Illinois Attorney General

Last updated
Attorney General of Illinois
Seal of the Attorney General of Illinois.svg
Seal of the attorney general
Kwame Raoul RFCG (1).jpg
Incumbent
Kwame Raoul
since January 14, 2019
Term length 4 years
Inaugural holder Daniel Pope Cook
FormationDecember 3, 1818
Succession Second
Website www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov

The Illinois attorney general is the highest legal officer of the state of Illinois in the United States. Originally an appointed office, it is now an office filled by statewide election. Based in Chicago and Springfield, the attorney general is responsible for providing legal counsel for the various state agencies including the governor of Illinois and Illinois General Assembly, as well as conducting all legal affairs pertaining to the state.

Contents

The office of Illinois Attorney General was established on December 3, 1818, based on guidelines adopted by a state constitutional convention. The attorney general is second (behind the lieutenant governor) in the line of succession to the office of Governor of Illinois. [1] [2] The first person to fulfill the duties of the office was Daniel Pope Cook who only served eleven days, and was later elected to the United States Congress. Cook County was named in his honor.

The current holder of the office is Kwame Raoul.

Role

Under the Constitution of Illinois, the attorney general is the state's chief legal officer, and has the powers and duties prescribed by law. The attorney general's duties include advocating for the people of Illinois, working with the General Assembly to push for new legislation, and litigating to ensure that state laws are followed. [3] The state's Attorney General Act specifies several duties, including: [4]

The attorney general also oversees the Public Access Counselor, which is responsible for enforcing the state's Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act.

List of attorneys general

Parties

   Democratic (21)    Republican (17)    Democratic-Republican (4)


#ImageName [5] [6] Political partyTerm
1 Daniel Pope Cook (Illinois Congressman).jpg Daniel Pope Cook Democratic-Republican1819
2 William Mears Democratic-Republican1819–1821
3 SamuelLockwood.jpg Samuel D. Lockwood Democratic-Republican1821–1822
4James TurneyDemocratic-Republican1822–1829
5 George Forquer Democratic1829–1832
6 James Semple.jpg James Semple Democratic1832–1834
7 Ninian Wirt Edwards Democratic1834–1835
8 Judge Jesse B. Thomas.png Jesse B. Thomas Jr. Democratic1835–1836
9 Judge Walter B. Scates.png Walter B. Scates Democratic1836–1837
10 Usher F. Linder Democratic1837–1838
11George W. OlneyDemocratic1838–1839
12 Wickliffe Kitchell Democratic1839–1840
13 Josiah Lamborn Democratic1840–1843
14 James A. McDougall.jpg James A. McDougall Democratic1843–1846
15David B. CampbellDemocratic1846–1848
Office abolished 1848–1867
16 Robert G. Ingersoll (6268133678).jpg Robert G. Ingersoll Republican1867–1869
17 Washington Bushnell Republican1869–1873
18 James K. Edsall Republican1873–1881
19 James McCartney.jpg James A. McCartney Republican1881–1885
20 George Hunt (1841-1901).png George Hunt Republican1885–1893
21 Maurice T. Moloney Democratic1893–1897
22 Edward C. Akin (1852-1936).png Edward C. Akin Republican1897–1901
23 Howland J. Hamlin Republican1901–1905
24 William Henry Stead (1858-1918).png William H. Stead Republican1905–1913
25 Wikipedia Patrick Lucey.png Patrick J. Lucey Democratic1913–1917
26 Edward J. Brundage (3409862227) (cropped).jpg Edward J. Brundage Republican1917–1925
27 Oscar E. Carlstrom (3x4a).jpg Oscar E. Carlstrom Republican1925–1933
28 Otto Kerner Sr. (1).jpg Otto Kerner Sr. Democratic1932–1938
29 John Edward Cassidy Democratic1938–1941
30 George F. Barrett circa 1945 (3x4).jpg George F. Barrett Republican1941–1949
31 Ivan A. Elliott 10092 3x4.jpg Ivan A. Elliott Democratic1949–1953
32 Latham Castle.png Latham Castle Republican1953–1959
33 Grenville Beardsley Republican1959–1960
34 William L. Guild Republican1960–1961
35 Judge William G. Clark.png William G. Clark Democratic1961–1969
36 William J. Scott, circa 1976 (3x4).jpg William J. Scott Republican1969–1980
37 TyFahner.jpg Tyrone C. Fahner Republican1980–1983
38 Attorney General Neil Hartigan (cropped).jpg Neil F. Hartigan Democratic1983–1991
39 Roland Burris, official photo portrait, 111th Congress.jpg Roland W. Burris Democratic1991–1995
40 Jim Ryan Republican1995–2003
41 Lisa Madigan 2265218.jpg Lisa Madigan Democratic2003–2019
42 Kwame Raoul RFCG (1) (a).jpg Kwame Raoul Democratic2019–present

See also

References

PD-icon.svgThis article incorporates public domain material from the Illinois Compiled Statutes.

  1. ↑ "Constitution of the State of Illinois". Illinois General Assembly . Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Illinois Compiled Statutes 15 ILCS 5 — Governor Succession Act". Illinois General Assembly . Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Illinois Attorney General - About Us". www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  4. ↑ "The Office of the Illinois Attorney General". Better Government Association. 2018-11-19. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  5. ↑ "Illinois Attorney General - History of the Illinois Attorney General".
  6. ↑ Illinois Blue Book. Springfield: Secretary of State. 1908. p. 159. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
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