why would the state attorney general send me a letter

How do you write a letter to the state Attorney General?

Writing a Letter Find the Attorney General's contact information. Address the letter appropriately. Include your contact information. Start with an overview of the situation. Follow with a paragraph treating the details of the dispute. Describe how many people were affected. Describe steps you have taken. End with contact information.

How can I get the Attorney General involved in a case?

The Attorney General will most likely get involved if it is question of wide public concern. But, in writing a letter you might provide new evidence to a case the Attorney General is already building or inform him of an emerging problem. Register a protest. If you are upset with federal or state legal policy, you can send a letter of protest.

Why would an Attorneys General commence an investigation?

Attorneys general commence investigations for a wide variety of reasons. Perhaps they are seeking information about, or are investigating, your industry generally. Perhaps they are seeking information about a third-party with whom you do business.

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.

Why would you get a letter from the States Attorney?

A target letter is commonly used in white collar cases and it is a way for the federal government to notify you that you are a target of a criminal investigation. A target is defined by the United States Attorney's Office as someone against whom there is substantial evidence.

What does the US attorney general investigate?

AGs investigate and bring actions under their states' respective unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices laws (“UDAP laws”). UDAP laws tend to broadly prohibit “deceptive” or “unconscionable” acts against consumers.

Why am I getting a letter from Justice Department?

If you receive a target letter, you are not being charged with anything or under arrest. However, it's often an indication that the government will likely follow up with a civil or criminal charge. Target letters can be sent out at various stages of an ongoing investigation.

Why do prosecutors send letters?

When a federal prosecutor believes that you have committed a crime, they can send you a target letter. A target letter essentially notifies you that a criminal investigation focuses on you. Most often, prosecutors use target letters in white-collar cases.

Can my attorney go to court for me?

If you are a perpetrator of a misdemeanor, your attorney is allowed to appear in court for you. He/she may defend your rights without your presence on your behalf at all stages of your case.

How long does the state have to file charges in Florida?

Regardless of the severity of the charge, the state only has 175 days after an arrest to file charges, and that is found in Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.191. And, there are entire books written about Florida's speedy trial laws so we don't want to spark up a mini-series here to review that topic.

What is a Department of Justice letter?

The Department of Justice(DOJ) regularly produces letters of interpretation based on questions they receive from constituents. These technical assistance letters provide valuable information that helps in the interpretation of the ADA's regulations.

Why would the Indiana attorney general send me a letter?

The OAG may file charges against a professional's license based on any information obtained in the course of the investigation. Once an investigation is opened, a copy of the Consumer Complaint is sent to the license holder with an opening letter explaining the investigative process.

Is the DOJ in charge of the FBI?

Within the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI is responsible to the attorney general, and it reports its findings to U.S. Attorneys across the country. The FBI's intelligence activities are overseen by the Director of National Intelligence.

What's a target letter?

A target letter is the means by which the federal government informs individuals that they are targets for criminal prosecution. In the simplest terms, it means the federal prosecutor believes the recipient has committed a crime.

What is the Department of Justice responsible for?

United StatesUnited States Department of Justice / Jurisdiction

What does the Indiana attorney general do?

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is the state's chief legal officer. His office represents the state in cases involving the state's interest, provides legal defense to state officials or agencies in court, and gives formal legal advisory opinions on constitutional or legal questions to state officials.

Keith G Langer

It is odd that the AG's office would be calling, unless it was in response to your contacting it first. If that were the case, it would presumably have the current information, which you provided.

David M Owens

It may be related to employment or business that you did with a company they are investigating that they either want information about, or there was a settlement and they are trying to find you as a result. The AG's office does not prosecute individuals.

What is the purpose of a letter to the Attorney General?

The Attorney General is responsible for prosecuting violations of the law under their jurisdiction. Writing a letter to the Attorney General is a last recourse in most situations. The Attorney General is only likely to respond to questions that are of wide public significance. Large scale consumer fraud or protests over public policy are the most appropriate subjects for such a letter.

