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Attorney General of New York

Chief legal officer of New York State

Field	Value
post	Attorney General
body	New York
insignia	Seal_of_the_Attorney_General_of_New_York.svg
insigniasize	110px
insigniacaption	Seal of the attorney general of New York
flag	Flag of New York.svg
flagsize	130px
flagcaption	Flag of New York
image	Letitia James Interview Feb 2020.png
incumbent	Letitia James
incumbentsince	January 1, 2019
department	Department of Law
style	The Honorable
termlength	Four years
termlength_qualified	No limit
constituting_instrument	New York Constitution, Executive Law
formation	1777
first	Egbert Benson
succession	Fourth
appointer	Popular vote
salary	$210,000 (2019)
website

The attorney general of New York is the chief legal officer of the U.S. state of New York and head of the Department of Law of the state government. The office has existed in various forms since 1626, originally established under the Dutch colonial government of New Netherland.

Democrat Letitia James currently serves as attorney general, in office since January 1, 2019.

Functions

The attorney general advises the executive branch of state government as well as defends actions and brings proceedings on its behalf. The attorney general acts independently of the governor of New York. The department's regulations are compiled in title 13 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR).

Organization

The legal functions of the Department of Law are divided primarily into five major divisions: Appeals and Opinions, State Counsel, Criminal Justice, Economic Justice and Social Justice.

Chief deputy attorney general

Harlan Levy (2011–2015)

Solicitors General

Ruth Kessler Toch (1966–1979)
Shirley Adelson Siegel (1979–1982)
Robert Hermann (1983–1986)
O. Peter Sherwood (1986–1991)
Jerry Boone (1991–1994)
Victoria A. Graffeo (1995–1996)
Barbara Gott Billet (1996–1998)
Preeta D. Bansal (1999–2001)
Caitlin Halligan (2001–2007)
Barbara D. Underwood (2007–present)

Terms of office

From 1684 to 1777, when New York was under the British colonial government, the attorney general was appointed by the British crown, or the colonial governor on its behalf. In 1693, the attorney general earned a salary of 50 pounds.
From 1777 to 1822, the attorney general was appointed by the Council of Appointment.
From 1823 to 1846, the attorney general was elected by the New York State Legislature for a three-year term.
Attorneys general have been elected by the voters since 1847.

List of attorneys general of New York

Province of New York (1684–1776)

Image	Attorney general	Tenure	Notes	Took office	Left office
	Thomas Rudyard	1684	December 1685	Appointed by Gov. Thomas Dongan
	James Graham	10 December 1685	1688	last1=Brodhead, Esq.	first1=John Romeyn	title=Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York; Procured in Holland, England and France.	date=1853	page=351	publisher=Weed, Parsons & Co.	location=Albany	url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YmtAAAAAcAAJ	access-date=30 October 2019	language=en}}
[[File:Seal of the Dominion of New England.jpg	60px]]	Member of Dominion of New England, May 1668 – April 1689
	Jacob Milborne	1690	1691	Hanged for treason, 1691
	Thomas Newton	1691	April 1691	Removed from office by governor
	George Farewell	1691	1692	(Acting) Removed from office by governor
	James Graham	June 1692	21 January 1701	Died 27 January 1701
	Sampson Shelton Broughton	5 April 1701		Died February 1705
	John Rayner	12 July 1708		Absent in England. Died 1719.
	May Bickley	1708	1712	Acting AG in Rayner's absence. Removed from office by governor, 1712
	David Jamison	10 June 1712	1721	Acting AG in Rayner's absence, 1712–20
[[File:James Alexander New York lawyer.jpg	60px]]	James Alexander	1721	1723
	Richard Bradley	1723	28 August 1752
[[File:William Smith (New York Judge, born 1697).jpg	60px]]	William Smith the elder	August 1752
	William Kempe	November 1752	19 July 1759
	John Tabor Kempe	1759		last1=Eisenstadt	first1=Peter	title=Encyclopedia of New York State	date=2005	publisher=Syracuse University Press	isbn=9780815608080	page=134	url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tmHEm5ohoCUC&pg=PA134	access-date=30 October 2019	language=en}}
[[File:27-JAMES DUANE.jpg	60px]]	James Duane	1767		Acting AG in Kempe's absence.

