Attorney General of Virginia
| Virginia Attorney General | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| 2012 FY Budget: | $35,660,544 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Virginia Constitution, Article 5, Section 16 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder | |
 | |
| Name: | Ken Cuccinelli |
| Officeholder Party: | Republican |
| Assumed office: | January 16, 2010 |
| Compensation: | $150,000 |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 5, 2013 |
| Last election: | November 3, 2009 |
| Other Virginia Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
Contents |
Current officeholder
The current officeholder is Ken Cuccinelli. He was first elected in 2009, and in late 2012 announced he would run for Governor of Virginia in 2013.
Authority
The office of the Virginia Attorney General is established in Article 5, Section 16 of the state constitution.
Article X, Section Y:
| An Attorney General shall be elected by the qualified voters of the Commonwealth at the same time and for the same term as the Governor; and the fact of his election shall be ascertained in the same manner... |
Qualifications
Article V, Section 16 of the Virginia Constitution also establishes the qualifications of the office:
| ...No person shall be eligible for election or appointment to the office of Attorney General unless he is a citizen of the United States, has attained the age of thirty years, and has the qualifications required for a judge of a court of record... |
- U.S. citizen
- at least 30 years old
- is qualified to be a judge of a court of record in the state
Elections
The attorney general is elected every four years at the same time the governor is elected. These elections take place one year after the presidential elections. In Virginia, 2009, 2013 and 2017 are all election years for the attorney general.[1]
Term limits
According to the state constitution, "There shall be no limit on the terms of the Attorney General."[2]
Vacancies
In the event of a vacancy in the office, the governor shall fill the vacancy by appointment. The appointee shall hold office until the next general election.
Duties
The duties and powers of the office of the attorney general include:[3]
- Provide legal advice and representation to the Governor and executive agencies, state boards and commissions, and institutions of higher education. The advice commonly includes help with personnel issues, contracts, purchasing, regulatory and real estate matters and the review of proposed legislation. The Office also represents those agencies in court.
- Provide written legal advice in the form of official opinions to members of the General Assembly and government officials.
- Defend criminal convictions on appeal, and defend the state when prisoners sue concerning their incarceration.
- Defend the constitutionality of state laws when they are challenged in court.
- Enforce state laws that protect businesses and consumers when there are violations. Individual consumer complaints are usually handled by another agency.
- Represent consumers in utility matters before the State Corporation Commission.
- Collect debts owed to state agencies, hospitals and universities.
- Conduct or assist criminal investigations and prosecutions in certain limited cases (for example Medicaid fraud, money laundering, theft of state property, environmental crimes, and computer crimes).
- Represent the Department of Social Services in its efforts to collect child support on behalf of children and families.
- Supervise the appointment and payment of private attorneys hired by other state agencies for various matters.
- Assist victims of crime who are following criminal cases at the appellate level.
- Provide information to the public on Identity Theft prevention and remediation.
- Administer grants to help reduce crimes involving gangs, drugs and sex predators.
- Administer the Sexually Violent Predator Civil Commitment Program to protect children from the most dangerous predators.
A complete list of the duties of the office is outlined in the Virginia state code.[4]
Campaign finance
In Virginia, the State Attorney General is responsible for all disciplinary matters of the state's campaign finance laws. The first step in filing a complaint is to file with the Virginia Board of Elections. The Board of Elections refers all campaign finance complaints to the Virginia Attorney General for prosecution. [5]
State budget
The budget for the Attorney General's Office and the Department of Law in Fiscal Year 2012 was $35,660,544.[6]
Compensation
In 2011, the Virginia Attorney General was paid an estimated $150,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
Contact information
Office of the Attorney General
900 East Main Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: 804-786-2071
See also
- Ken Cuccinelli, Attorney General of Virginia
- Governor of Virginia
- Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
- Virginia Secretary of State
External links
- Office of the Virginia Attorney General
- Official opinions of the Virginia attorney general
- About the office of the Virginia Attorney General
- Role of the office of the Virginia Attorney General
References
- ↑ Article V, Section 15 of the state constitution
- ↑ Virginia State Constitution, Article 5, Section 15
- ↑ Virginia Attorney General, "Responsibilities," accessed February 1, 2012
- ↑ Office of the Virginia Attorney General, "Duties ascribed in the Code of Virginia, 7/1/2011," retrieved February 1, 2012
- ↑ Contacted VA Board of Elections on January 26, 2010 to confirm this information
- ↑ Virginia Budget Appropriations Database, "Final Budget for the 2010-2012 Biennium," accessed April 4, 2013
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected state administrative officials: Annual salaries by region," retrieved February 1, 2012
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
State of Virginia Richmond (capital) |
|---|---|
| Ballot Measures |
List of Virginia ballot measures | Local measures | School bond issues | Ballot measure laws | History of direct democracy | Campaign Finance Requirements | Recall process | |
| Government |
Virginia State Constitution | House of Delegates | Senate | Division of Legislative Services | Board of Elections | |
| State executive officers |
Governor | Lieutenant Governor | Attorney General | Secretary of State | Treasurer | Auditor of Public Accounts | Superintendent of Public Instruction | Commissioner of Insurance | Commissioner of Agriculture | Secretary of Natural Resources | Commissioner of Labor and Industry | Chairman of State Corporation Commission | |
| Judiciary |
Virginia Supreme Court | Court of Appeals | Circuit Court | Judicial nomination process | Judicial news | Judicial activist organizations | |
| Transparency Topics |
Freedom of Information Act | Transparency Checklist | Government corruption reports | Transparency Legislation | Open Records procedures | Transparency Advocates | Transparency blogs | State budget | Taxpayer-funded lobbying associations | |
| Divisions |
State |
List of Counties |
List of Cities |
List of Towns |
List of School Districts | |
