Unlike any other state, Tennessee’s AG is appointed by the justices of the Tennessee Supreme Court for a term of eight years. The attorney general "[sees] that the laws of the State are uniformly and adequately enforced" and prosecutes violations of state law through the California … "Any civil office under this State" refers to an office created by civil law within one of the three branches of government. State AGs are elected in 43 states and D.C. The Attorney General of Tennessee is an appointed position in the Tennessee state government. They advise and represent their legislature and state agencies and act as the “People’s Lawyer” for the citizens. Many of these states once had attorney generals appointed by either the governor or legislature, but abandoned this system, largely in the 19th century, in favor of direct elections. Jason grew up on a farm where he helped raise hogs, cows, and calves. State's attorney definition is - a legal officer (such as a district attorney) appointed or elected to represent a state in court proceedings within a district —called also state attorney. Indiana Chamber of Commerce leaders said they support making the Indiana attorney general an appointed position rather than an elected one, … Kamala D. Harris, 32nd Attorney General After attending public schools, Kamala's strong commitment to justice and public service led her to Howard University, America’s oldest historically black university, and then to the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Since the 1865 constitution, the attorney general has been elected. State attorneys general are directly elected in 43 states. The chief law enforcement officer of the United States or of a state government, typically serving in an Executive Branch position. Ten states held attorney general elections in 2020: Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia.. No attorney general offices changed partisan control as a result of the 2020 elections. 180 attorneys and over 500 professional and support personnel assist the Attorney General in fulfilling the responsibilities of the office. Those who are elected can conduct independent probes of … No Senator or Representative shall, during the term for which he shall have been elected, be appointed or elected to any civil office under this State. U.S. attorney generals should be elected, not appointed. Attorney generals are elected in 45 state systems across the country. The current officeholder is Republican Herbert H. Slatery. 5236,10/20/1977). Under the Utah Constitution, the attorney general is the legal counsel for the governor and all state agencies. Under the state’s constitution, in 1845, the Texas Attorney General was appointed by the governor; however, the office was made elective in 1850 via a constitutional amendment. Because of this, there is no formula for which position is elected and which position is appointed. CONSTITUTION OF MARYLAND ARTICLE V ATTORNEY-GENERAL AND STATE'S ATTORNEYS. 1. Missouri’s first constitution (1820) provided for an appointed attorney general. If there is any office that necessitates neutrality, it is the attorney general. [Note: The terms "State's Attorney," "circuit attorney," and "prosecuting attorney" were used interchangeably in statutes enacted prior to the adoption of the 1870 Constitution to refer to attorneys appointed or elected on the circuit level to exercise prescribed representational responsibilities. In most jurisdictions, the attorney general's office handles high-profile criminal cases; consumer and environmental protection issues; civil cases filed against the state, country or government entity; major crimes; and crimes sprees spanning across multiple counties or states. ... Bill to make changes to Wyoming Attorney General’s position. The individual represents the government in litigation and serves as the principal advisor to government officials and agencies in legal matters. Art. The guide includes information on AGs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States Territories and Commonwealth, including a photo and website address, year first elected or appointed, political party affiliation, leadership positions, and brief background summaries. Civic Nebraska maintains that all county election commissioners, including those in the state's most populous counties, should be accountable to the voters and be elected directly in accordance with the Nebraska Constitution. Appointed or elected? Attorneys General have been elected … The attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer and lawyer for the state.. Tennessee is unique in that the attorney general is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court, rather than by the governor.. Current officeholder. Although the state does initially outline who is elected and who is appointed, local and municipal governments may change this if they bring the question to the voters. Only five are appointed by governors. AR Const. Most are elected, though a few are appointed by the governor. Until 1950, the attorney general was appointed by the governor. Jason Ravnsborg was elected in 2018 and on January 5, 2019, was sworn in as the 31st Attorney General of South Dakota. From 1823 to 1846, the Attorney General was elected by the New York State Legislature for a three-year term. SEC. Attorney General; State's Attorneys. Of the remaining seven, six are appointed by the governor or the state legislature. That would instill more independence for the nation’s top law enforcer without being politically beholden to a chief executive. Personally or through deputy attorneys general, […] 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. 5, § 10. Assistant Professor Jed Handelsman Shugerman provides historical perspective on judicial elections and other methods of judicial selection in his new book, “The People’s Courts: Pursuing Judicial Independence in America” (Harvard, 2012).

