney General?

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.

How do you become a state attorney?

To become a district attorney, legal education, a membership in any state bar council and state licensure as an attorney is required. 10+2 or its equivalent and any degree from a recognized university are the minimum qualifications required for joining 5 year LLB course and 3 year LLB course respectively.

Who is the highest state officer?

Advocate General of the State is the highest law officer in the state. The Constitution of India (Article 165) has provided for the office of the Advocate General for the states. Also, he corresponds to the Attorney General of India.

Who is the highest official of the state?

The Correct Answer is Option 3 i.e President.President is the head of the state and is the highest formal authority in the country. ... Prime Minister is the head of the government and actually exercises all governmental powers.More items...

Who is bigger Attorney General or Solicitor General?

The Solicitor General of India is subordinate to the Attorney General for India. They are the second law officer of the country, assists the Attorney General, and is assisted by Additional Solicitors General for India.

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 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 ...

Who is the chief legal advisor of the state government?

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.

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.

What is the job of the Attorney General?

Each state's attorney general is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the laws, as well as the ability to pass new legislation. The state attorney general also has the higher purpose of protecting the people of the state and their interests. Attorney general duties include providing consumer protections from fraud, scams and dangerous products, people and situations, protection of the state's resources by upholding state and federal environmental laws, oversight or direct involvement in criminal court cases and appeals, enforcement of judgments, such as child support and victim's programs, and formal opinions to state and federal agencies.

How many states have an attorney general?

There are only 50 U.S. states, and one attorney general in each. So, the opportunities to become a state attorney general are finite and limited. If you aspire to become one, start by going to law school. Practice law for a number of years, then try to become an assistant state attorney general first. It's a good way to learn on the job.

How long does it take to get a law degree?

Then, prospective lawyers take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and apply to law schools. Finishing law school generally takes three years. Some states have minimum age requirements for their AGs, while others do not.

How long can an AG serve?

Many states set limits on how many years their AG can serve, with the norm being a maximum of eight years. Only Virginia does not set a limit on how long their AG can serve.

Do all state AGs have a law degree?

State AGs are usually lawyers who typically have trial experience, either as prosecutors or in private practice. By law, though, 19 states do not have provisions mandating that their AG must have a law degree. Nevertheless, all of the AGs in those states do have law degrees and experience as a lawyer.

How many times does the Attorney General meet with the Attorney General?

The attorney general of each state also attends meetings where all the state attorneys convene, such as those of the National Association of Attorneys General, usually two to three times each year. They discuss issues relevant to all the attorneys general and listen to speakers talk about selected topics.

Can an AG handle all of the judicial divisions?

Of course, a state AG can't handle all of these tasks single-handedly. AGs rely on the heads of different divisions within the state's judicial system. These typically include civil, criminal, fraud and family divisions, in addition to the executive office and possibly other divisions depending on the state. The attorney general of each state also ...

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

What is the job of an attorney general?

The attorney general is the chief legal representative for the state and serves as general counsel for most of the state’s government agencies. Each state’s attorney general manages all legal representation of the state in civil and criminal matters on a state and federal level. Most attorneys general manage specific assistance programs ...

What is the responsibility of the Attorney General?

These efforts include narcotics investigations as well as many other criminal investigations that cross enforcement areas. Managing the data associated with these investigations is also the responsibility of the attorney general’s office.

Who represents the state in a civil case?

Any time the state or a state agency is sued, the state’s attorney general represents the state or its agency in the case. These cases might be criminal or civil, depending upon the issue in the suit. In certain states, the state’s attorney general is responsible for representing the state penal system in an appeal to a federal court.

Who is the head of the state's legal office?

R. Kimball. The State's Attorney General is the head of the state's legal office and is responsible for enforcing the law. A state’s attorney general is responsible for enforcing the law in the state where he or she was elected.

Who manages child support?

The state’s attorney general manages the child support process in some states. The office may run programs specifically to increase public safety or reduce unfair or fraudulent activities. In some states, this office is the guardian of the state’s natural resources through law enforcement.

What is the Attorney General's Office looking into?

