Attorney General for the District of Columbia

The Attorney General for the District of Columbia is the chief legal officer of the District of Columbia. The position has been elected by popular vote of D.C. residents since 2015. The current attorney general is Brian Schwalb, who has served since January 2, 2023.

Due to D.C.'s unique status as a federal enclave and not part of a state, the attorney general's position is unique, and shares some similarities with other states' attorneys general, some with local prosecutors and some with municipal legal departments.

The attorney general enforces many of the district's laws, provides advice and counsel the local government and departments, and assists consumers and others in the district. He is responsible for prosecuting juvenile criminal law and some misdemeanor crimes for adults, but adult felonies and other prosecutions are handled by the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, a federal Department of Justice official who is appointed by and reports to the president.

History From Congress's creation of Washington, D.C.'s municipal government in 1802 until 1824, it did not have a city attorney position. Various local attorneys were retained for particular matters, including Francis Scott Key, best known as the author of the text of "The Star-Spangled Banner", who was paid $60 in 1820 for legal services.

In 1824, the elected city council created the early precursor to the attorney general, then called the City Attorney, for Washington, which was at the time a separate city from Georgetown and the rest of the district. Richard Wallach was the first city attorney, serving from July 1, 1824, to June 30, 1830, and paid $100 per year. The position was appointed by the mayor, who was at the time appointed by the president of the United States. When the city's charter was reorganized by Congress into a unified District in 1871, the position was renamed to Attorney for the District of Columbia and appointed by the governor and later the Board of Commissioners. It was briefly renamed City Solicitor in 1901, but became Corporation Counsel the next year.

The District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973 by Congress brought the district a democratically elected mayor. The chief legal officer was still the corporation counsel, but the mayor was given the power to appoint them.

On May 26, 2004, Mayor Anthony A. Williams signed an executive order that changed the name of the office to Attorney General without making any substantive changes to its responsibilities or functions.

Elected position In the November 2, 2010, general election, voters approved Charter Amendment IV that made the office of Attorney General an elected position.

Election delays In July 2012, the District of Columbia council voted to postpone the election of attorney general to 2018, citing a dispute over how much power the elected attorney general would have. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson called the vote "an embarrassment."

In September 2013, Paul Zukerberg filed suit against the District of Columbia Council and the city elections claiming any delay would violate the District charter — which was amended through the 2010 ballot question to provide for the election of the city’s top lawyer. Attorney General Irv Nathan initially argued that Zukerberg was not suffering any “meaningful hardship” from pushing back the election.

On February 7, 2014, a District of Columbia Superior Court judge ruled that ballots for the April 1 primary could be printed without the Attorney General race. Zukerberg appealed the ruling, declaring himself a candidate and arguing that he would suffer "irreparable harm" if the election were postponed.

On June 4, 2014, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals overturned the lower court's decision. The Court held "that the Superior Court's interpretation was incorrect as a matter of law" and reversed. The Court ruled that the original language in the Elected Attorney General Act is ambiguous in stating the election "shall be after January 1, 2014," and that the attorney general referendum ratified by a majority of District of Columbia voters in 2010 made it seem as though the election would take place in 2014. On June 13, Zukerberg collected nominating petitions.

2014 election

Joining Zukerberg as candidates for the position were insurance litigator and activist Lorie Masters, federal lawyer Edward "Smitty" Smith, white-collar attorney Karl Racine, and legislative policy analyst Lateefah Williams. Racine secured a plurality victory, winning 36% of the votes cast, and was sworn in as the first elected Attorney General in January 2015.

Later history In 2025, following the deployment of federal forces in D.C. by President Donald Trump, Republicans in Congress advanced legislation that would remove the elected attorney general and replace the position with one appointed by the president.

List of officeholders In 1824, the position of City Attorney was established by resolution of the City Council. When the District of Columbia took on the territorial form of government on July 1, 1871, the position of Attorney for the District of Columbia was established by the First Legislative Assembly. In 1901, the position title was changed to City Solicitor, and in 1902, the title was changed to Corporation Counsel, which it remained until 2004. In 2004, the office's name was changed to Attorney General by Mayor's Order 2004-92, May 26.

City attorneys (1824-1871) +NameTook officeLeft officeRichard Wallach Sr.July 1, 1824June 30, 1830Richard S. CoxJuly 1, 1830June 30, 1834Joseph H. BradleyJuly 1, 1834June 30, 1850James M. CarlyleJuly 1, 1850June 30, 1854James H. BradleyJuly 1, 1854June 30, 1856James M. CarlyleJuly 1, 1856June 30, 1862Joseph H. BradleyJuly 1, 1862June 30, 1867Joseph H. Bradley Jr.July 1, 1867June 30, 1868William A. CookJuly 1, 1868June 30, 1870Enoch TottenJuly 1, 1870May 31, 1871

Appointed before Home Rule

Image Name Took office Left officePresident(s) of the BoardWilliam A. CookJuly 2, 1871July 2, 1874William Dennison Jr.(de facto)Edwin L. StantonJuly 3, 1874October 31, 1876William BirneyNovember 1, 1876October 31, 1877Alfred G. RiddleNovember 1, 1877November 30, 1889William Dennison Jr.(de facto)Seth Ledyard PhelpsJosiah DentJ. R. WestJames Barker EdmondsWilliam Benning WebbJohn Watkinson Douglass 1889 1893 John Watkinson Douglass 1893 1899 John Wesley RossJohn Brewer Wright 1899 John Brewer WrightHenry Brown Floyd MacFarland 1905 1913 Henry Brown Floyd MacFarlandCuno Hugo Rudolph 1913 1920 Oliver Peck NewmanLouis BrownlowFrancis H. Stephens1920 1927 1927 1934 Proctor L. DoughertyLuther Halsey ReichelderferMelvin Colvin Hazen 1934 1936 Melvin Colvin HazenElwood H. Seal1936 1940Richmond B. Keech1940 1945Vernon West1945 1956 1965 Robert E. McLaughlinWalter Nathan Tobriner 1966 1970 Walter Nathan Tobriner 1970 1976 Walter Washington

Appointed after Home Rule No. Image Name Took office Left officeMayor(s) 1 Walter Washington 2 Acting Walter WashingtonMarion Barry 3 Marion Barry 4 Acting July 8, 1986 1986 Acting 1986 19875 Biography at Rubin, Winston, Diercks, Harris & Cooke, L.L.P. Acting 1990 1991 Acting 1991 1991 Marion BarrySharon Pratt Kelly6 Sharon Pratt Kelly7 Acting October 7, 1994 1995 Interim 1995 August 1995Marion Barry8 Interim February 1997 September 24, 1997 9 Marion BarryAnthony A. WilliamsInterim April 19, 1999 1999Anthony A. Williams10 Interim Press Release from Teal's time as Corporation Counsel 11 Interim December 8, 2006 Opinion of the Attorney General 12 Adrian Fenty 13 (Nickles began his tenure as Acting Attorney General.) 14 Vincent C. Gray

Elected No. Image Name Took office Left officeMayor(s) 15 Karl Racine Muriel Bowser 16 Brian Schwalb present

Attorney General for the District of Columbia

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