The attorney general of the State of Michigan is the fourth-ranking official in the U.S. state of Michigan. The officeholder is elected statewide in the November general election alongside the governor, lieutenant governor, and secretary of state.
Since the Michigan Constitution of 1963 was adopted, the attorney general has served a term of four years. The officeholder is also limited to two terms, for a total of eight possible years of service; ten possible years of service if the officeholder serves two full terms and less than half of one term as a replacement.
“Inasmuch as the office of Attorney General has common law powers as the chief law enforcement officer of the State, [they] may exercise the powers of a peace officer and may appoint special agents having this status to assist [them] in enforcing [their] powers and carrying out [their] functions” (AG Opinion No. 5236,10/20/1977).
Michigan law, MCL 14.32, provides that "[i]t shall be the duty of the attorney general, when required, to give [their] opinion upon all questions of law submitted to [them] by the legislature, or by either branch thereof, or by the governor, auditor general, treasurer or any other state officer . . . ."
Michigan's current attorney general is Democrat Dana Nessel, who was elected in November 2018, and sworn into office on January 1, 2019.
Courtesy title The attorney general traditionally receives the courtesy title of The Honorable for life.
History Under the original 1835 Michigan Constitution, the attorney general was established as an appointed position. They were appointed by the governor with the consent of the state senate. Under the 1850 Michigan Constitution, the attorney general became an elected position. Attorneys general were elected to serve two year terms under this constitution. Under the current 1963 state constitution, the terms of attorneys general were extended to four years. The attorney general was limited to two terms via a state constitutional amendment, which passed in 1992.
List of attorneys general of Michigan Image Name Term Party / Appointer Notes Ref.Daniel LeRoy1836–1837Stevens T. MasonPeter Morey1837–1841Stevens T. Mason Zephaniah Platt1841–1843James Wright GordonElon Farnsworth1843–1845John S. BarryHenry N. Walker1845–1847John S. Barry Edward Mundy1847–1848Alpheus Felch ResignedGeorge V. N. Lothrop1848–1851Epaphroditus Ransom William Hale1851–1854DemocraticFirst elected Michigan attorney general. Jacob M. Howard1855–1860Republican Charles Upson1861–1862Republican Albert Williams1863–1866Republican William L. Stoughton1867–1868Republican Dwight May1869–1872Republican Byron D. Ball1873–1874Republican ResignedIsaac Marston1874John J. BagleyAppointed by governor to fill vacancy. Andrew J. Smith1875–1876Republican Otto Kirchner1877–1880Republican Jacob J. Van Riper1881–1884Republican Moses Taggart1885–1888Republican Stephen V. R. Trowbridge1889–1890Republican ResignedBenjamin W. Huston1890Cyrus G. Luce Adolphus A. Ellis1891–1894Democratic Fred A. Maynard1895–1898Republican Horace M. Oren1899–1902Republican Charles A. Blair1903–1904Republican John E. Bird1905–1910Republican Resigned Franz C. Kuhn 1910–1912Fred M. WarnerInitially appointed by governor to fill vacancy, and thereafter elected. Republican ResignedRoger I. Wykes1912Chase Osborn Grant Fellows1913–1916Republican Alex J. Groesbeck1917–1920Republican Merlin Wiley1921–1923Republican Andrew B. Dougherty 1923–1926Alex J. Groesbeck Republican ResignedClare Retan1926Alex J. Groesbeck William W. Potter1927–1928Republican Resigned Wilber M. Brucker 1928–1930Fred W. Green Republican Paul W. Voorhies1931–1932Republican Patrick H. O'Brien1933–1934Democratic Harry S. Toy1935Republican ResignedDavid H. Crowley1935–1936Frank Fitzgerald Raymond W. Starr1937–1938Democratic Thomas Read1939-1940Republican Herbert J. Rushton1941–1944Republican John R. Dethmers1945–1946Republican ResignedFoss O. Eldred1946Harry Kelly Eugene F. Black1947–1948Republican Stephen J. Roth1949–1950Democratic Frank Millard1951–1954Republican Thomas M. Kavanagh1955–1957Democratic Resigned Paul L. Adams 1958–1961G. Mennen Williams Democratic Resigned Frank J. Kelley 1961–1998John Swainson Democratic Jennifer Granholm1999–2002Democratic Mike Cox2003–2010Republican Bill Schuette2011–2018Republican Dana Nessel2019–presentDemocratic
Notes
References
External links
Michigan Attorney General official website Michigan Attorney General articles at ABA Journal News and Commentary at FindLaw Michigan Compiled Laws at Law.Justia.com U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Michigan" at FindLaw State Bar of Michigan Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel profile at National Association of Attorneys General Press releases at Michigan Attorney General