Minnesota Attorney General

The Minnesota Attorney General is the state Attorney General of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The Attorney General is the state's chief legal officer and is an executive position elected by the voters for a four-year term.

The Office of the Minnesota Attorney General represents and provides legal advice to over 100 agencies, boards, and commissions of the government of Minnesota. The Office represents the state in state and federal court, as well as in administrative adjudication and rulemaking hearings. The Office handles felony criminal appeals, advises local prosecutors in the conduct of criminal trials and handles cases at the request of local prosecutors. In addition, the Office issues formal opinions interpreting statutes for the agencies and political subdivisions of the state.

The Minnesota Attorney General is a member of the Minnesota Executive Council, the Minnesota Board of Investment, the Minnesota Board of Pardons, and the Minnesota Land Exchange Board.

The current Attorney General is Lori Swanson.

List of Minnesota Attorneys General

Minnesota Territory:

Name Took office Left office Party
Lorenzo A. Babcock 1849 1853
Lafayette Emmett 1853 1858

In 1886, elections were moved from odd years to even years. Beginning with the 1962 election, the term of the office increased from two to four years.

After becoming a U.S. state:

No. Name Took office Left office Party
1Charles H. Berry 18581860
2 Gordon E. Cole 18601866
3 William J. Colvill 18661868
4Francis R. E. Cornell 1868 1874
5George P. Wilson 18741880
6Charles M. Start 18801881
7William J. Hahn 18811887
8Moses E. Clapp 18871893Republican
9Henry W. Childs 1893 1899
10Wallace B. Douglas 18991904
11William J. Donahower 19041905
12Edward T. Young 19051909
13George T. Simpson 19091912
14Lyndon A. Smith 19121918 Republican
15Clifford L. Hilton 19181927
16 Albert F. Pratt 1927 1928
17G. Aaron Youngquist 19281929 Republican
18Henry N. Benson 19291933
19Harry H. Peterson 19331936
20William S. Ervin 19361939
21 Joseph A. A. Burnquist 19391955 Republican
22Miles W. Lord 19551960DFL (Democrat)
23Walter Mondale 19601964 DFL
24 Robert W. Mattson, Sr. 19641967 DFL
25Douglas M. Head 19671971 Republican
26Warren Spannaus 19711983 DFL
27Hubert H. Humphrey, III 19831999 DFL
28Mike Hatch 19992007 DFL
29 Lori Swanson 2007present DFL

Notes on Minnesota political party names

External links