Texas Attorney General

The Texas Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Texas.

The department has offices at the William P. Clements State Office Building at 300 West 15th Street in Austin. [" [http://www.oag.state.tx.us/agency/contacts.shtml Contacting the Office of the Attorney General] ." "Texas Attorney General". Accessed September 13, 2008.] [" [http://www.hr.state.tx.us/Directors/directors.html STATE AGENCIES] ." "State of Texas State Classification". Accessed September 13, 2008.]

History

The Office of the Attorney General was first established by executive ordinance of the Republic of Texas government in 1836. The attorneys general of the Republic of Texas and the first four attorneys general under the 1845 state constitution were appointed by the governor. The office was made elective in 1850 by constitutional amendment.

The attorney general is elected to a four-year term. The current attorney general of Texas is Greg Abbott (Republican), in office since December 2, 2002.

Duties and responsibilities

The attorney general is charged by the state constitution to defend the laws and constitution of Texas, represent the state in litigation, and approve public bond issues.

To fulfill these responsibilities, the Office of the Attorney General serves as legal counsel to all boards and agencies of state government, issues legal opinions when requested by the governor, heads of state agencies and other officials and agencies as provided by Texas statutes, sits as an ex-officio member of state committees and commissions, and defends challenges to state laws and suits against both state agencies and individual employees of the state. [ [http://www.oag.state.tx.us/agency/agency.shtml Duties & Responsibilities] - Office of the Attorney General]

List of Texas Attorneys General

Republic of Texas

tate of Texas

Political prominence

Many leading political figures in Texas history have served as attorney general, several of them using the office as a jumping off place to other offices in the state and national government. Attorneys general James S. Hogg, Charles A. Culberson, Dan Moody, James Allred, Price Daniel, and Mark White were elected governor. Culberson, Daniel, and John Cornyn were later elected to the United States Senate. [Handbook of Texas|id=AA/mba3|name=Attorney General]

Notes

#First elected Attorney General
#Appointed
#Resigned

References

External links

* [http://www.oag.state.tx.us/ Texas Attorney General]
*Handbook of Texas|id=AA/mba3|name=Attorney General