Attorney General of California

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.

Attorney General of California
Seal of the attorney general of California
Flag of the State of California
Incumbent
Rob Bonta
since April 23, 2021
Department of Justice
StyleThe Honorable
Term lengthFour years, two term limit
Inaugural holderEdward J. C. Kewen
1849
FormationCalifornia Constitution
Salary$151,127
Websiteoag.ca.gov

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 from 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.[1][2][3]

Duties
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.[4]
  • Heads the Department of Justice, which is responsible for providing state legal services and support for local law enforcement.[5]
  • Acts as the chief counsel in state litigation.[6]
  • Oversees law enforcement agencies, including district attorneys and sheriffs.[4]

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,[7] 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.[8] Warren went on to become attorney general himself in 1938, reorganizing's the state's law enforcement into districts.

Under Robert W. Kenny, the office was complicit in the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, a position it has since apologized for.[9]

Diversity

List of attorneys general of California
No. Portrait Name Party Term
1 Edward J. C. Kewen Democratic 1849
–
1850
2 James A. McDougall Democratic 1850
–
1851
3 Serranus C. Hastings Democratic January 5, 1852
–
January 2, 1854
4 John R. McConnell Democratic 1854
–
1856
5 William M. Stewart Democratic June 7, 1853
–
December 1853
(acting)
6 William T. Wallace American January 1856
–
January 1858
7 Thomas H. Williams Democratic 1858
–
1862
8 Frank M. Pixley Republican 1862
–
1863
9 John G. McCullough Republican 1863
–
1867
10 Jo Hamilton Democratic December 5, 1867
–
December 8, 1871
11 John L. Love Republican 1871
–
1875
12 Jo Hamilton Democratic December 9, 1875
–
January 8, 1880
13 Augustus L. Hart Republican January 8, 1880
–
January 10, 1883
14 Edward C. Marshall Democratic January 10, 1883
–
January 8, 1887
15 George A. Johnson Democratic January 8, 1887
–
January 8, 1891
16 William H. H. Hart Republican January 8, 1891
–
January 11, 1895
17 William F. Fitzgerald Republican January 7, 1895
–
January 2, 1899
18 Tirey L. Ford Republican January 4, 1899
–
September 14, 1902
19 Ulysses S. Webb Republican September 15, 1902
–
January 3, 1939
20 Earl Warren Republican January 3, 1939
–
January 4, 1943
21 Robert W. Kenny Democratic January 4, 1943
–
January 5, 1947
22 Frederick N. Howser Republican January 5, 1947
–
January 8, 1951
23 Pat Brown Democratic January 8, 1951
–
January 5, 1959
24 Stanley Mosk Democratic January 5, 1959
–
August 31, 1964
25 Thomas C. Lynch Democratic August 31, 1964
–
January 4, 1971
26 Evelle J. Younger Republican January 4, 1971
–
January 8, 1979
27 George Deukmejian Republican January 8, 1979
–
January 3, 1983
28 John Van de Kamp Democratic January 3, 1983
–
January 7, 1991
29 Dan Lungren Republican January 7, 1991
–
January 4, 1999
30 Bill Lockyer Democratic January 4, 1999
–
January 8, 2007
31 Jerry Brown Democratic January 8, 2007
–
January 3, 2011
32 Kamala Harris Democratic January 3, 2011
–
January 3, 2017
33 Xavier Becerra Democratic January 24, 2017
–
March 18, 2021
34 Rob Bonta Democratic April 23, 2021
–
Incumbent

See also

References
  1. "Rob Bonta, Bay Area Democratic lawmaker, appointed California attorney general". Los Angeles Times. March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  2. Hubler, Shawn (March 24, 2021). "Rob Bonta, an Asian-American Progressive, Is Named Attorney General in California". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  3. "Attorney General Rob Bonta". State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General. December 21, 2010. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  4. California Constitution, Article V, Section 13 Archived January 8, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  5. California Government Code §15000
  6. California Code of Civil Procedure §401
  7. "History of Initiative and Referendum in California". Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  8. "Proposition 4 (1934)". Propositions. January 1934.
  9. Reports, Rafu (August 15, 2023). "Bonta Issues Apology Acknowledging Complicity of State Attorney General's Office in Incarceration of JAs". Rafu Shimpo. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  10. Thurber, Jon; Dolan, Maura (June 20, 2001). "Stanley Mosk, State's Senior Justice, Dies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  11. Dick, Jason (August 12, 2020). "'It's just history': Kamala Harris as the VP nominee". CQ Roll Call. FiscalNote. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  12. "Attorney General Xavier Becerra". Office of the Attorney General. State of California Department of Justice. December 21, 2010. Archived from the original on March 23, 2019. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  13. "Governor Newsom Swears in Rob Bonta as Attorney General of California". Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. April 23, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
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