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Attorney General of California
CA-DOJ-LOGO.png
Seal of the attorney general of California
AG Rob Bonta official (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Rob Bonta

since April 23, 2021
Department of Justice
Style The Honorable
Term length Four years, two term limit
Inaugural holder Edward J. C. Kewen
1849
Formation California Constitution
Salary $151,127

The attorney general of California is the state attorney general of the Government of California. The officer's duty is to 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 at the same statewide election as the governor, lieutenant governor, controller, secretary of state, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, and insurance commissioner. A few individual attorneys general have gone on to higher offices on the state and 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 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

Californiaattorneygeneraloffice
The California attorney general's main office in Sacramento is housed in this building

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.
  • Heads the Department of Justice, which is responsible for providing state legal services and support for local law enforcement.
  • Acts as the chief counsel in state litigation.
  • Oversees law enforcement agencies, including district attorneys and sheriffs.

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.

Diversity

List of attorneys general of California

No. Portrait Name Party Term
1 Kewen.jpg Edward J. C. Kewen Democratic 1849

1850
2 James A. McDougall.jpg James A. McDougall Democratic 1850

1851
3 Serranus Clinton Hastings by John Chester Buttre (1).jpeg Serranus C. Hastings Democratic January 5, 1852

January 2, 1854
4 John R. McConnell.jpg John R. McConnell Democratic 1854

1856
5 William M. Stewart - Brady-Handy (cropped).jpg William M. Stewart Democratic June 7, 1853

December 1853
(acting)
6 William T. Wallace (1).jpg William T. Wallace American January 1856

January 1858
7 Thomas H. Williams.jpg Thomas H. Williams Democratic 1858

1862
8 Frank Morrison Pixley (cropped).jpg Frank M. Pixley Republican 1862

1863
9 John G McCullough.jpg John G. McCullough Republican 1863

1867
10 Jo Hamilton 1 (a).jpg Jo Hamilton Democratic December 5, 1867

December 8, 1871
11 John Love 11th Attorney General of California (1).jpg John L. Love Republican 1871

1875
12 Jo Hamilton 1 (a).jpg Jo Hamilton Democratic December 9, 1875

January 8, 1880
13 August L. Hart (1).jpg Augustus L. Hart Republican January 8, 1880

January 10, 1883
14 Edward-C-Marshall.jpg Edward C. Marshall Democratic January 10, 1883

January 8, 1887
15 George A. Johnson (1).jpg George A. Johnson Democratic January 8, 1887

January 8, 1891
16 William H. Hart.jpg William H. H. Hart Republican January 8, 1891

January 11, 1895
17 William Francis Fitzgerald.jpg William F. Fitzgerald Republican January 7, 1895

January 2, 1899
18 Tirey L. Ford 220.jpg Tirey L. Ford Republican January 4, 1899

September 14, 1902
19 Ulysses Sigel Webb 1903.jpg Ulysses S. Webb Republican September 15, 1902

January 3, 1939
20 Earl Warren Portrait, half figure, seated, facing front, as Governor (cropped 3x4).jpg Earl Warren Republican January 3, 1939

January 4, 1943
21 Robert W. Kenny, 1943.jpg Robert W. Kenny Democratic January 4, 1943

January 5, 1947
22 Fredrick N. Howser.jpg Frederick N. Howser Republican January 5, 1947

January 8, 1951
23 Pat Brown (California Governor 1962).jpg Pat Brown Democratic January 8, 1951

January 5, 1959
24 Stanley Mosk (cropped).jpg Stanley Mosk Democratic January 5, 1959

August 31, 1964
25 Thomas C. Lynch (1).jpg Thomas C. Lynch Democratic August 31, 1964

January 4, 1971
26 Evelle J. Younger (1).jpg Evelle J. Younger Republican January 4, 1971

January 8, 1979
27 George Deukmejian Official Portrait crop 2.jpg George Deukmejian Republican January 8, 1979

January 3, 1983
28 John Van de Kamp (1).jpg John Van de Kamp Democratic January 3, 1983

January 7, 1991
29 Dan Lungren (3x4a).jpg Dan Lungren Republican January 7, 1991

January 4, 1999
30 Bill-Lockyer.jpg Bill Lockyer Democratic January 4, 1999

January 8, 2007
31 JerryBrownByPhilKonstantin.jpg Jerry Brown Democratic January 8, 2007

January 3, 2011
32 Kamala Harris Official Attorney General Photo (cropped).jpg Kamala Harris Democratic January 3, 2011

January 3, 2017
33 Xavier Becerra official portrait (cropped).jpg Xavier Becerra Democratic January 24, 2017

March 18, 2021
34 AG Rob Bonta official (cropped).jpg Rob Bonta Democratic April 23, 2021

Incumbent
Major other offices held
  • Xavier Becerra (2017–2021) – 25th Secretary of Health and Human Services (2021–present)
  • Jerry Brown (2007–2011) – 34th and 39th Governor of California (1975–1983; 2011–2019)
  • Pat Brown (1951–1959) – 32nd Governor of California (1959–1967)
  • George Deukmejian (1979–1983) – 35th Governor of California (1983–1991)
  • William F. Fitzgerald (1895–1899) – Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court (1893–1895); Associate Justice of the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court (1884–1885)
  • Kamala Harris (2011–2017) – 49th Vice President of the United States (2021–present); U.S. Senator from California (2017–2021)
  • S. Clinton Hastings (1852–1854) – 1st Chief Justice of California (1849–1851); 3rd Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court (1848–1849)
  • Bill Lockyer (1999–2007) – 32nd California State Treasurer (2007–2015); 46th President pro tempore of the California State Senate (1994–1998)
  • John G. McCullough (1863–1867) – 49th Governor of Vermont (1902–1904)
  • James A. McDougall (1850–1851) – U.S. Senator from California (1861–1867); 14th Illinois Attorney General (1843–1846)
  • Stanley Mosk (1959–1964) – Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court (1964–2001)
  • William T. Wallace (1856–1858) – 12th Chief Justice of California (1872–1879); Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court (1871–1872)
  • Earl Warren (1939–1943) – 14th Chief Justice of the United States (1953–1969); 30th Governor of California (1943–1953)
  • Ulysses S. Webb (1902–1939) – longest serving at 37 years
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