Attorneys general are the top legal officers of their state or territory. Select your state to connect to your state attorney general's … Attorney generals are elected in 45 state systems across the country. The attorney general’s office was created in 1806 when Missouri was part of the Louisiana Territory. The Attorney General is the chief legal officer and chief law enforcement officer of the State of Hawaii. Roles and Responsibilities. Members of the Utah Constitution Revision Commission are looking at the possibility of making the state attorney general an appointed office instead of an elected one. Attorney-General. An elected state attorney general can make politically motivated decisions – particularly if they seek to use the office as a stepping stone to become a governor or senator. The last time a California governor chose a new attorney general, Donald Trump had just been elected president.As Democrats geared up to make California the “Resistance State,” newly appointed state attorney general Xavier Becerra quickly went to work suing the Trump administration. State law determines whether a local government employee's position is elected or appointed. In Wyoming, ... AG Hill served as Director of the Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments, a position she was appointed to by Governor Matt Mead (R). In general, State's Attorneys are elected by the people they represent. The Attorney General is appointed by the Governor. attorney general, the state's chief legal officer, is one of the six popularly elected executive officers provided for in the Georgia Constitution in addition to the governor and lieutenant governor.Elections for attorneys general are held at the same time as gubernatorial elections. Eight incumbents won re-election, one incumbent did not run for re-election, and one incumbent was defeated in a party convention. FAQs on the county election commissioner issue. Inasmuch as the office of Attorney General has common law powers as the chief law enforcement officer of the State, he may exercise the powers of a peace officer and may appoint special agents having this status to assist him in enforcing his powers and carrying out his functions (AG Opinion No. KGWN • … Welcome to Cozen O'Connor’s 2020 Guide to State Attorneys General (AGs). He serves as the chief law enforcement officer and legal advisor for the State. South Dakota Attorney General Office, 2015 S.D. The attorney general is elected to a four-year term. Attorney General of South Dakota. The Texas Attorney General is elected to a four-year term, but the individual elected may be re-elected to serve additional terms. The attorneys general of the Republic of Texas and the first four attorneys general under the 1845 state constitution were appointed by the governor. During this time, state's attorneys were popularly elected for four-year terms in each of the multi-county judicial circuits. Interestingly, from 1848 until 1867, Illinois functioned without an elected or appointed attorney general and the state's attorneys served as the sole prosecuting authority in the state. STATE OF TEXAS JOHN CORNYN October 22, 1999 Ms. Raymie Kana Colorado County Auditor 400 Spring Street, Third Floor Columbus, Texas 78934 Opinion No. In 1693, the Attorney General earned a salary of 50 pounds. OFPKE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. A deputy attorney general serves under the state or U.S. attorney general, who is either elected or appointed. State lawmakers held a lively discussion Wednesday over whether the attorney general in Utah should be appointed or elected. You asked how many states elect their chief prosecutors. According to a report published in the May 2002 U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, 47 states elect their chief prosecutors and three (Alaska, Connecticut, and New Jersey) appoint them. Today, about 90 percent of state judges must run for office, and the elections have become increasingly expensive and nasty. It is an issue that deserves some serious study. The Attorney General of California is the chief law officer of California and the state's primary legal counsel. Attorney General. From 1777 to 1822, the Attorney General was appointed by the Council of Appointment. 31, 864 N.W.2d 299. The office was made elective in 1850 by constitutional amendment. The attorney general is the attorney for the state. JC-0131 Re: Authority of a county official to close office for all or part of a day, and related questions (RQ-0068-JC) Dear Ms. Kana: