Michigan Attorney General

Last updated
Attorney General of the State of Michigan
Seal of Michigan Attorney General.svg
Seal of the attorney general
Dana Nessel Michigan Is Preparing for 'Every Scenario' on Election Day THE CIRCUS SHOWTIME 0-25 screenshot (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Dana Nessel
since January 1, 2019
Michigan Department of Attorney General
Style The Honorable
Residence Private
AppointerPopular Election
Term length 4 Years, Renewable Once
Inaugural holder Daniel LeRoy
Formation1837
Website www.michigan.gov/ag

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, secretary of state, members of the Senate and members of the House of Representatives.

Contents

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.

List of attorneys general of Michigan

Attorney GeneralIn officePolitical party
Daniel Leroy.png Daniel LeRoy 1836–1837
No image.svg Peter Morey 1837–1841 Democratic
No image.svg Zephaniah Platt 1841–1843 Whig
Chancellor Elon Farnsworth.png Elon Farnsworth 1843–1845 Democratic
Bradish-Walker.jpg Henry N. Walker 1845–1847 Democratic
Edward Mundy.png Edward Mundy 1847–1848 Democratic
George Van Ness Lothrop portrait circa 1910.jpg George V. N. Lothrop 1848–1851 Democratic
No image.svg William Hale 1851–1855 Democratic
Jacob M. Howard - Brady-Handy.jpg Jacob M. Howard 1855–1860 Republican
Hon. Charles Upson, Mich - NARA - 527337.jpg Charles Upson 1861–1863 Republican
Michigan Attorney General Albert Williams.png Albert Williams 1863–1867
WilliamLStoughton.jpg William L. Stoughton 1867–1869 Republican
Dwight May.png Dwight May 1869–1873
No image.svg Byron D. Ball 1873–1874 Republican
Michigan Justice Isaac Marston, The Green Bag, p. 388.jpg Isaac Marston 1874–1875
No image.svg Andrew J. Smith 1875–1877
Otto Kirchner.jpg Otto Kirchner 1877–1881 Republican
Jacob J. Van Riper.jpg Jacob J. Van Riper 1881–1885
No image.svg Moses Taggart 1885–1889 Republican
No image.svg Stephen V. R. Trowbridge 1889–1890
No image.svg Benjamin W. Huston 1890 Republican
Michigan Attorney General Adolphus A. Ellis.png Adolphus A. Ellis 1891–1895 Democratic
Michigan Attorney General Fred A. Maynard.png Fred A. Maynard 1895–1899
Michigan Attorney General Horace M. Oren.png Horace M. Oren 1899–1903
Charles A. Blair.png Charles A. Blair 1903–1905
John E. Bird.jpg John E. Bird 1905–1910
Franz C. Kuhn.png Franz C. Kuhn 1910–1912 Republican
No image.svg Roger I. Wykes 1912 Republican
Grant Fellows.jpg Grant Fellows 1913–1917 Republican
AlexJGroesbeck.jpg Alex J. Groesbeck 1917–1921 Republican
Merlin Wiley.png Merlin Wiley 1921–1923 Republican
Andrew B. Dougherty.png Andrew B. Dougherty 1923–1926 Republican
Clare Retan.png Clare Retan 1926 Republican
William W. Potter (1869-1940).jpg William W. Potter 1927–1929 Republican
Attorney General Brucker 2.png Wilber M. Brucker 1929–1931 Republican
Paul W. Voorhies.png Paul W. Voorhies 1931–1933 Republican
Michigan Attorney General Patrick H. O'Brien.png Patrick H. O'Brien 1933–1935 Democratic
Harry S. Toy.png Harry S. Toy 1935 Republican
David H. Crolwey 1937.png David H. Crowley 1935–1937 Republican
Raymond Wesley Starr.png Raymond Wesley Starr 1937–1939
Thomas Read Politician.jpg Thomas Read 1939-1940 Republican
Herbert J. Rushton.png Herbert J. Rushton 1941–1944 Republican
John R. Dethmers.png John R. Dethmers 1945–1946 Republican
Foss O. Eldred.png Foss O. Eldred 1946 Republican
Eugene F. Black.png Eugene F. Black 1947–1949 Republican
Stephen John Roth.png Stephen John Roth 1949–1951
Frank Millard 1953.png Frank Millard 1951–1955 Republican
Thomas M. Kavanagh.png Thomas M. Kavanagh 1955–1957 Democratic
Paul L. Adams.png Paul L. Adams 1957–1961 Democratic
Frank J. Kelley.jpg Frank J. Kelley 1961–1999 Democratic
Jennifer Granholm 5.jpg Jennifer Granholm 1999–2003 Democratic
Mike Cox Summer 2009.JPG Mike Cox 2003–2011 Republican
President Donald Trump with Bill Schuette (cropped).jpg Bill Schuette 2011–2019 Republican
Dana Nessel 20190202 110126 (cropped).jpg Dana Nessel 2019–present Democratic

Source: Michigan Manual 2003-2004, Chapter IV, Former Officials of Michigan

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