The Ohio attorney general is the chief legal officer of the state of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio attorney general is Republican Andy Wilson. On May 7, 2026, Dave Yost announced he would resign as Attorney General, effective June 7, to join Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal advocacy group. On May 11, Governor Mike DeWine announced that Andy Wilson, Ohio's Public Safety Director, would serve as Interim Attorney General upon Yost's resignation.Statement from AG Yost on Appointment of Andy Wilson
History The office of the attorney general was first created by the Ohio General Assembly by statute in 1846. The attorney general's principal duties were to give legal advice to the state government, to represent the state in legal matters, and to advise the state's county prosecutors. Originally, the attorney general was appointed by the legislature. With the adoption of Ohio's second constitution in 1851, the attorney general became an elected office. The attorney general's duties were drawn very generally at that time.
In 1952, the General Assembly passed a statute that added to the attorney general's responsibilities, including trusteeship over charitable trusts, and legal advice to more government agencies. The act stated that the attorney general could prosecute individuals only if the governor requested so in writing. Starting in 1954, the term of office was increased from two years to four years.
In 2008 Nancy H. Rogers was appointed following the resignation of Marc Dann. A special election was held in 2008 to find a permanent replacement; then–Ohio State Treasurer Richard Cordray (D) beat out Michael Crites (R), and Robert M. Owens (I) for the position.Election results wkyc.com
The Solicitor General of Ohio is the top appellate lawyer in the attorney general's office.
In November 2014, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine secured a $22 million settlement from the credit score company ScoreSense, which is owned by the company One Technologies. DeWine had filed civil charges against the company along with the Illinois attorney general and Federal Trade Commission. Ohio consumers and state government will receive a portion of the settlement. According to the FTC, One Technologies "lured customers with "free access" to their credit scores and then billed them a recurring fee of $29.95 per month..." Over 200,000 consumers had filed complaints against the company.
List of attorneys general of Ohio (1846–present) Term Attorney General Party Home county Picture Notes1846–1851 Whig Fairfield 1851–1852 Democratic Adams 1852–1854 Democratic Hamilton 1854–1856 Democratic Jefferson 1856 Republican Medina died1856–1861 Republican Summit 1861–1863 Republican Wood 1863–1865 Democratic Holmes 1865 Union Washington resigned1865–1866 Republican Pickaway 1866–1870 Republican Logan 1870–1874 Republican Morgan 1874–1878 Republican Greene 1878–1880 Democratic Allen 1880–1883 Republican Franklin 1883–1884 Republican Harrison 1884–1886 Democratic Cuyahoga 1886–1888 Republican Summit 1888–1892 Republican Franklin 1892–1896 Republican Lawrence 1896–1900 Republican Crawford 1900–1904 Republican Putnam 1904–1908 Republican Hamilton 1908–1911 Republican Lucas 1911–1915 Democratic Jackson 1915–1917 Republican Franklin 1917–1919 Democratic Jackson 1919–1923 Republican Franklin 1923–1927 Republican Madison 1927–1929 (2nd) Republican Franklin 1929–1933 Republican Franklin 1933–1937 Republican Franklin 1937–1939 Democratic Franklin 1939–1945 Republican Cuyahoga 1945–1949 Republican Mahoning 1949–1951 (2nd) Democratic Franklin 1951–1957 Republican Washington 1957–1959 Republican Champaign 1959–1963 Democratic Cuyahoga 1963–1969 (2nd) Republican Champaign resigned1969–1971 Republican Franklin 1971–1983 Democratic Mahoning 1983–1991 Democratic Cuyahoga 1991–1995 Democratic Cuyahoga 1995–2003 Republican Wood 2003–2007 Republican Cuyahoga 2007–2008 Democratic Trumbull resigned on May 14, 20082008–2009 DemocraticWhen appointed by Democratic Governor Ted Strickland on May 28, 2008, Ms. Rogers announced that she was a Democrat although she had been a registered Republican in the past and has donated money to Republican candidates. Franklin Did not run in the subsequent special election.2009–2011 Democratic Franklin 2011–2019 Republican Greene 2019-2026 Republican Franklin Resigned to join the Alliance Defending Freedom as its Vice President2026- Republican Miami Incumbent, Appointed to finish Yost's term
Elections
The voters of the U.S. state of Ohio elect an attorney general for a four-year term. The winning candidate is shown in bold.
