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United States Attorney General

Updated: Wikipedia source

United States Attorney General

The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and serves as the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. The attorney general acts as the principal legal advisor to the president of the United States on all legal matters. The attorney general is also a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States and a member of the United States National Security Council. Additionally, the attorney general is seventh in the presidential line of succession. The attorney general is the only cabinet department head who is not given the title Secretary. Under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution, the officeholder is nominated by the president of the United States, and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, will take office if confirmed by the majority of the full United States Senate. The attorney general is supported by the Office of the Attorney General, which includes executive staff and several deputy attorneys general. The attorney general is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule and thus earns the salary prescribed for that level: $250,600, as of January 2025.

Infobox

Style
Mr. Attorney General (informal) The Honorable (formal)
Member of
Cabinet National Security Council Homeland Security Council
Reports to
President of the United States
Seat
Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, Washington, D .
Appointer
The president with advice and consent of the Senate
Term length
No fixed term
Constituting instrument
28 U . § 503
Formation
September 26, 1789
First holder
Edmund Randolph
Succession
Seventh
Deputy
Deputy Attorney General
Salary
Executive Schedule, Level I
Website
www /ag

Tables

· List of attorneys general
Edmund Randolph
Edmund Randolph
No.
1
Name
Edmund Randolph
State of residence
Virginia
Took office
September 26, 1789
Left office
January 26, 1794
President(s)
George Washington (1789–1797)
William Bradford
William Bradford
No.
2
Name
William Bradford
State of residence
Pennsylvania
Took office
January 27, 1794
Left office
August 23, 1795
Charles Lee
Charles Lee
No.
3
Name
Charles Lee
State of residence
Virginia
Took office
December 10, 1795
Left office
February 19, 1801
Levi Lincoln Sr.
Levi Lincoln Sr.
No.
4
Name
Levi Lincoln Sr.
State of residence
Massachusetts
Took office
March 5, 1801
Left office
March 3, 1805
President(s)
Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809)
John Breckinridge
John Breckinridge
No.
5
Name
John Breckinridge
State of residence
Kentucky
Took office
August 7, 1805
Left office
December 14, 1806
Caesar Augustus Rodney
Caesar Augustus Rodney
No.
6
Name
Caesar Augustus Rodney
State of residence
Delaware
Took office
January 20, 1807
Left office
December 10, 1811
William Pinkney
William Pinkney
No.
7
Name
William Pinkney
State of residence
Maryland
Took office
December 11, 1811
Left office
February 9, 1814
Richard Rush
Richard Rush
No.
8
Name
Richard Rush
State of residence
Pennsylvania
Took office
February 10, 1814
Left office
November 12, 1817
William Wirt
William Wirt
No.
9
Name
William Wirt
State of residence
Virginia
Took office
November 13, 1817
Left office
March 4, 1829
President(s)
James Monroe (1817–1825)
John Macpherson Berrien
John Macpherson Berrien
No.
10
Name
John Macpherson Berrien
State of residence
Georgia
Took office
March 9, 1829
Left office
July 19, 1831
President(s)
Andrew Jackson (1829–1837)
Roger B. Taney
Roger B. Taney
No.
11
Name
Roger B. Taney
State of residence
Maryland
Took office
July 20, 1831
Left office
September 23, 1833
Benjamin Franklin Butler
Benjamin Franklin Butler
No.
12
Name
Benjamin Franklin Butler
State of residence
New York
Took office
November 15, 1833
Left office
July 4, 1838
Felix Grundy
Felix Grundy
No.
13
Name
Felix Grundy
State of residence
Tennessee
Took office
July 5, 1838
Left office
January 10, 1840
Henry D. Gilpin
Henry D. Gilpin
No.
14
Name
Henry D. Gilpin
State of residence
Pennsylvania
Took office
January 11, 1840
Left office
March 4, 1841
John J. Crittenden 1st term
John J. Crittenden 1st term
No.
15
Name
John J. Crittenden 1st term
State of residence
Kentucky
Took office
March 5, 1841
Left office
September 12, 1841
President(s)
William Henry Harrison (1841)
Hugh S. Legaré
Hugh S. Legaré
No.
16
Name
Hugh S. Legaré
State of residence