What does a letter from the Attorney General's Office mean?

Depending on your situation, the letter will let you know that the Attorney General's office is reviewing your complaint and working toward a resolution.

How to write a letter to a friend?

Start with an overview of the situation. Begin your letter with an introductory paragraph identifying yourself and stating your reasons for writing the letter. You will provide a brief introduction to the circumstances that prompted you to write your letter within this initial paragraph.

What to write in a complaint to the Attorney General?

Describe steps you have taken. If you have already complained to the company or reached out to other government agencies, you should make the Attorney General aware of this. It is important to indicate that the responsible party is aware of the situation. Also detail any other steps you plan to take in the future.

What should the address of the Attorney General of a State be?

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 to protest a federal law?

Register a protest. If you are upset with federal or state legal policy, you can send a letter of protest. When sending such a letter, you should make sure that you send it to the correct jurisdiction. For state issues, send the letter to the state Attorney General; for national issues send it to the US Attorney General.

How does wikihow mark an article as reader approved?

wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 90% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.

1 Obtain the name

Obtain the name of the current attorney general of your state; you don’t want to address your letter to the incorrect person, such as an assistant or a former attorney general of the state. This information is available on your state’s official government website.

2 Begin writing your letter

Begin writing your letter by addressing the attorney general of your state. Address your letter as follows:

What does it mean to mail a certified letter?

What I can tell you for certain: the mailing of the certified letter means that (a) the lawyer wants to make sure that you get the letter - or that you become aware that it was mailed to you; and (b) the lawyer wants to have proof that he mailed you the letter.

What is a waiver of a right?

A waiver in this instance is an agreement to give up a particular right. Often, but not always, the right to sue someone in particular. But not necessarily.

What is a waiver of a contract?

But not necessarily.#N#Generally, the right has to be give up in exchange for something of value for the agreement to be enforceable, as with any other contract.

Why is my father's will probated?

You are entitled to be notified by certified mail that your father's will is being probated because you would be entitled to inherit if there had not been a will. They sent you a waiver to try to save the cost of the certified mail. Since you didn't sign and return the waiver, they are sending the notice of probate of will to you by certified mail, ...

Do you have to sign a waiver in Ohio?

You should speak to an Ohio attorney, and I am not admitted in Ohio.#N#However, generally you may not have to sign a waiver, but it may be important to know exactly what the waiver states...

What is a target letter for an attorney?

Letters from the U.S. Attorney’s Office often include explanatory instructions for how the recipient should respond to the letter . Target letters will typically give information about how the targets may contact the Assistant U.S. Attorney assigned to their cases. Investigative letters usually contain instructions about how to properly respond to their production requests. Such directions may include the types of formats that electronic files may be produced in or how the files should be labeled. The instructions may also ask recipients to include a cover letter with their productions and explain what details are included in said cover letter. Most letters will include a section labeled “Definitions” that instructs the recipient about how to interpret keywords within the text of the requests.

Where to contact former state and federal prosecutors?

Attorney’s Office, you should contact the former state and federal prosecutors at Oberheiden, P.C. today. You can reach one of our senior attorneys seven days a week, including weekends. Oberheiden, P.C.

What do federal prosecutors do?

Usually, federal agents will handle investigative tasks, such as interviewing witnesses or executing search warrants, and then the United States Attorney’s Office will rely on those investigative efforts of the federal agents to build a case for trial.

Why do federal prosecutors resemble sharks?

Federal prosecutors sometimes resemble sharks, because they are frequently unwilling to abandon even fruitless investigations unless they draw some blood. Fortunately, we know how to handle these types–– in fact, many of our clients have been shocked to learn that their investigations have been closed with zero civil or criminal liability. Still, others have been pleasantly surprised when what was once an existential threat is transformed into a manageable inconvenience.

What is the federal law on subpoenas?

Federal law limits the types of requests that the U.S. Attorney’s Office can make and the scope of the documentation that it can request. Nevertheless, the requests contained in civil investigative demands and grand jury subpoenas often exceed the appropriate boundaries of what can be asked for.

