View source for Attorney General of Minnesota

{{Short description|Attorney general for the U.S. state of Minnesota}}
{{use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox official post
| post             = Attorney General
| body             = Minnesota
| insignia         = 
| insigniasize     = 180px
| insigniacaption  = 
| image            = Keith Ellison portrait (cropped).jpg
| imagesize        =
| incumbent        = [[Keith Ellison]]
| incumbentsince   = January 7, 2019
| style            = {{ublist|Mister or Madam Attorney General<br>{{small|(informal)}}|[[The Honourable#United States of America|The Honorable]]<br>{{small|(formal)}}}}
| seat             = [[Minnesota State Capitol]]<br />[[Saint Paul, Minnesota]]
| member_of        = [[Minnesota Executive Council|Executive Council]], among others
| residence        =
| appointer        = General election
| termlength       = Four years, no term limits
| formation        = {{start date and age|May 11, 1858|p=1|br=1}}
| succession       = [[Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Minnesota|Sixth]]
| inaugural        = [[Charles H. Berry]]
| deputy           =
| salary           = [[United States dollar|$]]121,248<ref>{{cite report|url=https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/ss/sseloffcomp.pdf |title=State Elected Officials' Compensation |publisher=Minnesota House Research Department |access-date=June 28, 2021 |year=2021 |page=1 }}</ref>
| constituting_instrument = [[Constitution of Minnesota|Minnesota Constitution of 1858]], Article V
| website          = [https://www.ag.state.mn.us Official page]
}}

The '''attorney general of Minnesota''' is a constitutional officer in the [[executive branch]] of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Minnesota]]. Thirty individuals have held the office of Attorney General since statehood. The incumbent is [[Keith Ellison]], a [[Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party]] member.

==Election and term of office==
The attorney general is elected by the people on [[Election Day (United States)|Election Day]] in November, and takes office on the first Monday of the next January. There is no [[term limit|limit]] to the number of terms an attorney general may hold. To be elected attorney general, a person must be qualified voter, permanently resident in the state of Minnesota at least 30 days prior to the election, and at least 21 years of age.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/constitution/#article_7|title=Article VII, Sections 1, 2, and 6 of the Minnesota Constitution|publisher=Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes|access-date=February 8, 2022}}</ref>

In the event of a vacancy in the office of the attorney general, the [[Governor of Minnesota|governor]] may appoint a successor to serve the balance of the term.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/constitution/#article_5|title=Article V, Section 3 of the Minnesota Constitution|publisher=Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes|access-date=February 8, 2022}}</ref> The attorney general may also be [[recall election|recalled]] by the voters or removed from office through an [[impeachment in the United States|impeachment]] [[Impeachment trial|trial]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/constitution/#article_8|title=Article VIII, Sections 1, 2, and 6|publisher=Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes|access-date=February 8, 2022}}</ref>

==Powers and duties==
The attorney general is the chief law officer for the [[Minnesota|state of Minnesota]], and as such, represents the state of Minnesota ''[[parens patriae]]'' in both [[Courts of Minnesota|state]] and [[United States federal court|federal]] court as well as in [[Administrative law|administrative]] proceedings, such as matters of [[adjudication]] or [[rulemaking]]. In addition, the Office of the Attorney General handles [[felony]] criminal appeals, issues formal [[Legal opinion|opinions]] on questions of constitutional or statutory law, and provides [[legal advice]], [[litigation]], and [[appellate]] services to over 100 state agencies, boards, and commissions. On occasion, these services are extended to rural county prosecutors in serious felonies and criminal prosecutions. Separately, the attorney general's office enforces state [[Competition law|antitrust]] and [[consumer protection]] laws, regulates charities, and advocates for residents and small businesses in utility matters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Default.asp|title=About Our Office|publisher=Minnesota Office of the Attorney General|access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref>

