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Massachusetts Attorney General

Chief legal officer of Massachusetts

Summary

Chief legal officer of Massachusetts

FieldValue
postAttorney General
bodythe Commonwealth of Massachusetts
insigniaSeal of Massachusetts.svg
insigniasize110px
insigniacaptionSeal of Massachusetts
insigniaaltSeal of Massachusetts
imageFile:Andrea Campbell official attorney general headshot, 2023 (3x4).jpg
altPortrait
incumbentAndrea Campbell
incumbentsinceJanuary 18, 2023
departmentGovernment of Massachusetts
styleThe Honorable
typeChief legal officer
Constitutional officer
residenceNone official
seatOne Ashburton Place, Boston, Massachusetts
nominatorNominating petition,
Political parties
appointerPopular vote
termlength4 years, no limit
constituting_instrumentConstitution of Massachusetts
formation
successionThird
firstPaul Dudley
website

Constitutional officer Political parties The Massachusetts attorney general is an elected constitutionally defined executive officer of the Massachusetts government. The officeholder is the chief lawyer and law enforcement officer of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The officeholder also acts as an advocate and resource for the Commonwealth and its residents in many areas, including consumer protection, combating fraud and corruption, protecting civil rights, and maintaining economic competition. The current attorney general is Andrea Campbell.

Qualifications

Any person seeking to become the attorney general of Massachusetts must meet the following requirements:

  • Be at least eighteen years of age
  • Be a registered voter in Massachusetts
  • Be a Massachusetts resident for at least five years when elected
  • Receive 10,000 signatures from registered voters on nomination papers
  • Be a member of the Massachusetts Bar

History

When the 1780 state constitution was first enacted, the attorney general was appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the Governor's Council. The office was abolished in 1843 and re-established in 1849. In 1855 the constitution was amended so that the attorney general (along with a number of other constitutionally enumerated offices) was elected by the people. The length of the term of office has matched that of the governor, and elections are held concurrently with those for other constitutional office. Elections were first held annually, became biennial (every two years) in 1920, and quadrennial (every four years) in 1966.

Organization

The Office of the Attorney General is organized into six bureaus: Executive; Energy and Environmental; Criminal; Government; Health Care and Fair Competition; and Public Protection and Advocacy. Each bureau is divided into divisions and teams. These bureaus and divisions have distinct missions but work closely together to ensure the Attorney General's Office provides the highest level of public protection.

List of attorneys general

[[Province of Massachusetts Bay]]

Office established at the start of Queen Anne's War in 1702.

#NameTerm of service
1Paul Dudley1702–1718
2John Valentine1718–1720
3Thomas Newton1720–1721
–Vacant1721–1722
4John Overing1722–1723
–Vacant1723–1725
5John Read1725–1728
6Joseph Hiller1728–1729
7John Overing1729–1736
8William Brattle1736–1738
9John Overing1739–1748
10Edmund Trowbridge1749–1767
11Jeremiah Gridley1767
–Vacant1767
12Jonathan Sewall1767–1774
–Vacant1774–1776
13Benjamin Kent1776–1777
14Robert Treat Paine1777–1780

[[Massachusetts|Commonwealth of Massachusetts]]

Office reestablished upon the ratification of the Constitution of Massachusetts in 1780.

