Connecticut Attorney General
The Connecticut Attorney General is the state attorney general of Connecticut.
Connecticut Attorney General | |
---|---|
Department of Law | |
Style | The Honorable |
Term length | Four years No limit |
Constituting instrument | Constitution of Connecticut, Executive Law |
Formation | 1897 |
First holder | Charles Phelps |
Succession | Election by joint session of Connecticut General Assembly |
Website | portal |
The Attorney General is elected to a four-year term. According to state statute, eligibility for the office requires being "an attorney at law of at least ten years' active practice at the bar of this state."[1] A State Supreme Court ruling from 2010, Bysiewicz v. Dinardo Et Al. (SC 18612) attempted to clarify this statute.[2] The court’s ruling sets a de facto 10-year residency requirement for candidates and bars those with no litigation experience, although "litigation experience" was left undefined.[3] These requirements are stronger than other states in the area. In New York, the only requirements are being a resident for five years and at least 30 years old. In Massachusetts, the only requirements are being admitted to the state bar and having US citizenship for five years.[4]
The office of the Attorney General was officially created by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1897. The current Attorney General is William Tong, a Democrat serving since January 9, 2019. Tong succeeded retiring Attorney General George Jepsen, a fellow Democrat.
List of Attorneys General
- Parties
Democratic (12) Republican (13)
Name | Town | Political Party | Term |
---|---|---|---|
Charles Phelps | Vernon | Republican | 1899–1903 |
William A. King | Windham | Republican | 1903–1907 |
Marcus H. Holcomb | Southington | Republican | 1907–1910 |
John H. Light | Norwalk | Republican | 1910–1915 |
George E. Hinman | Windham | Republican | 1915–1919 |
Frank E. Healy | Windsor Locks | Republican | 1919–1927 |
Benjamin W. Alling | New Britain | Republican | 1927–1931 |
Warren B. Burrows | Groton | Republican | 1931–1935 |
Edward J. Daly | Hartford | Democratic | 1935–1937 |
Charles J. McLaughlin | West Hartford | Democratic | 1937–1938 |
Dennis P. O'Connor | Hartford | Democratic | 1938–1939 |
Francis A. Pallotti | Hartford | Republican | 1939–1945 |
William L. Hadden | West Haven | Republican | 1945–1951 |
George C. Conway | Guilford | Republican | 1951–1953 |
William L. Beers | New Haven | Republican | 1953–1955 |
John J. Bracken | Hartford | Republican | 1955–1959 |
Albert L. Coles | Bridgeport | Democratic | 1959–1963 |
Harold M. Mulvey | New Haven | Democratic | 1963–1968 |
Robert K. Killian | Hartford | Democratic | 1968–1975 |
Carl R. Ajello | Ansonia | Democratic | 1975–1983 |
Joseph I. Lieberman | Stamford | Democratic | 1983–1989 |
Clarine Nardi Riddle | New Haven | Democratic | 1989–1991 |
Richard Blumenthal | Greenwich | Democratic | 1991–2011 |
George Jepsen | Hartford | Democratic | 2011–2019 |
William Tong | Stamford | Democratic | 2019- |
References
External links
- Connecticut Attorney General official website
- Connecticut Attorney General articles at Legal Newsline Legal Journal
- Connecticut Attorney General articles at ABA Journal
- News and Commentary at FindLaw
- Connecticut General Statutes at Law.Justia.com
- U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Connecticut" at FindLaw
- Connecticut Bar Association
- Connecticut Attorney General George Jespen profile at National Association of Attorneys General
- Press releases at Connecticut Attorney General's office