Attorney General in United Kingdom

Attorney General in the United Kingdom

The office of attorney general dates from the reign (1272-1307) of King Edward I. It developed gradually until the 17th century, when the attorney general became chief legal counsel to the Crown and all departments of state and represented them in court cases. As the position grew in importance, the attorney general was made a government minister and sometimes a member of the cabinet. The office carries with it precedence over all other members of the bar. (1)

History of the Attorney-General

The following commentary about Attorney-General in the Churchill Era is produced by the Churchill College (Cambridge): Chief legal officer in England.

Concept of Attorney-general

The following is an old definition of Attorney-general [1], a term which has several meanings:1. King’s counsel

Alternative Meaning

The head of the department of justice in the government of the United States. The chief law-officer in the government of each State. The former has a deputy in each judicial district, known as the ” United States district attorney; ” and the latter has a deputy in each county, known as the “district” or ” county attorney,” the attorney for the people, Commonwealth, State, or government. The attorney representing the United States is also often referred to as the attorney or counsel for the government. In the capacity of accusing and trying alleged violators of the criminal law, they are severally spoken of as the “prosecuting attorney ” or attorney for the prosecution. The attorney-general of either government may appear by a special deputy attorney-general; and their subordinates, in districts and counties, by assistant district attorneys. The attorney-general of the United States is not authorized, by the law creating and defining his office, to give legal opinions at the call of Congress. His duty to render such opinions is limited to calls from the President and the heads ot departments, see, in this resource, the term He manages government suits before the Supreme Court. His opinions are preserved in a series of reports known as the Opinions of the Attorneys-General, which include decisions rendered from 1791 to date. The attorney-general of a State advises the governor, and exhibits informations in the name of the State.

Resources

Notes and References

1. Meaning of Attorney-general provided by the Anderson Dictionary of Law (1889) (Dictionary of Law consisting of Judicial Definitions and Explanations of Words, Phrases and Maxims and an Exposition of the Principles of Law: Comprising a Dictionary and Compendium of American and English Jurisprudence; William C. Anderson; T. H. Flood and Company, Law Publishers, Chicago, United States)

Resources

Notes and References

1. Encarta Online Encyclopedia

See Also

Attorney General History

Chief legal adviser to the Government, as well as being responsible for all Crown prosecutions including the Crown Prosecution Service.

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Schema Summary

This entry was last updated: May 6, 2017

AT

Attorney's Certificate
Attaint
Attachment Of Privilege
Attainder
Attachment of Vessel
Atlantic Chater
At Law

History

House of Lords
County
House of Commons
Assizes
Addled Parliament
Canada
British North America

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