New York State (1777–present)

Image	Attorney general	Tenure	Party	Notes
[[File:Egbert Benson MET ap33.120.619.jpg	60px]]	Egbert Benson	May 8, 1777 – May 14, 1788
[[File:Richard Varick (1753-1831) 1982 15.jpeg	60px]]	Richard Varick	May 14, 1788 – September 29, 1789	Federalist
[[File:Aaron Burr-2.jpg	60px]]	Aaron Burr	September 29, 1789 – November 8, 1791	Dem.-Rep.	Third vice president of the United States
[[File:Morgan Lewis (portrait by Henry Inman).png	60px]]	Morgan Lewis	November 8, 1791 – December 24, 1792	Dem.-Rep.
[[File:Nathaniel Lawrence, ca. 1790.jpg	60px]]	Nathaniel Lawrence	December 24, 1792 – November 13, 1795	Dem.-Rep.
[[File:Josiah Ogden Hoffman.jpg	60px]]	Josiah Ogden Hoffman	November 13, 1795 – February 3, 1802	Federalist
[[File:ASpencer.jpg	60px]]	Ambrose Spencer	February 3, 1802 – February 3, 1804	Dem.-Rep.
	John Woodworth	February 3, 1804 – March 18, 1808	Dem.-Rep.
	Matthias B. Hildreth	March 18, 1808 – February 2, 1810	Dem.-Rep.
[[File:Portrait of Abraham Van Vechten.png	60px]]	Abraham Van Vechten	February 2, 1810 – February 1, 1811	Federalist
	Matthias B. Hildreth	February 1, 1811 – July 11, 1812	Dem.-Rep.	Died in office
[[File:ThomasAddisEmmet.jpg	60px]]	Thomas Addis Emmet	August 12, 1812 – February 13, 1813	Dem.-Rep.
[[File:Portrait of Abraham Van Vechten.png	60px]]	Abraham Van Vechten	February 13, 1813 – February 17, 1815	Federalist
[[File:Americana 1920 Van Buren Martin.jpg	60px]]	Martin Van Buren	February 17, 1815 – July 8, 1819	Dem.-Rep.	Eighth president of the United States
[[File:Thomas J. Oakley.jpg	60px]]	Thomas Jackson Oakley	July 8, 1819 – February 12, 1821	Federalist
	Samuel A. Talcott	February 12, 1821 – January 27, 1829	Dem.-Rep.	First appointed, in 1823 elected by State Legislature, resigned shortly before the end of his second term
[[File:GreeneCBronson.jpg	60px]]	Greene C. Bronson	January 27, 1829 – January 12, 1836	Democratic	Elected a justice of the State Supreme Court during his third term
[[File:Samuel Beardsley.jpg	60px]]	Samuel Beardsley	January 12, 1836 – February 4, 1839	Democratic
	Willis Hall	February 4, 1839 – February 7, 1842	Whig
[[File:George P. Barker (New York Attorney General).jpg	60px]]	George P. Barker	February 7, 1842 – February 3, 1845	Democratic
[[File:John Van Buren.jpg	60px]]	John Van Buren	February 3, 1845 – January 1, 1848	Democratic	Legislated out of office by the Constitution of 1846
[[File:Ambrose L. Jordan (New York Attorney General).jpg	60px]]	Ambrose L. Jordan	January 1, 1848 – December 31, 1849	Whig	First attorney general elected by general ballot
	Levi S. Chatfield	January 1, 1850 – November 23, 1853	Democratic	Resigned shortly before the end of his second term
[[File:Gardner Stow (New York Attorney General).jpg	60px]]	Gardner Stow	December 8, 1853 – December 31, 1853	Democratic	Appointed to fill the unexpired term
[[File:OgdenHoffman.jpg	60px]]	Ogden Hoffman	January 1, 1854 – December 31, 1855	Whig
	Stephen B. Cushing	January 1, 1856 – December 31, 1857	American
[[File:Lyman Tremain - Brady-Handy.jpg	60px]]	Lyman Tremain	January 1, 1858 – December 31, 1859	Democratic
[[File:Charles G. Myers (New York Attorney General).jpg	60px]]	Charles G. Myers	January 1, 1860 – December 31, 1861	Republican
[[File:DanielSDickinson.png	60px]]	Daniel S. Dickinson	January 1, 1862 – December 31, 1863	Union
[[File:John Cochrane.jpg	60px]]	John Cochrane	January 1, 1864 – December 31, 1865	Union
[[File:John Henry Martindale (Union Army general).jpg	60px]]	John H. Martindale	January 1, 1866 – December 31, 1867	Republican
[[File:Marshall B. Champlain (New York Attorney General).jpg	60px]]	Marshall B. Champlain	January 1, 1868 – December 31, 1871	Democratic	Two terms
[[File:Francis C. Barlow.jpg	60px]]	Francis C. Barlow	January 1, 1872 – December 31, 1873	Republican
[[File:DanielPrattNewYork.jpg	60px]]	Daniel Pratt	January 1, 1874 – December 31, 1875	Democratic
[[File:Charles Stebbins Fairchild (1842-1924) (8751747630).jpg	60px]]	Charles S. Fairchild	January 1, 1876 – December 31, 1877	Democratic
[[File:Augustus Schoonmaker Jr. (New York Attorney General).jpg	60px]]	Augustus Schoonmaker Jr.	January 1, 1878 – December 31, 1879	Democratic
[[File:Hamilton Ward Sr. (1).jpg	60px]]	Hamilton Ward Sr.	January 1, 1880 – December 31, 1881	Republican
[[File:Judge Leslie W Russell.jpg	60px]]	Leslie W. Russell	January 1, 1882 – December 31, 1883	Republican
[[File:Denis obrien histsoc.png	60px]]	Denis O'Brien	January 1, 1884 – December 31, 1887	Democratic	Two terms
