Arizona Department of the Attorney-General

The Arizona Department of the Attorney-General, headed by the Attorney-General of Arizona (the chief legal officer of the Government of the State of Arizona), is the Arizona executive department responsible for providing legal advice and representation to the Government of Arizona and the federal Government of the United States on Matters of Arizona Law.

The Department of the Attorney-General also provides legal counsel to the State Government anytime the State of Arizona is a Party or has an Interest in a civil Action or other legal Proceeding; and also provides, upon request, Interpretation of Arizona Law to Agencies of the State of Arizona and the United States. These Interpretations, called “Attorney-General Opinions”, are binding Opinions and, until and unless reversed and overturned by the Arizona Supreme Court, are considered the true and factual Interpretation of whatever Arizona Law (or Laws) being questioned.

The Department is also the State-level prosecutor’s office; however, the fifteen County-Attorney offices carry out most of this responsibility: for the most part, the Department of the Attorney-General would only take on the role of prosecutor in extraordinary circumstances and for extraordinary crimes, such as investigating corruption in one of the County-Attorney offices or investigating corruption in the offices of senior State officers, or prosecuting the crime of treason. However, the Department of the Attorney-General is responsible for prosecuting federal offenses. The Department of the Attorney-General is headed by the Attorney-General of Arizona. The AG must be an attorney licensed by the State Bar of Arizona and have had practiced Law in Arizona for at least five Years prior to his appointment as Attorney-General and, like every State or local Officer, must have not been convicted, under Arizona law, of Treason, Felony, or domestic Violence.

The post of Attorney-General is a powerful one, especially in that the AG may issue advisory opinions on Matters of State and Federal law, which are binding on State and local agencies unless and until overridden by the Legislature or the Courts; however, opinions issued by the Arizona AG on Matters of Federal Law may also be overridden by the United States Attorney-General.

The Department is also the primary enforcer of Arizona’s antitrust, consumer Fraud, organized Crime, and civil Rights laws. This gives the Attorney-General significant ability to shape public Policy. The Department also prosecutes administrative disciplinary Actions against Doctors, Dentists, real estate Agents, licensed Contractors, and others who hold occupational Licenses.

The Attorney-General, both personally and through the Department of the Attorney-General, also plays an important, but not exclusive Role in criminal law Enforcement: In Arizona, most Crimes are initially Tried at the County-level in superior Court by elected County Attorneys and their Staffs. Appeals of criminal Convictions are, however, typically handed by the Department of the Attorney-General to ensure Statewide consistency on important legal Issues. In addition, the Attorney-General has supervisory Powers over County Attorneys and can take over local criminal Prosecutions at the request of the Governor or County —this usually occurs when a County Attorney has a conflict of Interest.

History
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Mandate
The Department of the Attorney-General is responsible for:
 * Maintaining general oversight of the county Attorneys;
 * Issuing Attorney-General Opinions on Matters of State and Federal Law, which are binding interpretations of Law until and unless reversed by the Courts (However, Arizona Attorney-General Opinions on Matters of Federal law may be superseded by United States Attorney-General Opinion relative to the same Federal law; or overturned by the Arizona supreme Court, or by the United States federal Court on appeal from the Arizona supreme Court);
 * Representing the State in Court;
 * Prosecuting the Crimes of Treason; and prosecuting offenses cognizable under federal Law;
 * Prosecuting corruption in the offices of County Attorneys, and investigating corruption in the offices of State officers and employees;
 * Prosecuting administrative disciplinary Actions against Doctors, Dentists, real estate Agents, licensed Contractors, and others who hold occupational Licenses;
 * Prosecuting organized Crime;
 * Representing the State in criminal Appeals;
 * Enforcing State antitrust Laws;
 * Enforcing State consumer Fraud laws;—And
 * Enforcing State civil Rights laws.

Organization
 Office of Attorney-General Attorney-General : Mark Brnovich Senior Assistant and Chief of Staff : AABB Senior Undersecretary to the Attorney-General : AABB  Office of Solicitor-General <span style="font-Size:85% !important;"><span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">Solicitor-General <span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">: <span style="font-Family:Ember-Light !important;">AABB </li> <li>Office of Public Information <span style="font-Size:85% !important;"><span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">Deputy Attorney-General for Public Information <span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">: <span style="font-Family:Ember-Light !important;">AABB </li>

</ul></li> <li>Operations Division <span style="font-Size:85% !important;"><span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">Assistant Attorney-General for Operations <span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">: <span style="font-Family:Ember-Light !important;">Leslie Welch </li> <li>Communications Division <span style="font-Size:85% !important;"><span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">Assistant Attorney-General for Communications <span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">: <span style="font-Family:Ember-Light !important;">Ryan Anderson </li> <li>Civil Division <span style="font-Size:85% !important;"><span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">Assistant Attorney-General for Civil Affairs <span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">: <span style="font-Family:Ember-Light !important;">Paul Watkins </li> <li>Criminal Division <span style="font-Size:85% !important;"><span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">Assistant Attorney-General for Criminal Affairs <span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">: <span style="font-Family:Ember-Light !important;">Paul Ahler </li> <li>Child and Family Protection Division <span style="font-Size:85% !important;"><span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">Assistant Attorney-General for Child and Family Protection <span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">: <span style="font-Family:Ember-Light !important;">John Johnson </li> <li>Constitutional Litigation Division <span style="font-Size:85% !important;"><span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">Assistant Attorney-General for Constitutional Litigation <span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">: <span style="font-Family:Ember-Light !important;">AABB </li> <li>State Government Division <span style="font-Size:85% !important;"><span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">Assistant Attorney-General for State Government Affairs <span style="font-Family:Ember-Medium !important;">: <span style="font-Family:Ember-Light !important;">Dawn Northup </li> </ul>