Attorney General of California
The attorney general of California is the state attorney general of the Government of California. The officer's duty is to ensure that "the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced" (Constitution of California, Article V, Section 13). The California attorney general carries out the responsibilities of the office through the California Department of Justice. The department employs over 1,100 attorneys and 3,700 non-attorney employees.[citation needed]
| Attorney General of California | |
|---|---|
Seal of the attorney general of California | |
| Department of Justice | |
| Style | The Honorable |
| Term length | Four years, two term limit |
| Inaugural holder | Edward J. C. Kewen 1849 |
| Formation | California Constitution |
| Salary | $151,127 |
| Website | oag |
The California attorney general is elected to a four-year term, with a maximum of two terms. The election is held at the same statewide election as the governor, lieutenant governor, controller, secretary of state, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, and insurance commissioner. A few individual attorneys general have gone on to higher offices on the state and federal level, including the offices of governor, United States Senator, chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, and vice president of the United States.
On March 24, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he would be appointing Rob Bonta as attorney general to succeed Xavier Becerra, who resigned the position to become Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden. Bonta's appointment was subject to confirmation by both houses of the California State Legislature, and he was sworn in on April 23, 2021.[1][2][3]
Duties
According to the state Constitution, the Code of Civil Procedure, and the Government Code, the attorney general:
- As the state's chief law officer, ensures that the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced.[4]
- Heads the Department of Justice, which is responsible for providing state legal services and support for local law enforcement.[5]
- Acts as the chief counsel in state litigation.[6]
- Oversees law enforcement agencies, including district attorneys and sheriffs.[4]
History
Although the office of attorney general dates to the admission of California to the Union, the office in its modern form dates to Proposition 4 of 1934,[7] sponsored by Alameda County District Attorney Earl Warren as one of four initiatives he sponsored to substantially reform law enforcement and the judiciary. Previously, the attorney general lacked jurisdiction over matters in the jurisdiction of locally elected district attorneys and sheriffs.[8] Warren went on to become attorney general himself in 1938, reorganizing's the state's law enforcement into districts.
Diversity
- Stanley Mosk was the first adherent of Judaism to hold the office.[9]
- George Deukmejian was the first Armenian American to hold the office.
- Kamala Harris was the first woman, the first Asian American, and the first African American to hold the office.[10]
- Xavier Becerra was the first Latino to hold the office.[11]
- Rob Bonta is the first Filipino American to hold the office.[12]
List of attorneys general of California
| No. | Portrait | Name | Party | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edward J. C. Kewen | Democratic | 1849 – 1850 | ||
| 2 | James A. McDougall | Democratic | 1850 – 1851 | ||
| 3 | Serranus C. Hastings | Democratic | January 5, 1852 – January 2, 1854 | ||
| 4 | John R. McConnell | Democratic | 1854 – 1856 | ||
| 5 | William M. Stewart | Democratic | June 7, 1853 – December 1853 (acting) | ||
| 6 | William T. Wallace | American | January 1856 – January 1858 | ||
| 7 | Thomas H. Williams | Democratic | 1858 – 1862 | ||
| 8 | Frank M. Pixley | Republican | 1862 – 1863 | ||
| 9 | John G. McCullough | Republican | 1863 – 1867 | ||
| 10 | Jo Hamilton | Democratic | December 5, 1867 – December 8, 1871 | ||
| 11 | John L. Love | Republican | 1871 – 1875 | ||
| 12 | Jo Hamilton | Democratic | December 9, 1875 – January 8, 1880 | ||
| 13 | Augustus L. Hart | Republican | January 8, 1880 – January 10, 1883 | ||
| 14 | Edward C. Marshall | Democratic | January 10, 1883 – January 8, 1887 | ||
| 15 | George A. Johnson | Democratic | January 8, 1887 – January 8, 1891 | ||
| 16 | William H. H. Hart | Republican | January 8, 1891 – January 11, 1895 | ||
| 17 | William F. Fitzgerald | Republican | January 7, 1895 – January 2, 1899 | ||