Year Democratic Republican Other 2022 Jeffrey Crossman : 1,647,644 Dave Yost : 2,484,753 2018 Steve Dettelbach : 2,086,715 Dave Yost : 2,276,414 2014 David Pepper : 1,178,426 Mike DeWine : 1,882,048 2010 Richard Cordray : 1,772,728 Mike DeWine : 1,821,414 Marc Allan Feldman(Libertarian) : 107,521Robert M. Owens(Constitution) : 130,065 2008 Richard Cordray : 2,890,953 Michael Crites : 1,956,252 Robert M. Owens (I) : 246,002 2006 Marc Dann: 2,035,825 Betty D. Montgomery: 1,833,846 2002 Leigh Herington: 1,123,318 James M. Petro: 2,007,411 1998 Richard Cordray: 1,240,102 Betty D. Montgomery: 2,037,864 1990-1999 Official Election Results sos.state.oh.us 1994 Lee Fisher: 1,625,247 Betty D. Montgomery: 1,716,451 1990 Lee Fisher: 1,680,698 Paul E. Pfeifer: 1,679,464 1986 Anthony J. "Tony" Celebrezze Jr.: 1,821,587 Barry Levey: 1,222,102 1982 Anthony J. "Tony" Celebrezze Jr.: 2,036,243 Charles R. Saxbe: 1,203,797 James L. Schuller:(Libertarian): 81,974 1978 William J. Brown: 1,700,262 George Curtis Smith: 968,220 1974 William J. Brown: 1,645,933 George Curtis Smith: 1,140,556 1970 William J. Brown: 1,613,926 John D. Herbert: 1,297,419 Al Budka(WI): 94 1966 Robert E. Sweeney: 1,233,805 William B. Saxbe: 1,522,038 1962 Robert E. Sweeney: 198,800 William B. Saxbe 1958 Mark McElroy: 1,561,575 William B. Saxbe: 1,466,881 1956 Stephen M. Young: 1,559,742 William B. Saxbe: 1,719,620 1954 Paul F. Ward: 1,051,364 C. William O'Neill: 1,335,557 1952 Paul F. Ward: 1,373,114 C. William O'Neill: 1,871,200 1950 Herbert S. Duffy: 1,246,076 C. William O'Neill: 1,406,358 1948 Herbert S. Duffy: 1,433,565 Hugh S. Jenkins: 1,349,516 1946 Harry T. Marshall:134,829 Hugh S. Jenkins: 173,107 1944 George A. Hurley: 1,407,207 Hugh S. Jenkins: 1,473,180 1942 Herbert S. Duffy: 665,131 Thomas J. Herbert: 983,732 1940 George D. Nye: 1,401,627 Thomas J. Herbert: 1,552,462 1926 Charles B. Zimmerman Edward C. Turner 1922 Stephen M. Young : 744,693 Charles C. Crabbe : 780,192 1920 Joseph McGhee : 824,172 John G. Price : 1,058,561 Joseph W. Sharts : 44,180 George Edwards : 1,720 1916 Joseph McGhee : 558,719 Edward C. Turner : 549,169 Jacob L. Bachman : 38,432George Hawke : 6,839 1912Powell 1913 : 453-454 Timothy S. Hogan Freeman T. Eagleson Robert R. Nevin (Progressive) 1910Powell 1913 : 423 Timothy S. Hogan Ulysses G. Denman 1908 page 408 of pdf file Timothy S. Hogan : 521,819 Ulysses G. Denman : 551,084 John C. Madden (Soc) : 31,804George S. Hawke (Pro) : 10,854John P. Turner (Ind) : 586Joseph A. Meyer (Peo) : 178Max Eisenberg (Soc Lab) : 851 1905 page 19 of pdf file James A. Rice : 418,954 Wade H. Ellis : 461,402 John C. Madden (Soc) : 18,669Walter S. Lister (Pro) : 13,636James Matthews (Soc Lab) : 1,836 