South Carolina
Took office
September 13, 1841
Left office
June 20, 1843
John Nelson
John Nelson
No.
17
Name
John Nelson
State of residence
Maryland
Took office
July 1, 1843
Left office
March 4, 1845
John Y. Mason
John Y. Mason
No.
18
Name
John Y. Mason
State of residence
Virginia
Took office
March 5, 1845
Left office
October 16, 1846
President(s)
James K. Polk (1845–1849)
Nathan Clifford
Nathan Clifford
No.
19
Name
Nathan Clifford
State of residence
Maine
Took office
October 17, 1846
Left office
March 17, 1848
Isaac Toucey
Isaac Toucey
No.
20
Name
Isaac Toucey
State of residence
Connecticut
Took office
June 21, 1848
Left office
March 4, 1849
Reverdy Johnson
Reverdy Johnson
No.
21
Name
Reverdy Johnson
State of residence
Maryland
Took office
March 8, 1849
Left office
July 21, 1850
President(s)
Zachary Taylor (1849–1850)
John J. Crittenden 2nd term
John J. Crittenden 2nd term
No.
22
Name
John J. Crittenden 2nd term
State of residence
Kentucky
Took office
July 22, 1850
Left office
March 4, 1853
President(s)
Millard Fillmore (1850–1853)
Caleb Cushing
Caleb Cushing
No.
23
Name
Caleb Cushing
State of residence
Massachusetts
Took office
March 7, 1853
Left office
March 4, 1857
President(s)
Franklin Pierce (1853–1857)
Jeremiah S. Black
Jeremiah S. Black
No.
24
Name
Jeremiah S. Black
State of residence
Pennsylvania
Took office
March 6, 1857
Left office
December 16, 1860
President(s)
James Buchanan (1857–1861)
Edwin Stanton
Edwin Stanton
No.
25
Name
Edwin Stanton
State of residence
Pennsylvania
Took office
December 20, 1860
Left office
March 4, 1861
Edward Bates
Edward Bates
No.
26
Name
Edward Bates
State of residence
Missouri
Took office
March 5, 1861
Left office
November 24, 1864
President(s)
Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865)
James Speed
James Speed
No.
27
Name
James Speed
State of residence
Kentucky
Took office
December 2, 1864
Left office
July 22, 1866
Henry Stanbery
Henry Stanbery
No.
28
Name
Henry Stanbery
State of residence
Ohio
Took office
July 23, 1866
Left office
July 16, 1868
William M. Evarts
William M. Evarts
No.
29
Name
William M. Evarts
State of residence
New York
Took office
July 17, 1868
Left office
March 4, 1869
Ebenezer R. Hoar
Ebenezer R. Hoar
No.
30
Name
Ebenezer R. Hoar
State of residence
Massachusetts
Took office
March 5, 1869
Left office
November 22, 1870
President(s)
Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877)
Amos T. Akerman
Amos T. Akerman
No.
31
Name
Amos T. Akerman
State of residence
Georgia
Took office
November 23, 1870
Left office
December 13, 1871
George Henry Williams
George Henry Williams
No.
32
Name
George Henry Williams
State of residence
Oregon
Took office
December 14, 1871
Left office
April 25, 1875
Edwards Pierrepont
Edwards Pierrepont
No.
33
Name
Edwards Pierrepont
State of residence
New York
Took office
April 26, 1875
Left office
May 21, 1876
Alphonso Taft
Alphonso Taft
No.
34
Name
Alphonso Taft
State of residence
Ohio
Took office
May 22, 1876
Left office
March 4, 1877
Charles Devens
Charles Devens
No.
35
Name
Charles Devens
State of residence
Massachusetts
Took office
March 12, 1877
Left office
March 4, 1881
President(s)
Rutherford B. Hayes (1877–1881)
Wayne MacVeagh
Wayne MacVeagh
No.
36
Name
Wayne MacVeagh
State of residence
Pennsylvania
Took office
March 5, 1881
Left office
December 15, 1881
President(s)
James A. Garfield (1881)
Benjamin H. Brewster
Benjamin H. Brewster
No.
37
Name
Benjamin H. Brewster
State of residence
Pennsylvania
Took office
December 16, 1881
Left office
March 4, 1885
Augustus Garland
Augustus Garland
No.
38
Name
Augustus Garland
State of residence
Arkansas
Took office
March 6, 1885
Left office
March 4, 1889
President(s)
Grover Cleveland (1885–1889)
William H. H. Miller
William H. H. Miller
No.
39
Name
William H. H. Miller
State of residence
Indiana
Took office
March 7, 1889
Left office
March 4, 1893
President(s)
Benjamin Harrison (1889–1893)
Richard Olney
Richard Olney
No.
40
Name
Richard Olney
State of residence
Massachusetts
Took office
March 6, 1893
Left office
April 7, 1895
President(s)
Grover Cleveland (1893–1897)
Judson Harmon
Judson Harmon
No.
41
Name
Judson Harmon
State of residence
Ohio
Took office
April 8, 1895
Left office
March 4, 1897
Joseph McKenna
Joseph McKenna
No.
42
Name
Joseph McKenna
State of residence
California
Took office
March 5, 1897
Left office
January 25, 1898
President(s)
William McKinley (1897–1901)
John W. Griggs
John W. Griggs
No.
