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Attorney General of Kentucky
| Kentucky Attorney General | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $139,725 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $102,124,900 |
| Term limits: | 2 consecutive terms |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Kentucky Revised Statutes 15.010 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Attorney General of Kentucky
Russell Coleman | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 2, 2027 |
| Last election: | November 7, 2023 |
| Other Kentucky Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Cabinet Secretary • Public Service Commission | |
The Attorney General of Kentucky is an elected executive office in the Kentucky state government. The attorney general serves as the state's chief prosecutor, the state's chief law enforcement officer and the state's chief law officer. As the chief prosecutor, the attorney general is the chairman of the Kentucky Prosecutors Advisory Council, which supervises the prosecutors of Kentucky. As chief law officer, he writes opinions to advise government officials and agencies concerning the law. The attorney general holds an ex officio seat on various Kentucky state boards and agencies.[1] In Kentucky, the attorney general is elected in the year preceding a presidential election for a term of four years. A 1992 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution permits the attorney general to serve two consecutive terms.[2]
Kentucky has a divided government where neither party holds a triplex. The Democratic Party controls the office of governor, while the Republican Party controls the offices of attorney general and secretary of state.
Current officeholder
The current Attorney General of Kentucky is Russell Coleman (R). Coleman assumed office in 2024.
Authority
The attorney general's authority derives from Kentucky statute, which provides that, "The Attorney General is head of the Department of Law." Though the office of attorney general is specifically authorized by the state constitution, its authority is "prescribed by law," and thus does not require constitutional action to modify.[3]
Qualifications
The Kentucky Constitution requires that the attorney general be at least 30 years old, a resident of Kentucky for two years before election, and must have practiced law for eight years.
Kentucky Constitution, Section 91:
| A Treasurer, Auditor of Public Accounts, Commissioner of Agriculture, Labor and Statistics, Secretary of State, and Attorney-General, shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State at the same time the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are elected, for the term of four years, each of whom shall be at least thirty years of age at the time of his election, and shall have been a resident citizen of the State at least two years next before his election. |
Kentucky Constitution, Section 92:
| The Attorney-General shall have been a practicing lawyer eight years before his election. |
Elections
The attorney general, like all Kentucky executive officers, is chosen in the year preceding a presidential election (e.g. 2023, 2027, 2031).[4] The incumbent is inaugurated on the first Monday in January after his election.[5] The attorney general is elected for a four-year term. A 1992 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution permits the attorney general to serve two consecutive terms. The attorney general appoints a deputy and various assistants attorney general, who have the power to act on his behalf.
Term limits
An attorney general only be elected to two consecutive terms and is ineligible to run for the four years following his second term under Section 93 of the Kentucky Constitution.
Kentucky Constitution, Section 93:
| The Treasurer, Auditor of Public Accounts, Secretary of State, Commissioner of Agriculture, Labor and Statistics, and Attorney General shall be ineligible to re-election for the succeeding four years after the expiration of any second consecutive term for which they shall have been elected. The duties and responsibilities of these officers shall be prescribed by law, and all fees collected by any of said officers shall be covered into the treasury. Inferior State officers and members of boards and commissions, not specifically provided for in this Constitution, may be appointed or elected, in such manner as may be prescribed by law, which may include a requirement of consent by the Senate, for a term not exceeding four years, and until their successors are appointed or elected and qualified. |
2027
- See also: Kentucky Attorney General election, 2027
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 2, 2027.
Past elections
= candidate completed the 
Vacancies
The Kentucky Constitution allows the governor to fill vacancies in all state executive offices, including the attorney general. These temporary appointments expire after the next election.[7]
Duties
The attorney general is the chief law officer, chief law enforcement officer and legal adviser for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He provides legal counsel to state officials regarding their official duties on request and prepares legal instruments and documents for public use. He also represents the state of Kentucky or its officials and agencies in litigation.[8]
Beyond providing legal representation to the state, the attorney general oversees or participates in a variety of advisory or regulatory institutions. He is the chairman of the Kentucky Prosecutors Advisory Council, which establishes standards for Kentucky's district attorneys and the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council, which performs a similar role for state law enforcement.
Besides his advisory duties, the attorney general oversees the Kentucky Department of Law, which has a mandate to "prevent or remedy damage to the environment" and to "enforce any statute, ordinance, bylaw or regulation." This encompasses the attorney general's direct prosecutorial duties as chief law and chief law enforcement officer of the state.[9] He may designate specific task forces devoted to different law enforcement issues, such as cyber-security, drug enforcement or consumer protection.
Divisions
As of January 10, 2021, the Kentucky Department of Law, which the attorney general heads, has three main divisions encompassing a number of different offices: criminal, civil, and appellate.[10]
State budget
- See also: Kentucky state budget and finances
The attorney general's budget for Fiscal Year 2025 was $102,124,900.[11]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
Salary for the attorney general is determined by statute, and is automatically adjusted upwards every year to account for inflation.[12] Section 96 of the Kentucky Constitution stipulates compensation for duties must be paid as a salary and in no other way.[13]
Kentucky Constitution, Section 96
| Compensation of Constitutional State officers. All officers mentioned in Section 95 shall be paid for their services by salary, and not otherwise. |
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $139,725, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $129,375, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2021
In 2021, the attorney general received a salary of $129,375, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2020
In 2020, the attorney general received a salary of $129,375, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2019
In 2019, the attorney general received a salary of $126,485, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
2018
In 2018, the attorney general received a salary of $124,113, according to the Council of State Governments.[19]
2017
In 2017, the attorney general received a salary of $121,550, according to the Council of State Governments.[20]
2016
In 2016, the attorney general received a salary of $119,080, according to the Council of State Governments.[21]
2015
In 2015, the attorney general received a salary of $118,217, according to the Council of State Governments.[22]
2014
In 2014, the attorney general received a salary of $117,329, according to the Council of State Governments.[23]
2013
In 2013, the attorney general received a salary of $115,593. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.[24]
2012
In 2012, the attorney general was paid an estimated $113,615. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.
Campaign finance
The Attorney General of Kentucky is responsible for all campaign finance disciplinary matters regardless if the alleged complaint involves civil or criminal laws. The first step in filing a campaign finance complaint is to file with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. It is up to the registry to determine if there is enough evidence by probable cause to refer the complaint to the attorney general.[25]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Attorney General of Kentucky has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
- Andy Beshear (2016-2019)
- Daniel Cameron (2019-2024)
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Kentucky Attorney General. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Office of the Attorney General
Capitol Suite 118
700 Capitol Avenue
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601-3449
Phone: 502-696-5300
Fax: 502-564-2894
E-mail: attorney.general@ag.ky.gov
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Office of the Kentucky Attorney General, "Homepage," accessed January 8, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky Constitution, Section 91," accessed January 8, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky State Legislature, "Kentucky Revised Statutes 15.010," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky Constitution, Section 95," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky Constitution, Section 91," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky Secretary of State, "Attorney General," accessed Nov. 4, 2015
- ↑ Kentucky Constitution, Section 76," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky State Legislature, "Kentucky Revised Statutes 15-020," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky State Legislature, "Kentucky Revised Statutes 15-255," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Attorney General's Office, "Divisions," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky Office of State Budget Director, "2024-2026 Budget of the Commonwealth," accessed January 17, 2025
- ↑ Kentucky Revised Statutes 64.480, accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky Constitution, "Article 96: Compensation of Constitutional State officers," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 10, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 24, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
- ↑ Kentucky Legislature, "Kentucky Campaign Finance Law (Referenced Section 121.120, Kentucky Revised Statutes)," accessed April 16, 2015
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