| 18 | Tirey L. Ford | Republican | January 4, 1899 – September 14, 1902 | ||
| 19 | Ulysses S. Webb | Republican | September 15, 1902 – January 3, 1939 | ||
| 20 | Earl Warren | Republican | January 3, 1939 – January 4, 1943 | ||
| 21 | Robert W. Kenny | Democratic | January 4, 1943 – January 5, 1947 | ||
| 22 | Frederick N. Howser | Republican | January 5, 1947 – January 8, 1951 | ||
| 23 | Pat Brown | Democratic | January 8, 1951 – January 5, 1959 | ||
| 24 | Stanley Mosk | Democratic | January 5, 1959 – August 31, 1964 | ||
| 25 | Thomas C. Lynch | Democratic | August 31, 1964 – January 4, 1971 | ||
| 26 | Evelle J. Younger | Republican | January 4, 1971 – January 8, 1979 | ||
| 27 | George Deukmejian | Republican | January 8, 1979 – January 3, 1983 | ||
| 28 | John Van de Kamp | Democratic | January 3, 1983 – January 7, 1991 | ||
| 29 | Dan Lungren | Republican | January 7, 1991 – January 4, 1999 | ||
| 30 | Bill Lockyer | Democratic | January 4, 1999 – January 8, 2007 | ||
| 31 | Jerry Brown | Democratic | January 8, 2007 – January 3, 2011 | ||
| 32 | Kamala Harris | Democratic | January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017 | ||
| 33 | Xavier Becerra | Democratic | January 24, 2017 – March 18, 2021 | ||
| 34 | Rob Bonta | Democratic | April 23, 2021 – Incumbent | ||
- Major other offices held
- Xavier Becerra (2017–2021) – 25th Secretary of Health and Human Services (2021–present)
- Jerry Brown (2007–2011) – 34th and 39th Governor of California (1975–1983; 2011–2019)
- Pat Brown (1951–1959) – 32nd Governor of California (1959–1967)
- George Deukmejian (1979–1983) – 35th Governor of California (1983–1991)
- William F. Fitzgerald (1895–1899) – Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court (1893–1895); Associate Justice of the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court (1884–1885)
- Kamala Harris (2011–2017) – 49th Vice President of the United States (2021–present); U.S. Senator from California (2017–2021)
- S. Clinton Hastings (1852–1854) – 1st Chief Justice of California (1849–1851); 3rd Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court (1848–1849)
- Bill Lockyer (1999–2007) – 32nd California State Treasurer (2007–2015); 46th President pro tempore of the California State Senate (1994–1998)
- John G. McCullough (1863–1867) – 49th Governor of Vermont (1902–1904)
- James A. McDougall (1850–1851) – U.S. Senator from California (1861–1867); 14th Illinois Attorney General (1843–1846)
- Stanley Mosk (1959–1964) – Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court (1964–2001)
- William T. Wallace (1856–1858) – 12th Chief Justice of California (1872–1879); Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court (1871–1872)
- Earl Warren (1939–1943) – 14th Chief Justice of the United States (1953–1969); 30th Governor of California (1943–1953)
- Ulysses S. Webb (1902–1939) – longest serving at 37 years
References
- ^ "Rob Bonta, Bay Area Democratic lawmaker, appointed California attorney general". Los Angeles Times. March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ Hubler, Shawn (March 24, 2021). "Rob Bonta, an Asian-American Progressive, Is Named Attorney General in California". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ "Attorney General Rob Bonta". State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General. December 21, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ^ a b California Constitution, Article V, Section 13 January 8, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ California Government Code §15000
- ^ California Code of Civil Procedure §401
- ^ "History of Initiative and Referendum in California". Retrieved September 10, 2018.
- ^ "Proposition 4 (1934)". Propositions. January 1934.
- ^ Thurber, Jon; Dolan, Maura (June 20, 2001). "Stanley Mosk, State's Senior Justice, Dies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
- ^ Dick, Jason (August 12, 2020). "'It's just history': Kamala Harris as the VP nominee". CQ Roll Call. FiscalNote. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
- ^ "Attorney General Xavier Becerra". Office of the Attorney General. State of California Department of Justice. December 21, 2010. from the original on March 23, 2019. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
- ^ "Governor Newsom Swears in Rob Bonta as Attorney General of California". Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. April 23, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
External links
- Official website
- California Attorney General articles at ABA Journal
- News and Commentary at FindLaw