43
Name
John W. Griggs
State of residence
New Jersey
Took office
January 25, 1898
Left office
March 29, 1901
Philander C. Knox
Philander C. Knox
No.
44
Name
Philander C. Knox
State of residence
Pennsylvania
Took office
April 5, 1901
Left office
June 30, 1904
William Henry Moody
William Henry Moody
No.
45
Name
William Henry Moody
State of residence
Massachusetts
Took office
July 1, 1904
Left office
December 17, 1906
Charles Bonaparte
Charles Bonaparte
No.
46
Name
Charles Bonaparte
State of residence
Maryland
Took office
December 17, 1906
Left office
March 4, 1909
George W. Wickersham
George W. Wickersham
No.
47
Name
George W. Wickersham
State of residence
New York
Took office
March 4, 1909
Left office
March 4, 1913
President(s)
William Howard Taft (1909–1913)
James McReynolds
James McReynolds
No.
48
Name
James McReynolds
State of residence
Tennessee
Took office
March 5, 1913
Left office
August 29, 1914
President(s)
Woodrow Wilson (1913–1921)
Thomas Watt Gregory
Thomas Watt Gregory
No.
49
Name
Thomas Watt Gregory
State of residence
Texas
Took office
August 29, 1914
Left office
March 4, 1919
A. Mitchell Palmer
A. Mitchell Palmer
No.
50
Name
A. Mitchell Palmer
State of residence
Pennsylvania
Took office
March 5, 1919
Left office
March 4, 1921
Harry M. Daugherty
Harry M. Daugherty
No.
51
Name
Harry M. Daugherty
State of residence
Ohio
Took office
March 4, 1921
Left office
April 6, 1924
President(s)
Warren G. Harding (1921–1923)
Harlan F. Stone
Harlan F. Stone
No.
52
Name
Harlan F. Stone
State of residence
New York
Took office
April 7, 1924
Left office
March 1, 1925
John G. Sargent
John G. Sargent
No.
53
Name
John G. Sargent
State of residence
Vermont
Took office
March 7, 1925
Left office
March 4, 1929
William D. Mitchell
William D. Mitchell
No.
54
Name
William D. Mitchell
State of residence
Minnesota
Took office
March 4, 1929
Left office
March 4, 1933
President(s)
Herbert Hoover (1929–1933)
Homer Stille Cummings
Homer Stille Cummings
No.
55
Name
Homer Stille Cummings
State of residence
Connecticut
Took office
March 4, 1933
Left office
January 1, 1939
President(s)
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933–1945)
Frank Murphy
Frank Murphy
No.
56
Name
Frank Murphy
State of residence
Michigan
Took office
January 2, 1939
Left office
January 18, 1940
Robert H. Jackson
Robert H. Jackson
No.
57
Name
Robert H. Jackson
State of residence
New York
Took office
January 18, 1940
Left office
August 25, 1941
Francis Biddle
Francis Biddle
No.
58
Name
Francis Biddle
State of residence
Pennsylvania
Took office
August 26, 1941
Left office
June 26, 1945
President(s)
Harry S. Truman (1945–1953)
Tom C. Clark
Tom C. Clark
No.
59
Name
Tom C. Clark
State of residence
Texas
Took office
June 27, 1945
Left office
July 26, 1949
J. Howard McGrath
J. Howard McGrath
No.
60
Name
J. Howard McGrath
State of residence
Rhode Island
Took office
July 27, 1949
Left office
April 3, 1952
James P. McGranery
James P. McGranery
No.
61
Name
James P. McGranery
State of residence
Pennsylvania
Took office
April 4, 1952
Left office
January 20, 1953
Herbert Brownell Jr.
Herbert Brownell Jr.
No.
62
Name
Herbert Brownell Jr.
State of residence
New York
Took office
January 21, 1953
Left office
October 23, 1957
President(s)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)
William P. Rogers
William P. Rogers
No.
63
Name
William P. Rogers
State of residence
New York
Took office
October 23, 1957
Left office
January 20, 1961
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
No.
64
Name
Robert F. Kennedy
State of residence
Massachusetts
Took office
January 20, 1961
Left office
September 3, 1964
President(s)
John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)
Nicholas Katzenbach
Nicholas Katzenbach
No.
65
Name
Nicholas Katzenbach
State of residence
New Jersey
Took office
September 4, 1964
Left office
January 28, 1965
Ramsey Clark
Ramsey Clark
No.
66
Name
Ramsey Clark
State of residence
Texas
Took office
November 28, 1966
Left office
March 10, 1967
John N. Mitchell
John N. Mitchell
No.
67
Name
John N. Mitchell
State of residence
New York
Took office
January 20, 1969
Left office
February 15, 1972
President(s)
Richard Nixon (1969–1974)
No.
Portrait
Name
State of residence
Took office
Left office
President(s)
1
Edmund Randolph
Virginia
September 26, 1789
January 26, 1794
George Washington (1789–1797)
2
William Bradford
Pennsylvania
January 27, 1794
August 23, 1795
3
Charles Lee
Virginia
December 10, 1795