In addition to investigating criminal operations, the attorney general’s office looks into scams targeting seniors, violations of the state’s clean air and water laws and evaluates whether mergers break antitrust laws. On April 26, voters in both parties will have a choice for attorney general. Do the voters prefer a candidate with political ...

What does the Attorney General do?

The attorney general’s office investigates crimes or schemes that span multiple counties. It also works with federal investigators on cases that span multiple states.

Who is the chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners?

Shapiro is the chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and was appointed to be the chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency [PCCD] by Gov. Tom Wolf about a year ago.

What does the Criminal Division do?

The criminal division investigates drug trafficking, child predators (more than 150 were arrested each of the past two years), organized crime and public corruption, according to the office’s 2015 annual report.

Who is Joe Peters?

Republican candidate Joe Peters was a Scranton police officer, an organized crime and drug prosecutor in the attorney general's office for 15 years, a federal mafia prosecutor and oversaw a White House drug trafficking program. He most recently served as Kathleen Kane’s spokesman for about eight months in 2013 and 2014.

What did Preate feel about being a district attorney?

While Preate talked highly of being a district attorney, he felt that leadership experience was attainable from many places.

Who has the final word in a case?

Major cases and important decisions get pushed up the chain of command for the attorney general to have the final word.

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.

What is the role of a public advocate?

Issuing formal opinions to state agencies. Acting as public advocates in areas such as child support enforcement, consumer protections, antitrust and utility regulation. Proposing legislation. Enforcing federal and state environmental laws. Representing the state and state agencies before the state and federal courts.

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 ...

What is the job of a state attorney?

A State's Attorney, along with a phalanx of Assistant State's Attorneys, prosecutes criminal and civil cases for the people.

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 grand jury?

Grand juries are independent groups of citizens charged with reviewing evidence to determine if there'sprobable cause to proceed with an indictment on criminal charges.Feder al criminal prosecutions require a grand jury to find probable cause to return an indictment.

Who is the debt collector for local government?

The State's Attorney can be the debt collector for local government, especially when it comes to property taxes and bankruptcy issues.The office also offers legal advice and representation for local government human service agencies when it comes to child protection and welfare, child support, and adult services, including civil commitment hearings, welfare assistance and vulnerable adult issues.

What happens if a defendant is found guilty?

If the defendant is found guilty, the State's Attorney recommends a sentence for the judge to determine and may have to argue the case again in an appeal to a higher court.

Who decides the verdict in a trial?

Either a judge or a jury may decide the verdict on how well the State's Attorney proved the case. During the trial, the State's Attorney may make opening and closing statements, offer evidence, question witnesses and challenge the defense attorney's legal actions.

What is the Office of the Attorney General?

The mission of the Office of the Attorney General is to supervise and direct the administration and operation of the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Bureau of Prisons, Office of Justice Programs, and the U.S. Attorney s and U.S. Marshals Service , which are all within the Department of Justice.

Who has jurisdiction to review the programs and personnel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation?

The OIG has jurisdiction to review the programs and personnel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Attorneys, and all other organizations in the Department.

What is the largest law office in the world?

The Department of Justice is the world's largest law office, employing more than 9,200 attorneys. OARM exercises delegated authority to take final action in matters pertaining to the employment, separation and general administration of Department attorneys and law students in grades GS-15 (or equivalent) and below: it recruits, appoints, and determines their suitability for employment. OARM is also the Department's adjudicative office in FBI Whistleblower cases.

What is the role of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention?

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides national leadership, coordination, and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization. OJJDP supports states and communities in their efforts to develop and implement effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs and to improve the juvenile justice system so that it protects public safety, holds offenders accountable, and provides treatment and rehabilitative services tailored to the needs of juveniles and their families.

What is the Office of Tribal Justice?

The Office of Tribal Justice is the primary point of contact for the Department of Justice with federally recognized Native American tribes, and advises the Department on legal and policy matters pertaining to Native Americans.

When did the Justice Department launch the new initiative?

In June 2009, the Justice Department announced the launch of a major new initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.