No.PortraitNamePrior experienceMunicipality of residenceTerm of servicePolitical partyParty affiliation: (25) (12) (3)
1[[File:Robert Treat Paine portrait.jpg75px]]Robert Treat Paine1780–1790Independent
2[[File:James Sullivan.jpg75px]]James Sullivan1790–1807Democratic–Republican
3[[File:BarnabasBidwellByJohnBrewsterJr.jpg75px]]Barnabas Bidwell1807–1810Democratic–Republican
4[[File:PerezMorton byFevretDeSaintMemin.png75px]]Perez Morton1810–1832Democratic–Republican
5James T. Austin1832–1843National Republican
–Office abolished1843–1849
6[[File:JohnHClifford.jpg75px]]John H. Clifford1849–1853Whig
7[[File:RufusChoate Southworth Hawes-crop.png75px]]Rufus Choate1853–1854Whig
8[[File:JohnHClifford Photograph.jpg75px]]John H. Clifford1854–1858Whig
9[[File:Stephen Henry Phillips.jpg75px]]Stephen Henry Phillips1858–1861Republican
10[[File:Dwight Foster (1828–1884).png75px]]Dwight Foster1861–1864Republican
11[[File:Chester I. Reed.png75px]]Chester I. Reed1864–1867Republican
12[[File:Charles Allen (jurist).png75px]]Charles Allen1867–1872Republican
13[[File:CRTrain.jpg75px]]Charles R. Train1872–1879Republican
14[[File:George Marston (Massachusetts).png75px]]George Marston1879–1883Republican
15[[File:Edgar J. Sherman.png75px]]Edgar J. Sherman1883–1887Republican
16[[File:Andrew J. Waterman.png75px]]Andrew J. Waterman1887–1891Republican
17[[File:Albert E. Pillsbury.png75px]]Albert E. Pillsbury1891–1894Republican
18[[File:Hosea M. Knowlton cph.3b32615.jpg75px]]Hosea M. Knowlton1894–1902Republican
19[[File:Herbert Parker.png75px]]Herbert Parker1902–1906Republican
20[[File:Dana Malone.png75px]]Dana Malone1906–1911Republican
21[[File:James M. Swift.png75px]]James M. Swift1911–1914Republican
22[[File:Thomas J. Boynton (Massachusetts).png75px]]Thomas J. Boynton1914–1915Democratic
23[[File:Henry Converse Atwill.png75px]]Henry Converse Atwill1915–1919Republican
24Henry A. Wyman1919–1920Republican
25[[File:J Weston Allen.png75px]]J. Weston AllenHouse 1915 to 1918, Attorney-at-LawNewton1920–1923Republican
26[[File:AG Jay R. Benton.png75px]]Jay R. BentonMass. House 1917, '18; Ass't Atty. Gen'l 1918-'22Belmont1923–1927Republican
27[[File:Reading-Arthur 002a.png75px]]Arthur K. ReadingMass House 1919 to 1922, Middlesex County District Attorney, 1923-'26, LawyerCambridge1927–1928Republican
28[[File:Joseph E. Warner.png75px]]Joseph E. WarnerTaunton Municipal Council 1907-'11, Trust. Pub. Library, Mass. House 1913-'20, Speaker 1919-'20, Delegate to Rep. National Convention 1920, Asst. Atty. Gen. 1923-'28, Attorney-at-LawTaunton1928–1935Republican
29[[File:Paul A. Dever.png75px]]Paul A. DeverMiddlesex County Public Administrator, Mass. House 1929-'34, LawyerCambridge1935–1941Democratic
30[[File:Robert T. Bushnell.png75px]]Robert T. BushnellMiddlesex County District Attorney, LawyerWest Newton1941–1945Republican
31[[File:Clarence A. Barnes.png75px]]Clarence A. BarnesMansfield Town Moderator and Counsel, Mass. House 1912-'13, Constitutional Convention, Governor's Council 1943-'44, LawyerMansfield1945–1949Republican
32[[File:Francis E. Kelly.png75px]]Francis E. KellyBoston City Council, Lieutenant Governor, Fall River Finance Commissioner, Attorney at lawDorchester, Boston1949–1953Democratic
33[[File:George Fingold.png75px]]George FingoldAsst. Attorney General, Asst. District Attorney, City Council, LawyerConcord1953–1958Republican
34[[File:Edward J. McCormack, Jr.png75px]]Edward J. McCormack Jr.Boston City Council, LawyerDorchester, Boston1958–1963Democratic
35[[File:Edward W. Brooke.png75px]]Edward W. BrookeBoston Finance Commission (chairman), Mass. Advisory Committee, U.S. Civil Rights Commission (chairman), LawyerNewton Centre1963–1967Republican
36Edward T. Martin1967Republican
37[[File:Elliot L. Richardson.png75px]]Elliot RichardsonLieutenant Governor, United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Brookline Town Meeting member, LawyerBrookline1967–1969Republican
38[[File:Robert H. Quinn.png75px]]Robert H. QuinnSpeaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, LawyerDorchester, Boston1969–1975Democratic
39[[File:Francis X. Bellotti.jpg75px]]Francis X. BellottiLieutenant Governor, AttorneyQuincy1975–1987Democratic
40[[File:James Shannon (MA Attorney General).jpeg75px]]James ShannonRepresentative in Congress, LawyerLawrence1987–1991Democratic
41[[File:L. Scott Harshbarger.png75px]]L. Scott HarshbargerMiddlesex County District Attorney; General Counsel, State Ethics Commission; Chief, Public Protection Bureau, Department of Attorney General; Deputy Chief Counsel, Massachusetts Defenders CommitteeWestwood1991–1999Democratic
42[[File:Thomas F. Reilly (2003).png75px]]Thomas ReillyMiddlesex County District AttorneyWatertown1999–2007Democratic
43[[File:Martha Coakley (cropped).jpg75px]]Martha CoakleyMiddlesex County District AttorneyMedford2007–2015Democratic
44[[File:Maura Healey official photo (better crop).jpg75px]]Maura HealeyMassachusetts Attorney General's Office as the Chief of the Civil Rights Division, Chief of the Public Protection and Advocacy Bureau, Chief of the Business and Labor Bureau, litigator and junior partner at the international law firm WilmerHale, Special Assistant District Attorney for Middlesex County, clerk for Judge David Mazzone in the United States District Court in Massachusetts, former professional basketball playerBoston2015–2023Democratic
ActingKate R. CookFirst Assistant Attorney General of Massachusetts from January 2022 until January 5, 2023BostonJanuary 5, 2023Independent
Acting[[File:Bessie Dewar 53501588163 o (1).jpg75px]]Bessie DewarState Solicitor of Massachusetts since January 2016BostonJanuary 5–18, 2023Democratic
45[[File:Andrea Campbell official attorney general headshot, 2023 (3x4).jpg75px]]Andrea CampbellMember of the Boston City Council, President of the Boston City Council, 2021 Boston mayoral candidate, LawyerBoston2023–presentDemocratic

Maura Healey currently resides in Arlington, MA.

References

References

  1. (March 2017). "How to Run for Office in Massachusetts".
  2. (1921). "Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1921-1922". Boston Review.
  3. (1925). "Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1925-1926". Boston Review.
  4. (1927). "Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1927-1928". Boston Review.
  5. (1933). "Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1933-1934". Boston Review.
  6. (1939). "Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1945-1946". Boston Review.
  7. (1945). "Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1945-1946". Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
  8. (1957). "Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1951-1952". Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
  9. (1957). "Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1957-1958". Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
  10. (1965). "Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1965-1966". Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
  11. (1967). "Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1967-1968". Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
  12. (1997). "Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1997-1998". Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Wikipedia Source

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