Every state has its own attorney general, and there is also an attorney general that represents the entire country. Attorney generals are sort of like the government’s own lawyers. They represent the government on cases regarding them and also work with the governor/president by advising them.
The office of the attorney general can act on behalf of its state and bring down drug rings, investigate public corruption and represent its state in cases. In addition to these, the attorney general is also responsible for overseeing the investigation of scams targeting seniors, and violations of the state’s clean water and air acts.
What happens in the Attorney General’s office?
The attorney general does not represent the entire state or country on their own, they have a wide range of assistant attorney generals, lawyers, investigators, sworn peace officers, among other types of employees.
Most of the employees of the attorney general handle criminal cases and other cases, so the attorney general rarely appears in court. They will, however, often make important decisions regarding cases and regularly assist in local and federal investigations.
The attorney general’s office also assists with legal counsel to state officers, state agencies, boards, and commissions. The office also helps district attorneys, criminal justice agencies, and local law enforcement.
History of the Attorney General
The Judiciary Act of 1789, passed by Congress, established the position of the Attorney General. The original purpose of the attorney general was to solely represent the United States in the supreme court and give advice upon questions of the law.
It didn’t take long for this job to require more than one person to meet its needs. The attorney general became the office of the attorney general, where many people would work under the attorney general.
It wouldn’t be until 1870, however, that the Department of Justice was established, which further supported the attorney general with their responsibilities.
How to become an Attorney General
Becoming an attorney general is no small feat, and requires years of education and experience to even qualify for the role. On top of this, you will most likely need to have won several local elections to have built a name for yourself.
The office of the Attorney General is an elected position, and so you will need to be well versed in politics and be level-headed. In addition to this, you will need several years of experience practicing law. There are lists of legal requirements that must be met before becoming an attorney general, and they can be found here.
Elections take place every four years, with the next set of elections taking place in 2022 for many state attorney generals in America. The one exception is the United States Attorney General, who is appointed by the President.
Conclusion
The office of the attorney general represents the government by which it has been appointed. There are state attorney generals and a U.S attorney general. They represent their government in legal cases and provide legal counsel.
Many attorney generals have a whole team of legal professionals working under them to complete the tasks and responsibilities of the attorney general.