February 19, 1801
John Adams (1797–1801)
4
Levi Lincoln Sr.
Massachusetts
March 5, 1801
March 3, 1805
Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809)
5
John Breckinridge
Kentucky
August 7, 1805
December 14, 1806
6
Caesar Augustus Rodney
Delaware
January 20, 1807
December 10, 1811
James Madison (1809–1817)
7
William Pinkney
Maryland
December 11, 1811
February 9, 1814
8
Richard Rush
Pennsylvania
February 10, 1814
November 12, 1817
9
William Wirt
Virginia
November 13, 1817
March 4, 1829
James Monroe (1817–1825)
John Quincy Adams (1825–1829)
10
John Macpherson Berrien
Georgia
March 9, 1829
July 19, 1831
Andrew Jackson (1829–1837)
11
Roger B. Taney
Maryland
July 20, 1831
September 23, 1833
12
Benjamin Franklin Butler
New York
November 15, 1833
July 4, 1838
Martin Van Buren (1837–1841)
13
Felix Grundy
Tennessee
July 5, 1838
January 10, 1840
14
Henry D. Gilpin
Pennsylvania
January 11, 1840
March 4, 1841
15
John J. Crittenden 1st term
Kentucky
March 5, 1841
September 12, 1841
William Henry Harrison (1841)
John Tyler (1841–1845)
16
Hugh S. Legaré
South Carolina
September 13, 1841
June 20, 1843
17
John Nelson
Maryland
July 1, 1843
March 4, 1845
18
John Y. Mason
Virginia
March 5, 1845
October 16, 1846
James K. Polk (1845–1849)
19
Nathan Clifford
Maine
October 17, 1846
March 17, 1848
20
Isaac Toucey
Connecticut
June 21, 1848
March 4, 1849
21
Reverdy Johnson
Maryland
March 8, 1849
July 21, 1850
Zachary Taylor (1849–1850)
22
John J. Crittenden 2nd term
Kentucky
July 22, 1850
March 4, 1853
Millard Fillmore (1850–1853)
23
Caleb Cushing
Massachusetts
March 7, 1853
March 4, 1857
Franklin Pierce (1853–1857)
24
Jeremiah S. Black
Pennsylvania
March 6, 1857
December 16, 1860
James Buchanan (1857–1861)
25
Edwin Stanton
Pennsylvania
December 20, 1860
March 4, 1861
26
Edward Bates
Missouri
March 5, 1861
November 24, 1864
Abraham Lincoln (1861–1865)
27
James Speed
Kentucky
December 2, 1864
July 22, 1866
Andrew Johnson (1865–1869)
28
Henry Stanbery
Ohio
July 23, 1866
July 16, 1868
29
William M. Evarts
New York
July 17, 1868
March 4, 1869
30
Ebenezer R. Hoar
Massachusetts
March 5, 1869
November 22, 1870
Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877)
31
Amos T. Akerman
Georgia
November 23, 1870
December 13, 1871
32
George Henry Williams
Oregon
December 14, 1871
April 25, 1875
33
Edwards Pierrepont
New York
April 26, 1875
May 21, 1876
34
Alphonso Taft
Ohio
May 22, 1876
March 4, 1877
35
Charles Devens
Massachusetts
March 12, 1877
March 4, 1881
Rutherford B. Hayes (1877–1881)
36
Wayne MacVeagh
Pennsylvania
March 5, 1881
December 15, 1881
James A. Garfield (1881)
Chester A. Arthur (1881–1885)
37
Benjamin H. Brewster
Pennsylvania
December 16, 1881
March 4, 1885
38
Augustus Garland
Arkansas
March 6, 1885
March 4, 1889
Grover Cleveland (1885–1889)
39
William H. H. Miller
Indiana
March 7, 1889
March 4, 1893
Benjamin Harrison (1889–1893)
40
Richard Olney
Massachusetts
March 6, 1893
April 7, 1895
Grover Cleveland (1893–1897)
41
Judson Harmon
Ohio
April 8, 1895
March 4, 1897
42
Joseph McKenna
California
March 5, 1897
January 25, 1898
William McKinley (1897–1901)
· External links
Preceded byPete Hegsethas Secretary of Defense
Preceded byPete Hegsethas Secretary of Defense
U . order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byPete Hegsethas Secretary of Defense
U . order of precedence (ceremonial)
Order of precedence of the United States as Attorney General
U . order of precedence (ceremonial)
Succeeded byDoug Burgumas Secretary of the Interior
U . presidential line of succession
U . presidential line of succession
U . order of precedence (ceremonial)
U . presidential line of succession
Preceded bySecretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
Preceded bySecretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
U . order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded bySecretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
U . order of precedence (ceremonial)
7th in line
U . order of precedence (ceremonial)
Succeeded bySecretary of the Interior Doug Burgum
U . order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byPete Hegsethas Secretary of Defense
Order of precedence of the United States as Attorney General
Succeeded byDoug Burgumas Secretary of the Interior
U . presidential line of succession
Preceded bySecretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
7th in line
Succeeded bySecretary of the Interior Doug Burgum