In addition to his or her functional responsibilities, the attorney general is an ex officio member of the Board of Pardons, the Executive Council, the Land Exchange Board, the Governing Board for the Minnesota Historical Society, the Records Disposition Panel, and the State Board of Investment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mn.gov/doc/about/pardon-board/|title=Board of Pardons|publisher=Minnesota Department of Corrections|access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mn.gov/admin/about/executive-council/|title=Executive Council|publisher=Minnesota Department of Administration|access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lands_minerals/landexchange/board.html|title=Land Exchange Board and meetings|publisher=Minnesota Department of Natural Resources|access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mnhs.org/about/leadership|title=Leadership|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mnhs.org/preserve/records/recordspanel.php|title=Records Disposition Panel|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mn.gov/sbi/About%20Us.html|title=About Us|publisher=Minnesota State Board of Investment|access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref>

==List of attorneys general==

===[[Minnesota Territory]]===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Image
! Name
! Took office
! Left office 
! Political party
|-
|
| [[Lorenzo A. Babcock]] 
| 1849
| 1853
|[[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]<ref>{{cite news |date=January 19, 1853 |title=The Minnesota Legislature and Its Politics, &c: Political Character of the Council |url=https://www.genealogybank.com/newspaper-clippings//cpghseisxqokvfvakhwfpwvipvhawgql_wma-gateway007_1669344020512 |work=The Minnesota Democrat |location=St. Paul, MN |page=2 |url-access=subscription |via=[[GenealogyBank.com]]}}</ref>
|-
| [[File:LafayetteEmmett.jpg|60px]]
| [[LaFayette Emmett]] 
| 1853
| 1858
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=EHN |first=Reference Desk |title=Library Research Guides: Lafayette Emmett, Chief Justice, 1858-1865: Biography |url=https://mncourts.libguides.com/emmett/bio |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=mncourts.libguides.com |language=en}}</ref>
|}

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.

;Parties
{{legend2|#B0CEFF|[[Democratic Party (United States)| DFL (8)]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} 
{{legend2|#FFB6B6|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican (19)]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|#CCFFCC|[[Farmer-Labor Party (United States)|Farmer-Labor (2)]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend2|#CCFFCC|[[Union Democrat (United States)| Union Democrat (1)]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