[[File:Charles Franklin Tabor (1841–1915).png	60px]]	Charles F. Tabor	January 1, 1888 – December 31, 1891	Democratic	Two terms
[[File:Simon W. Rosendale 001.jpg	60px]]	Simon W. Rosendale	January 1, 1892 – December 31, 1893	Democratic
[[File:Hancock-theodore-e 1904.jpg	60px]]	Theodore E. Hancock	January 1, 1894 – December 31, 1898	Republican	Two terms (1894–1895; 1896–1898)
[[File:JohnCDaviesNewYork.jpg	60px]]	John C. Davies	January 1, 1899 – December 31, 1902	Republican	Two terms
[[File:JohnCunneen.jpg	60px]]	John Cunneen	January 1, 1903 – December 31, 1904	Democratic
[[File:Julius Marshuetz Mayer cph.3b47710.jpg	60px]]	Julius M. Mayer	January 1, 1905 – December 31, 1906	Republican
[[File:New York State Attorney General William S. Jackson.png	60px]]	William S. Jackson	January 1, 1907 – December 31, 1908	Democratic
[[File:EdwardROMalley.jpg	60px]]	Edward R. O'Malley	January 1, 1909 – December 31, 1910	Republican
[[File:Thomas Carmody (New York Attorney General).jpg	60px]]	Thomas Carmody	January 1, 1911 – September 2, 1914	Democratic	Resigned shortly before the end of his second term
[[File:James A. Parsons (page 52 crop).jpg	60px]]	James A. Parsons	September 2, 1914 – December 31, 1914	Democratic	Appointed to fill the unexpired term
[[File:EgburtEWoodbury.jpg	60px]]	Egburt E. Woodbury	January 1, 1915 – April 19, 1917	Republican	Resigned during his second term
[[File:MertonELewis.jpg	60px]]	Merton E. Lewis	April 19, 1917 – December 31, 1918	Republican	As first deputy AG acted until being elected by the State Legislature on April 25 to fill unexpired first half of term, then re-elected in special election (Nov. 1917) for the other half (1918)
[[File:Charles D. Newton (cropped).jpg	60px]]	Charles D. Newton	January 1, 1919 – December 31, 1922	Republican	Two terms
[[File:Carl Sherman LCCN2014717629.jpg	60px]]	Carl Sherman	January 1, 1923 – December 31, 1924	Democratic	Defeated for reelection in 1924
[[File:Albert Ottinger (New York Attorney General) 2.jpg	60px]]	Albert Ottinger	January 1, 1925 – December 31, 1928	Republican	Two terms; unsuccessful Republican nominee for governor in 1928
[[File:Hamilton Ward Jr.jpg	60px]]	Hamilton Ward Jr.	January 1, 1929 – December 31, 1930	Republican	Son of Hamilton Ward Sr. (AG from 1880 to 1881)
[[File:John J. Bennett, Jr. (New York Attorney General) (cropped).jpg	60px]]	John J. Bennett Jr.	January 1, 1931 – December 31, 1942	Democratic	Five terms
[[File:Nathaniel L. Goldstein (New York Attorney General).jpg	60px]]	Nathaniel L. Goldstein	January 1, 1943 – December 31, 1954	Republican	Three terms
[[File:Jacob Javits 1955 (cropped).jpg	60px]]	Jacob K. Javits	January 1, 1955 – January 9, 1957	Republican	Resigned having been elected U.S. senator
[[File:Louis J. Lefkowitz (cropped).jpg	60px]]	Louis J. Lefkowitz	January 9, 1957 – December 31, 1978	Republican	Re-elected by the State Legislature to fill the unexpired term, then re-elected to five more terms, longest-serving attorney general (8 days short of 22 years)
[[File:Soundview Abrams, Bronx Borough President (NYPL b11524053-1253146) (cropped).tiff	60px]]	Robert Abrams	January 1, 1979 – December 31, 1993	Democratic	Elected to four terms, resigning a year before the end of his fourth term
[[File:NYAttorneyGeneralKoppellimg166.jpg	60px]]	G. Oliver Koppell	January 1, 1994 – December 31, 1994	Democratic	Elected by the State Legislature to fill unexpired term
[[File:Dennis Vacco (New York Attorney General).jpg	60px]]	Dennis Vacco	January 1, 1995 – December 31, 1998	Republican	Defeated for reelection in 1998. Joined Waste Management, Inc. as vice president for New York government affairs. Became a partner in Buffalo law firm, Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman.
[[File:Eliot Spitzer (higher res) (cropped).jpg	60px]]	Eliot Spitzer	January 1, 1999 – December 31, 2006	Democratic	Two terms, then elected governor
[[File:Andrew Cuomo by Pat Arnow cropped (1).jpeg	60px]]	Andrew Cuomo	January 1, 2007 – December 31, 2010	Democratic	One term, then elected governor
[[File:Schneiderman (cropped).jpg	60px]]	Eric Schneiderman	January 1, 2011 – May 8, 2018	Democratic	Resigned during his second term
	Barbara D. Underwood	May 8, 2018 – December 31, 2018	Democratic	Served as acting attorney general from May 8 to May 22, when she was confirmed by the New York State Legislature.
[[File:Letitia James Interview Feb 2020.png	60px]]	Letitia "Tish" James	January 1, 2019 – present	Democratic