References

  1. Unusually for a transitional acting appointment, Yates was dismissed and replaced with another Acting Attorney General b
  2. Served as acting attorney general in his capacity as deputy attorney general, pursuant to 28 U . § 508, until his own ap
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/508
  3. Ruckelshaus served as acting attorney general in his capacity as deputy attorney general for a few hours following the r
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/508
  4. On October 20, 1973, Solicitor General Robert Bork became acting attorney general following the "Saturday Night Massacre
  5. Tyler served as acting attorney general in his capacity as deputy attorney general for a few hours following the resigna
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/508
  6. Thornburgh served as acting attorney general in his capacity as United States Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ Cri
  7. Renfrew served as deputy attorney general from February 27, 1980 until the end of the day on January 19, 1981 and as act
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/508
  8. Terwilliger served as acting attorney general in his capacity as deputy attorney general for a few hours following the r
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/508
  9. Gerson served as acting attorney general in his capacity as Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ Civil Division. Gerso
  10. Holder served as acting attorney general in his capacity as deputy attorney general following the resignation of Janet R
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/508
  11. On August 27, 2007, President Bush named Solicitor General Paul Clement as the future acting attorney general, to take o
  12. Filip served as acting attorney general in his capacity as deputy attorney general following the resignation of Michael
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/508
  13. Yates served as acting attorney general in her capacity as deputy attorney general following the resignation of Loretta
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/508
  14. Phillips served as acting attorney general in his capacity as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia for a
  15. Following the resignation of Jeff Sessions as attorney general at the request of President Donald Trump, Rosenstein serv
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/508
  16. The legality of Matthew Whitaker's appointment as acting attorney general was called into question by several constituti
  17. Rosen served as acting attorney general in his capacity as deputy attorney general beginning at the beginning of the day
  18. Demers served as acting attorney general in his capacity as Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ National Security Div
  19. Monaco served as acting attorney general in her capacity as deputy attorney general for a couple of hours following the
    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/508
  20. Restaino served as acting attorney general in his capacity as United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, pursua
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