1903 page 1669 of pdf file Frank S. Monnette : 360,916 Wade H. Ellis : 470,589 John C. Madden (Soc) : 19,922Thomas W. Shreve (Pro) : 13,313Otto Steinhoff (Soc Lab) : 2,145 1901Powell 1913 : 379-380 W. B. McCarty John M. Sheets 1899Powell 1913 : 371-372 William H. Dore John M. Sheets 1897 page 388 of pdf file William H. Dore : 401,338 Frank S. Monnette : 427,337 Olin J. Ross : 7,585Cyrus A. Reider : 5,935Daniel Wilson : 1,512Charles F. Armistead : 453John W. Roseborough : 3,112 1895Smith 1898 : 665 George A. Fairbanks 329,252 Frank S. Monnette 427,485 1893Smith 1898 : 644 John P. Bailey 346,707 John K. Richards 422,449 1891Smith 1898 : 605 John P. Bailey 345,245 John K. Richards 373,816 1889Smith 1898 : 579 Jesse M. Lewis 373,335 David K. Watson 377,140 1887Smith 1898 : 541 William H. Leete 327,551 David K. Watson 357,433 1885Smith 1898 : 512 James Lawrence 341,762 Jacob A. Kohler 360,802 1883Smith 1898 : 473 James Lawrence 360,184 Moses B. Earnhart 347,589 1881Smith 1898 : 450 Frank C. Daugherty 287,470 George K. Nash 315,655 1879Smith 1898 : 406 Isaiah Pillars 316,778 George K. Nash 336,100 1877Smith 1898 : 379 Isaiah Pillars 269,506 George K. Nash 252,155 1875Smith 1898 : 342 Thomas E. Powell 292,487 John Little 296,858 1873Smith 1898 : 319 Michael A. Daugherty 213,413 John Little 213,983 1871Smith 1898 : 286 Edward S. Wallace 218,077 Francis Bates Pond 237,718 1869Smith 1898 : 268 John M. Connell 227,903 Francis Bates Pond 235,285 1867Smith 1898 : 238 Frank H. Hurd : 240,847 William H. West : 243,449 1865smith 1898 : 209 David M. Wilson : 193,466 William H. West : 225,278 1864Smith 1898 : 195Bell 1876 : 147 Lyman R. Critchfield : 183,747 William P. Richardson : 238,104 1862Smith 1898 : 150 Lyman R. Critchfield : 183,232 Chauncey N. Olds : 178,855 1860Smith 1898 : 128 David W. Stambaugh : 189,999 James Murray : 215,277 1858Smith 1898 : 84 Durbin Ward : 162,136 Christopher Wolcott : 182,985 1856Smith 1898 : 65 Samuel M. Hart : 154,313 Christopher Wolcott : 176,155 John M. Buselfreed (American)23,095 1855Smith 1898 : 40 George W. McCook : 132,216 Francis D. Kimball : 168,868 1853Bell 1876 : 120-121 George W. McCook : 149,957 Cooper K. Watson(Free Soil) : 35,504 William Harvey Gibson(Whig) : 97,394 1851Bell 1876 : 114-115 George E. Pugh : 147,059 William A. Rogers(Free Soil) : 12,883 Henry Stanbery(Whig) : 119,429
Notes
References
External links Ohio Attorney General official website Ohio Revised Code at Law.Justia.com U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Ohio" at FindLaw Ohio State Bar Association Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine profile at National Association of Attorneys General Press releases at Ohio Attorney General