References

[[Consolidated Laws of New York. Executive Law]] § 60. "There shall continue to be in the state government a department of law. The head of the department of law shall be the attorney-general."
Westerman, Ashley. (January 1, 2019). "N.Y. Swears In New Attorney General After A Tumultuous Year For The Office". NPR.
[http://www.law.com/jsp/nylj/PubArticleNY.jsp?id=1202476627673&Schneiderman_Fills_Six_Top_Posts Schneiderman Fills Six Top Posts], ''NY Law Journal.com'', 23 December 2010, Stashenko, J., Retrieved 1 November 2013.
[http://www.nycourtsystem.com/Applications/JudicialDirectory/Bio.php?ID=7030291 New York State Unified Court System: Judges of the Trial Courts: Hon. O. Peter Sherwood], ''NYCourts.gov'', Retrieved 1 November 2013.
[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Jerry+Boone+Named+Harrah%27s+Entertainment+Senior+Vice+President+of...-a0131524733 Jerry Boone Named Harrah's Entertainment Senior Vice President of Human Resources] {{Webarchive. link. (2013-07-05 , ''TheFreeLibrary.com'', Retrieved 1 November 2013.)
[http://www.freedomspeaks.com/official/60934/new-york-%28ny%29-state-commissioner-of-taxation-and-finance-barbara-g-billet-%5Bthe-governor%27s-cabinet%5D New York State Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Barbara G. Billet] {{Webarchive. link. (2013-11-03 , ''FreedomSpeaks.com'', Retrieved 1 November 2013.)
(1853). "Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York; Procured in Holland, England and France.". Weed, Parsons & Co..
(2009). "A Brief Description of New York". Applewood Books.
(2005). "Encyclopedia of New York State". [[Syracuse University Press]].

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