Attorney General of Maryland

Last updated
Attorney General of
the State of Maryland
Seal of Maryland.svg
Flag of Maryland.svg
Anthony G. Brown (November 2023).jpg
Incumbent
Anthony Brown
since January 3, 2023
Style The Honorable
Term length Four years, no term limit
Inaugural holder James Tilghman
1777
Formation Maryland Constitution of 1776 (originally)
Maryland Constitution of 1864 (most recently)
Website Maryland Attorney General

The Attorney General of the State of Maryland is the chief legal officer of the State of Maryland in the United States and is elected by the people every four years with no term limits. To run for the office a person must be a citizen of and qualified voter in Maryland and must have lived and practiced law in the state for at least ten years.

Contents

The attorney general has general charge, supervision and direction of the legal business of the State. The attorney general is the legal advisor and representative of the Governor, the General Assembly, the Judiciary, and the major departments, various boards, commissions, officials and institutions of State Government. The office further represents the State in all cases pending in the Appellate Courts of the State, and in the United States Supreme Court and lower Federal Courts. As of 2023, the attorney general is Democrat Anthony Brown.

Summary of powers

Colonial attorneys general

Colonial attorneys general of Maryland [5]
ImageNameTermHome
Lt. Richard Smith, Sr.1657–1660/61Calvert County
Capt. Thomas Manning1660/61–1666Calvert County
Col. William Calvert1666–1670St. Mary's City
Col. Vincent Lowe1670–1676Talbot County
Kenelm Cheseldyne1676–1681St. Mary's City
Thomas Burford1681–1686/87Charles County
Robert Carvile1688St. Mary's City
Charles Carroll the Settler (1700-1720).jpg Charles Carroll 1688–1689St. Mary's City & Anne Arundel County
Col. George Plater, I1691–1692St. Mary's County
Edward Wynn1692St. Mary's County
Col. George Plater, I1692–1698St. Mary's County
Maj. William Dent1698–1704Charles County
Col. William Bladen 1704–1718Annapolis
Bordley, Thomas, approximately 1683-1726.jpg Thomas Bordley1718–1721Annapolis
Daniel Dulany the Elder.jpg Daniel Dulany, Sr. 1721–1725Annapolis
Michael Howard1725–1734Talbot County
Daniel Dulany, Sr.1734–1744Annapolis
J E Kuhn - Henry Darnall III.jpg Henry Darnall, III 1744–1756Prince George's County
Stephen Bordley 1709-1764.jpg Stephen Bordley1756–1763Annapolis
Edmund Key1764–1766Annapolis
Robert Goldsborough, II 1766–1768Dorchester County
Thomas Jenings (c. 1736-1796) (cropped).jpg Thomas Jennings1768–1776Annapolis

Modern attorneys general

Modern attorneys general of Maryland
ImageNameFromToPartyLaw school
James Tilghman 17771778
Luther martin.jpg Luther Martin 17781805
Williampinkney (1).jpg William Pinkney 18051806Democratic-Republican
John Thomson Mason 18061806
John Johnson, Sr. 18061811
John Montgomery 18111818Democratic-Republican
Luther martin.jpg Luther Martin 18181822
Thomas Beale Dorsey 18221824Democratic-Republican
Thomas Kell 18241827
Roger B. Taney c.1836.jpg Roger B. Taney 18271831Democratic
Josiah Bayly 18311846
George R. Richardson 18461851
Robert J. Brent 18511864Whig
AlexanderRandall.jpg Alexander Randall 18641867Whig
Isaac Dashiell Jones, LL.D. (Ency. of the PCUSA, 1884).png Isaac Dashiell Jones 18671871Whig
AndrewKSyester1800sPortrait.jpg Andrew K. Syester 18711875Whig
C. J. M. Gwinn portrait (cropped).jpg Charles J. M. Gwinn 18751883Democratic
Charles Boyle Roberts of Maryland - Portrait seated circa 1865 to 1880.jpg Charles Boyle Roberts 18831887Democratic
Williampinkneywhite.jpg William Pinkney Whyte 18871891Democratic Harvard Law School
John P. Poe (1909) (cropped).png John Prentiss Poe 18911895Democratic
Harry M. Clabaugh.jpg Harry M. Clabaugh 18951899Republican University of Maryland School of Law
GeorgeGaither1900sEarlyMaryland.jpg George Riggs Gaither Jr. 18991899Republican
Isidor Rayner standing photograph portrait.jpg Isidor Rayner 18991903Democratic University of Virginia School of Law
"Portrait of William S. Bryan, Early 20th Century Attorney General of Maryland".jpg William Shepard Bryan Jr. 19031907Democratic University of Virginia School of Law
Isaac Lobe Straus (1914) (cropped).png Isaac Lobe Straus 19071911Democratic University of Maryland School of Law
Edgar Allan Poe (attorney general) (1914) (cropped).png Edgar Allan Poe 19111915Democratic University of Maryland School of Law
Albert Ritchie, photo portrait head and shoulders.jpg Albert Ritchie 19151919Democratic University of Maryland School of Law
Ogle Marbury (acting)19181919Democrat University of Maryland School of Law
Alexander Armstrong, Republican Candidate for Attorney General (1919) (cropped).png Alexander Armstrong 19191923Republican University of Pennsylvania Law School
Thomas H. Robinson of Harford County (1905) (cropped).png Thomas H. Robinson 19231930Democratic
William Preston Lane.jpg William Preston Lane Jr. 19301934Democratic University of Virginia School of Law
Governor herbert oconor of maryland.jpg Herbert O'Conor 19341938Democratic University of Maryland School of Law
William C. Walsh 19381945Democratic Catholic University School of Law
William Curran 19451946Democratic University of Maryland School of Law
Hall Hammond 19461952Democratic University of Maryland School of Law
Edward D. E. Rollins 19521954Republican University of Maryland School of Law
C. Ferdinand Sybert 19541961Democratic University of Maryland School of Law
Thomas B. Finan 19611966Democratic University of Maryland School of Law
Robert C. Murphy 19661966Democratic University of Maryland School of Law
Francis B. Burch 19661978Democratic Yale Law School
Jon F. Oster19791979Democratic University of Maryland School of Law
George A. Nilson19791979Democratic Yale Law School
Stephen H. Sachs 19791987Democratic Yale Law School
J. Joseph Curran.jpg J. Joseph Curran Jr. 19872007Democratic University of Baltimore School of Law
Douglas F. Gansler (2010).jpg Doug Gansler 20072015Democratic University of Virginia School of Law
Brian E. Frosh 2015.jpg Brian Frosh 20152023Democratic Columbia Law School
Anthony G. Brown 2022.jpg Anthony Brown 2023Democratic Harvard Law School

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References

  1. "Maryland State Government". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved 2022-05-21.
  2. "2020 Maryland Statutes :: Corporations and Associations :: Title 4A – Limited Liability Company Act :: Subtitle 10 – Foreign Limited Liability Companies :: Section 4A-1008 – Action by Attorney General". Justia Law. Retrieved 2022-05-21.
  3. "2020 Maryland Statutes :: Commercial Law :: Title 14 – Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions :: Subtitle 4 – Maryland Service Contracts and Consumer Products Guaranty Act". Justia Law. Retrieved 2022-05-21.
  4. "2020 Maryland Statutes :: Commercial Law :: Title 14 – Miscellaneous Consumer Protection Provisions :: Subtitle 4 – Maryland Service Contracts and Consumer Products Guaranty Act :: Section 14-406 – Action by Attorney General". Justia Law. Retrieved 2022-05-21.
  5. "Maryland Attorneys General, 1657-". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-21.