United States Attorney General

The title Attorney General is an example of a noun (attorney) followed by a postpositive adjective (general). "General" is a description of the type of attorney, not a title or rank in itself (as it would be in the military). For the same reason, the correct American English plural form is "attorneys general" rather than "attorney generals". ==History==

Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789 which, among other things, established the Office of the Attorney General. The original duties of this officer were "to prosecute and conduct all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States shall be concerned, and to give his advice and opinion upon questions of law when required by the president of the United States, or when requested by the heads of any of the departments". Some of these duties have since been transferred to the United States solicitor general and the White House counsel. The Department of Justice was established in 1870 to support the attorneys general in the discharge of their responsibilities. In 1841 the first volume of The Official Opinions of the Attorneys General of the United States was printed on the authorization of Congress and contained the legal justifications of the President's official actions. The secretary of state, the secretary of the treasury, the secretary of defense, and the attorney general are regarded as the four most important Cabinet officials in the United States because of the size and importance of their respective departments. == Duties and responsibilities ==

The attorney general's duties and responsibilities as the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government include overseeing the United States Department of Justice, enforcing federal laws, and providing both formal and informal legal advice and opinions to the president of the United States, the cabinet, and the heads of executive departments and agencies. The attorney general represents the federal government in legal matters and supervises the administration and operation of the Department of Justice, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. attorneys, and the United States Marshals Service. Additionally, the attorney general advises the president of the United States on appointments to federal judicial positions and Department of Justice roles, including U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals. While the attorney general may represent the United States in the Supreme Court and other courts, this is typically handled by the solicitor general. The attorney general also performs or supervises other duties as required by statute or executive order. ==Presidential transition==

It is the practice for the attorney general, along with the other Cabinet secretaries and high-level political appointees of the president, to tender a resignation with effect at noon on the Inauguration Day (January 20) of a new president. The deputy attorney general is also expected to tender a resignation, but is commonly requested to stay on and act as the attorney general, pursuant to , pending the confirmation by the Senate of the new attorney general. For example, upon the inauguration of President Donald Trump at noon on January 20, 2017, then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch left her position, so then-deputy attorney general Sally Yates, who had also tendered her resignation, was asked to stay on to serve as the acting attorney general, pursuant to , until the confirmation of the new attorney general Jeff Sessions, who had been nominated for the office in November 2016 by then-president-elect Donald Trump. ==List of attorneys general==

;Key (4) (5) (34) (4) (40) ==Line of succession==

establishes the first two positions in the line of succession, while allowing the attorney general to designate other high-ranking officers of the Department of Justice as subsequent successors. Furthermore, the most recent Executive Order pertaining to the line of succession, Executive Order 14136 titled "Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of Justice" that was signed by President Joe Biden on January 3, 2025, and published in the Federal Register on January 13, 2025, but was revoked by President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025 and has yet to be replaced with another executive order pertaining to the line of succession, defines subsequent positions. The most recent line of succession was: • United States Deputy Attorney General • United States Associate Attorney General • Other officers potentially designated by the attorney general (in no particular order): • Solicitor General of the United States • Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division • Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division • Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division • Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division • Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division • Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division • Assistant Attorney General, Tax Division • Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs • Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel • Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Policy • Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legislative Affairs • United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York • United States Attorney for the District of Arizona • United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois • United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii ==Notable figures==

• First Italian American male: Charles Joseph Bonaparte in 1906 • First Jewish American male: Edward H. Levi in 1975 • First female: Janet Reno in 1993 • First Hispanic American male: Alberto Gonzales in 2005 • First African American male: Eric Holder in 2009 • First African American female: Loretta Lynch in 2015 == See also ==