===State of Minnesota===
{{Politics of Minnesota}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!No. !! Image!! Name !! Term of office !! Political party !! Law school 
|--{{party shading/Republican}}
| 1||[[File:CharlesHBerry1885.jpg|60px]]||[[Charles H. Berry]] ||1858–1860||Republican || Read law
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
| 2||[[File:GordonECole1860.jpg|60px]]|| [[Gordon E. Cole]] || 1860–1866|| Republican || [[Harvard Law School]]
|-{{party shading/Democratic}}
|3||[[File:William Colvill.jpg|60px]]|| [[William J. Colvill]] || 1866–1868 || Union Democrat|| Read law under [[Millard Fillmore]]
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|4||[[File:FrancesRECornell.jpg|60px]]||[[Francis R. E. Cornell]]|| 1868–1874 || Republican || Read law 
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|5|| ||[[George P. Wilson]]|| 1874–1880|| Republican || Read law
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|6||[[File:Charles M. Start (Minnesota Supreme Court).PNG|60px]]||[[Charles M. Start]]|| 1880–1881|| Republican || Read law under [[William C. Wilson (judge)|William C. Wilson]]
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|7|| ||[[William John Hahn]]|| 1881–1887|| Republican || Read law
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|8||[[File:MosesClapp.jpg|60px]]||[[Moses E. Clapp]] || 1887–1893||Republican||[[University of Wisconsin Law School]]
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|9||[[File:Drawing of Henry W. Childs.png|60px]]||Henry W. Childs|| 1893–1899||Republican|| Read law
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|10||[[File:Wallace B. Douglas (Minnesota Supreme Court).PNG|60px]]||[[Wallace B. Douglas]]|| 1899–1904 || Republican||[[University of Michigan Law School]]
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|11|| ||William J. Donahower|| 1904–1905 || Republican|| Read law
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|12||[[File:Edward T. Young.png|60px]]||[[Edward T. Young]]||1905–1909||Republican||[[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|13|| ||George T. Simpson|| 1909–1912||Republican|| Read law
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|14||[[File:LyndonAmbroseSmith.jpg|60px]]||[[Lyndon A. Smith]]|| 1912–1918 ||Republican||[[Georgetown University Law Center]]
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|15||[[File:Clifford L. Hilton (Minnesota Supreme Court).PNG|60px]]||[[Clifford L. Hilton]]|| 1918–1927||Republican||[[University of Wisconsin Law School]]
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|16||[[File:Albert F. Pratt (cropped).jpg|60px]] || [[Albert F. Pratt]] ||1927–1928||Republican||[[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|17||[[File:G.A. Youngquist (cropped).jpg|60px]]||[[G. Aaron Youngquist]]|| 1928–1929|| Republican|| [[St. Paul College of Law]]
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|18||[[File:Henry N. Benson (cropped).jpg|60px]]||[[Henry N. Benson]]|| 1929–1933||Republican||[[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/Farmer-Labor}}
|19|| [[File:Harry H. Peterson 1932 Edit.jpg|60px]] ||[[Harry H. Peterson]]|| 1933–1936||Farmer-Labor|| [[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/Farmer-Labor}}
|20|| [[File:William S. Ervin (cropped).jpg|60px]] ||[[William S. Ervin]]|| 1936–1939 ||Farmer-Labor || [[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|21||[[File:JosephAABurnquist.jpg|60px]]|| [[Joseph A. A. Burnquist]]|| 1939–1955|| Republican|| [[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/DFL}}
|22||[[File:Miles Lord - Federal Portrait.jpg|60px]]||[[Miles Lord]]|| 1955–1960||DFL|| [[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/DFL}}
|23||[[File:Mondale as Senator.jpg|60px]]||[[Walter Mondale]]|| 1960–1964 ||DFL|| [[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/DFL}}
|24||[[File:Robert W. Mattson Sr.png|60px]]|| [[Robert W. Mattson Sr.]]|| 1964–1967|| DFL|| [[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/Republican}}
|25||[[File:Douglas M. Head.jpg|60px]]||[[Douglas M. Head]] || 1967–1971|| Republican|| [[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/DFL}}
|26||[[File:Warren Spannaus.png|60px]]||[[Warren Spannaus]] || 1971–1983|| DFL|| [[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/DFL}}
|27||[[File:Hubert Humphrey III (cropped).jpg|60px]]||[[Skip Humphrey]]|| 1983–1999|| DFL|| [[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/DFL}}
|28||[[File:MikeHatchMinnesota2006-08-21 crop.jpg|60px]]||[[Mike Hatch]]|| 1999–2007|| DFL || [[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|-{{party shading/DFL}}
|29||[[File:Lori Swanson 2013.jpg|60px]]|| [[Lori Swanson]] ||2007–2019|| DFL || [[William Mitchell College of Law]]
|-{{party shading/DFL}}
|30||[[File:Keith Ellison portrait (cropped).jpg|60px]]|| [[Keith Ellison]] ||2019–present|| DFL || [[University of Minnesota Law School]]
|}
*[[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party]]: On April 15, 1944, the state Democratic Party and the [[Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party]] merged and created the [[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party]] (DFL). It is affiliated with the national [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]].

==See also==
*[[University of Minnesota Law School]]
*[[William Mitchell College of Law]]
*[[Attorney General of South Dakota]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.abajournal.com/search/results/search&keywords=Minnesota+Attorney+General/ Minnesota Attorney General] articles at ''ABA Journal''
* [http://public.findlaw.com/LCsearch.html?restrict=consumer&entry=%22Minnesota+Attorney+General%22 News and Commentary] at [[FindLaw]]
* [http://law.justia.com/codes/minnesota/ Minnesota Statutes] at Law.Justia.com
* [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&navby=title&v1=State+of+Minnesota U.S. Supreme Court Opinions – "Cases with title containing: State of Minnesota"] at [[FindLaw]]
* [http://www.mnbar.org/ Minnesota State Bar Association]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150221190539/http://www.naag.org/naag/attorneys-general/whos-my-ag/minnesota/lori-swanson.php Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson profile] at [[National Association of Attorneys General]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150402124355/http://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/PressRelease/ Press releases] at Minnesota Attorney General

{{Minnesota statewide elected officials}}
{{U.S. State Attorneys General}}
{{Government of Minnesota}}

[[Category:Lists of Minnesota officeholders|Attorneys General]]
[[Category:Minnesota attorneys general| ]]
[[Category:Lists of Minnesota politicians|Attorney]]
[[Category:Minnesota law-related lists]]