Attorney General of Kentucky
The Attorney General of Kentucky is an office created by the Kentucky Constitution. (Ky.Const. § 91). Under Kentucky law, they serve several roles, including the state's chief prosecutor (KRS 15.700), the state's chief law enforcement officer (KRS 15.700), and the state's chief law officer (KRS 15.020). As the chief prosecutor, the Attorney General is the Chairman of the Kentucky Prosecutors Advisory Council, which supervises the prosecutors of Kentucky (KRS 15.700, KRS 15.705). As chief law officer, they write opinions to advise government officials and agencies concerning the law. (KRS 15.020). The Attorney General holds an ex officio seat on various Kentucky state boards and agencies.
Attorney General of Kentucky | |
---|---|
Seal of the Attorney General | |
Style | The Honorable |
Term length | Four years, two term limit |
Inaugural holder | George Nicholas 1792 |
Formation | Kentucky Constitution |
Salary | $124,113.60[1] |
Website | Office of the Attorney General |
The Attorney General of Kentucky is elected for a four-year term in the same year other statewide officers are elected, rather than being appointed as in some states such as Alaska. A 1992 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution permits the Attorney General of Kentucky to serve two consecutive terms. (Ky.Const. § 93). The Attorney General appoints a deputy and various Assistants to the Attorney General, who have the power to act on his behalf. (KRS 15.100(1)).
The Attorney General of Kentucky is currently Republican Daniel Cameron. Cameron's predecessor, Democrat Andy Beshear, resigned from the post on December 10, 2019 to be sworn in as Governor of Kentucky. Beshear appointed Cameron to assume the unexpired term on December 17, 2019. Cameron, who is the first African American ever to hold the position and the first Republican to hold the office since 1948, was elected to a full term of office in November 2019 and will be sworn in for that term on January 6, 2020.[2][3]
List of Attorneys General of Kentucky
# | Name | Political Party | Term |
---|---|---|---|
1 | George Nicholas | Federalist | 1792–1793 |
2 | John Breckinridge | Democratic-Republican | 1793–1797 |
3 | James Blair | Democratic-Republican | 1797–1820 |
4 | Joseph M. White | Democratic-Republican | 1820 |
5 | Ben Hardin | Democratic-Republican | 1820–1821 |
6 | Solomon P. Sharp | Democratic-Republican | 1821–1825 |
7 | Frederick W. S. Grayson | Jacksonian | 1825–1825 |
8 | James W. Denny | Jacksonian | 1825–1832 |
9 | Charles Morehead | Whig | 1832–1838 |
10 | Owen G. Cotes | Democratic | 1838–1849 |
11 | Madison Conyers Johnson | Democratic | 1849 |
12 | James Harlan | Whig | 1849–1859 |
13 | Andrew J. James | Democratic | 1859–1861 |
14 | John M. Harlan | Union | 1861–1865 |
15 | John Rodman | Republican | 1865–1875 |
16 | Thomas Edward Moss | Republican | 1875–1879 |
17 | Parker Watkins Hardin | Democratic | 1879–1889 |
18 | William J. Hendrick | Republican | 1889–1896 |
19 | William S. Taylor | Republican | 1896–1900 |
20 | R. J. Breckinridge | Republican | 1900–1902 |
21 | C. J. Pratt | Republican | 1902–1904 |
22 | N. B. Hays | Republican | 1904–1908 |
23 | James Breathitt | Republican | 1908–1912 |
24 | James Garnett | Republican | 1912–1916 |
25 | M. M. Logan | Democratic | 1916–1917 |
26 | Charles H. Morris | Republican | 1917–1920 |
27 | Charles I. Dawson | Republican | 1920–1923 |
28 | Thomas Burnett McGregor | Republican | 1923–1924 |
29 | Frank E. Daugherty | Republican | 1924–1928 |
30 | James W. Cammack | Republican | 1928–1932 |
31 | Bailey P. Wootton | Democratic | 1932–1936 |
32 | B. M. Vincent | Democratic | 1936–1937 |
33 | Hubert Meredith | Democratic | 1937–1944 |
34 | Eldon S. Dummit | Republican | 1944–1948 |
35 | Alvarado E. Funk | Democratic | 1948–1952 |
36 | J. D. Buckman, Jr. | Democratic | 1952–1956 |
37 | Jo M. Ferguson | Democratic | 1956–1960 |
38 | John Bayne Breckinridge | Democratic | 1960–1964 |
39 | Robert F. Matthews, Jr. | Democratic | 1964–1968 |
40 | John Bayne Breckinridge | Democratic | 1968–1972 |
41 | Ed W. Hancock | Democratic | 1972–1976 |
42 | Robert F. Stephens | Democratic | 1976–1979 |
Acting | Steve Beshear | Democratic | 1979–1980 |
43 | Steve Beshear | Democratic | 1980–1984 |
44 | David L. Armstrong | Democratic | 1984–1988 |
45 | Fred Cowan | Democratic | 1988–1992 |
46 | Chris Gorman | Democratic | 1992–1996 |
47 | Ben Chandler | Democratic | 1996–2004 |
48 | Greg Stumbo | Democratic | 2004–2008 |
49 | Jack Conway | Democratic | 2008–2016 |
50 | Andy Beshear | Democratic | 2016–2019 |
Acting | Daniel Cameron[4] | Republican | 2019–2020 |
51 | Daniel Cameron | Republican | 2020–present |
References
- "Transparency.ky.gov - Salary Search". August 4, 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
- Sonka, Joe. "Daniel Cameron wins Kentucky attorney general race in historic victory". Courier Journal. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
- Kentucky attorney general to take office early
- https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article238129994.html
External links
- Kentucky Attorney General official website
- Kentucky Attorney General articles at Legal Newsline Legal Journal
- Kentucky Attorney General articles at ABA Journal
- News and Commentary at FindLaw
- Kentucky Revised Statutes at Law.Justia.com
- U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Kentucky" at FindLaw
- Kentucky Bar Association
- Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear profile at National Association of Attorneys General
The Kentucky Attorney General's Office is divided into the following divisions:
- Administrative Hearings Division
- Child Support Enforcement Commission (CSEC)
- Kentucky Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI)
- Medicaid Fraud Division
- Office of Civil and Environmental Law
- Office of Consumer Protection
- Office of Criminal Appeals
- Office of Rate Intervention
- Prosecutors Advisory Council
- Special Prosecutions Division
- Uninsured Employers' Fund
- Office for Victims Advocacy