California Attorney General

The attorney general of California is the state attorney general of the government of California. The officer must ensure that "the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced" (Constitution of California, Article V, Section 13). The California attorney general carries out the responsibilities of the office through the California Department of Justice. The department employs over 1,100 attorneys and 3,700 non-attorney employees.

The California attorney general is elected to a four-year term, with a maximum of two terms. The election is held during the same statewide election for the governor and other state offices. Several attorneys general have gone on to higher office or office on the federal level, including the offices of governor, United States Senator, chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, and vice president of the United States.

On March 24, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he would be appointing Rob Bonta as attorney general to succeed Xavier Becerra, who resigned from the position to become Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden. Bonta's appointment was subject to confirmation by both houses of the California State Legislature, and he was sworn in on April 23, 2021.

Duties

According to the state Constitution, the Code of Civil Procedure, and the Government Code, the attorney general:

As the state's chief law officer, ensures that the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced.California Constitution, Article V, Section 13 Heads the Department of Justice, which is responsible for providing state legal services and support for local law enforcement.California Government Code §15000 Acts as the chief counsel in state litigation.California Code of Civil Procedure §401 Works with and provides legal support to law enforcement agencies across the state and may intervene in certain cases, but local district attorneys and sheriffs operate independently.

History Although the office of attorney general dates to the admission of California to the Union, the office in its modern form dates to Proposition 4 of 1934, sponsored by Alameda County District Attorney Earl Warren as one of four initiatives he sponsored to substantially reform law enforcement and the judiciary. Previously, the attorney general lacked jurisdiction over matters in the jurisdiction of locally elected district attorneys and sheriffs. Warren went on to become attorney general himself in 1938, reorganizing's the state's law enforcement into districts.

Under Robert W. Kenny, the office was complicit in the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, a position it has since apologized for.

Diversity Stanley Mosk was the first adherent of Judaism to hold the office. George Deukmejian was the first Armenian American to hold the office. Kamala Harris was the first woman, the first African American, the first Asian American and the first West Indian American to hold the office. Xavier Becerra was the first Latino to hold the office. Rob Bonta is the first Filipino American to hold the office.

List of attorneys general of California No.PortraitNamePartyTerm1Edward J. C. Kewen Democratic1849 – 18502James A. McDougall Democratic1850 – 18513Serranus C. Hastings Democratic January 5, 1852 – January 2, 18544John R. McConnell Democratic 1854 – 18565William M. StewartDemocratic June 7, 1853 – December 1853 6William T. WallaceAmerican January 1856 – January 18587Thomas H. WilliamsDemocratic 1858 – 18628Frank M. PixleyRepublican 1862 – 18639John G. McCulloughRepublican 1863 – 186710Jo HamiltonDemocratic December 5, 1867 – December 8, 1871 11John L. LoveRepublican December 8, 1871 – December 9, 187512Jo HamiltonDemocratic December 9, 1875 – January 8, 1880 13Augustus L. HartRepublican January 8, 1880 – January 10, 188314Edward C. MarshallDemocratic January 10, 1883 – January 8, 188715George A. JohnsonDemocratic January 8, 1887 – January 8, 189116William H. H. HartRepublican January 8, 1891 – January 11, 189517William F. FitzgeraldRepublican January 7, 1895 – January 2, 189918Tirey L. FordRepublican January 4, 1899 – September 14, 190219Ulysses S. WebbRepublican September 15, 1902 – January 3, 193920Earl WarrenRepublican January 3, 1939 – January 4, 194321Robert W. KennyDemocratic January 4, 1943 – January 5, 194722Frederick N. HowserRepublican January 5, 1947 – January 8, 195123Pat BrownDemocratic January 8, 1951 – January 5, 195924Stanley MoskDemocratic January 5, 1959 – August 31, 196425Thomas C. LynchDemocratic August 31, 1964 – January 4, 197126Evelle J. YoungerRepublican January 4, 1971 – January 8, 197927George DeukmejianRepublican January 8, 1979 – January 3, 198328John Van de KampDemocratic January 3, 1983 – January 7, 199129Dan LungrenRepublican January 7, 1991 – January 4, 199930Bill LockyerDemocratic January 4, 1999 – January 8, 200731Jerry BrownDemocratic January 8, 2007 – January 3, 201132Kamala HarrisDemocratic January 3, 2011 – January 3, 201733Xavier BecerraDemocratic January 24, 2017 – March 18, 202134Rob BontaDemocratic April 23, 2021 – Incumbent

California Attorney General

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