What is a target letter?

Another type of letter that can be issued from the United States Attorney’s Office is a “target letter.”. Target letters inform the recipients that they are the target of a federal investigation, which means that the government intends to press civil or criminal charges against that person.

What do federal agents do?

Oftentimes, federal agents will handle investigative tasks, such as interviewing witnesses or executing search warrants, and then the United States Attorney’s Office will rely on those investigative efforts of the federal agents to build a case for trial.

How to deal with a state attorney general?

Your company should retain a lawyer who regularly assists companies in addressing issues with state attorneys general—preferably a lawyer with a very strong relationship with the specific attorney (or attorneys) general who issued the inquiry. Often, a former state attorney general will be best positioned to navigate the legal process with the office of a current state attorney general. The lawyer who helped your company negotiate a commercial lease for your office space or who defended a recent class action most likely does not have the skill set or the connections to ensure that your company is put in the most favorable light possible during the course of the attorney general’s investigation. You should also consider whether to let your industry association know about an inquiry from a state attorney general. Other companies may be receiving the same types of inquiries, and your industry association may already be coordinating a response.

What to do if you receive a letter of inquiry from the state attorney general?

If your company does receive a letter of inquiry from a state attorney general, you need to respond. Unlike some things in life, ignoring it will not make it go away. This is when it will have been really helpful to have previously established a relationship with the attorney general. If your company has that relationship, the attorney general may notify you before making the inquiry public so that your company will have the opportunity to resolve unfounded accusations quietly before any reputational damage is incurred.

What authority do state attorneys general have to launch investigations into the supplements industry?

As the New York DNA barcode testing investigation showed, state attorneys general have demonstrated that they can and will target the supplements industry, even in the absence of identifiable consumer harm.

What gives a state attorney general the authority to launch an investigation in the first place?

But, considering that federal regulators are already monitoring the supplements industry, what gives a state attorney general the authority to launch an investigation in the first place? State attorneys general derive their authority to regulate the supplements industry primarily from their state’s laws against unfair and deceptive acts and practices (the “UDAP” statutes), as well as each state’s Consumer Protection Act. State UDAP statutes prohibit unfair or deceptive acts and practices in consumer transactions. This somewhat nebulous and subjective standard allows for wide-ranging interpretations of what is unfair or deceptive, and state regulators often enforce this standard far more aggressively than the FTC enforces the analogous federal UDAP law. Your company should absolutely not assume that compliance with the federal UDAP law is sufficient to ensure compliance with all state UDAP statutes.

How to avoid being an investigatory target?

The easiest way to minimize your company’s chances of becoming an investigatory target is to reduce and resolve consumer complaints about your company’s products. If you make a quality product and you do not give consumers unreasonable expectations about the product by making misleading claims when advertising it, your customers will likely not file complaints. But when you do get a complaint, you need to take it seriously, even if you think the complaint has no merit. Chances are that other customers have the same complaint as the one that contacted you, and, if customers feel that your company is not doing anything to address their complaints, it is only a matter of time before someone will bring it to the state consumer protection division. Thus, you need to work with your customers to resolve any complaints that they may have.

How does an unfavorable story in the press affect the Attorney General?

An unfavorable story in the press is the second most common way for a company to become the target of a state Attorney General investigation. This avenue for becoming a target dovetails with the consumer complaints path in that a story about a consumer complaint is not likely to generate press coverage unless it indicates a broader pattern of complaints. Sometimes a news story can generate an attorney general investigation because, if a reporter asks the attorney general’s office what is being done about the issue in the news story, the attorney general will rarely want to respond, “nothing.”

Why are state attorneys general important?

State attorneys general are highly motivated to protect consumers and to do so visibly, as they are elected by popular vote in 43 states. For this reason, state attorneys general frequently have the incentive to go after the smaller actors in the supplements industry that may not be as much of a priority for federal regulators.