View source for Massachusetts Attorney General

{{Short description|Chief legal officer of Massachusetts}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Attorney General
| body = the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
| insignia = Seal of Massachusetts.svg
| insigniasize = 110px
| insigniacaption = [[Seal of Massachusetts]]
| insigniaalt = Seal of Massachusetts
| image = File:AJC Headshot (3x4).jpg
| imagesize = 
| alt = Portrait
| imagecaption = 
| incumbent = [[Andrea Campbell]]
| acting = 
| incumbentsince = January 18, 2023
| department = [[Government of Massachusetts]]
| style = [[The Honorable]]
| type = [[Attorney general|Chief legal officer]]<br>[[Government of Massachusetts#Constitutional officers|Constitutional officer]]
| residence = None official
| seat = [[McCormack Building|One Ashburton Place]], [[Boston, Massachusetts]]
| nominator = [[Nominating petition]],<br>[[Political parties and political designations in Massachusetts|Political parties]]
| appointer = [[Direct election|Popular vote]]
| termlength = 4 years, no limit
| constituting_instrument = [[Constitution of Massachusetts]]
| precursor = 
| formation = {{Start date and age|1702}}
| succession = [[Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Massachusetts|Third]]
| first = [[Paul Dudley (jurist)|Paul Dudley]]
| deputy = 
| salary = 
| website = {{URL|www.mass.gov/ago}}
| footnotes = 
}}
The '''Massachusetts attorney general''' is an elected [[Constitution of Massachusetts|constitutionally]] defined executive officer of the [[Massachusetts government]]. The officeholder is the chief lawyer and law enforcement officer of the [[Massachusetts|Commonwealth of Massachusetts]]. The officeholder also acts as an advocate and resource for the Commonwealth and its residents in many areas, including [[consumer protection]], combating fraud and corruption, protecting civil rights, and maintaining economic competition. The current attorney general is [[Andrea Campbell]].

==Qualifications==
Any person seeking to become the attorney general of Massachusetts must meet the following requirements:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/Candidates-Guide-generic.pdf |title=How to Run for Office in Massachusetts |date=March 2017 |website=Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth |access-date=December 26, 2022}}</ref>
* Be at least eighteen years of age
* Be a registered voter in Massachusetts
* Be a Massachusetts resident for at least five years when elected
* Receive 10,000 signatures from registered voters on nomination papers
* Be a member of the Massachusetts [[Bar (law)|Bar]]

==History==
When the 1780 [[Massachusetts State Constitution|state constitution]] was first enacted, the attorney general was appointed by the [[Governor of Massachusetts|governor]], with the advice and consent of [[Massachusetts Governor's Council|the Governor's Council]]. The office was abolished in 1843 and re-established in 1849. In 1855 the constitution was amended so that the attorney general (along with a number of other constitutionally enumerated offices) was elected by the people. The length of the term of office has matched that of the governor, and elections are held concurrently with those for other constitutional office. Elections were first held annually, became biennial (every two years) in 1920, and quadrennial (every four years) in 1966.

==Organization==
The Office of the Attorney General is organized into six bureaus: Executive; Energy and Environmental; Criminal; Government; Health Care and Fair Competition; and Public Protection and Advocacy. Each bureau is divided into divisions and teams. These bureaus and divisions have distinct missions but work closely together to ensure the Attorney General's Office provides the highest level of public protection.

==List of attorneys general==
===[[Province of Massachusetts Bay]]===
Office established at the start of [[Queen Anne's War]] in 1702.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! #
! Name
! Term of service
|-
|1
|[[Paul Dudley (jurist)|Paul Dudley]]
|1702–1718
|-
|2
|[[John Valentine (Massachusetts politician)|John Valentine]]
|1718–1720
|-
|3
|[[Thomas Newton (Massachusetts politician)|Thomas Newton]]
|1720–1721
|-
|–
|''Vacant''
|1721–1722
|-
|4
|[[John Overing]]
|1722–1723
|-
|–
|''Vacant''
|1723–1725
|-
|5
|[[John Read (Massachusetts politician)|John Read]]
|1725–1728
|-
|6
|[[Joseph Hiller]]
|1728–1729
|-
|7
|[[John Overing]]
|1729–1736
|-
|8
|[[William Brattle]]
|1736–1738
|-
|9
|[[John Overing]]
|1739–1748
|-
|10
|[[Edmund Trowbridge]]
|1749–1767
|-
|11
|[[Jeremiah Gridley]]
|1767
|-
|–
|''Vacant''
|1767
|-
|12
|[[Jonathan Sewall]]
|1767–1774
|-
|–
|''Vacant''
|1774–1776
|-
|13
|[[Benjamin Kent]]
|1776–1777
|-
|14
|[[Robert Treat Paine]]
|1777–1780
|}

===[[Massachusetts|Commonwealth of Massachusetts]]===
Office reestablished upon the ratification of the [[Massachusetts|Constitution of Massachusetts]] in 1780.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!No.
!Portrait
!Name
!Prior experience
!Municipality of residence
!Term of service
!Political party
|-
! colspan="7" |Party affiliation: {{legend2|{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} (25) {{legend2|{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} (12) {{legend2|{{party color|Democratic-Republican Party}}|[[Democratic-Republican Party|Democratic-Republican]]|border=1px solid #aaaaaa}} (3) 
{{legend2|{{party color|Whig Party (United States)}}|[[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} (3) {{legend2|{{party color|National Republican Party}}|[[National Republican Party|Anti-Jacksonian]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} (1) {{legend2|{{party color|Independent}}|Independent|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} (1)
|- {{Party shading/Independent}}
|1
|[[File:Robert Treat Paine portrait.jpg|75px]]
|[[Robert Treat Paine]]
|
|
|1780–1790
|Independent
|- {{Party shading/Democratic–Republican}}
|2
|[[File:James Sullivan.jpg|75px]]
|[[James Sullivan (governor)|James Sullivan]]
|
|
|1790–1807
|Democratic–Republican{{efn|Sullivan was independent, but switched to the Democratic–Republican Party between 1792 and 1794.|name=|group=}}
|- {{Party shading/Democratic-Republican}}
|3
|[[File:BarnabasBidwellByJohnBrewsterJr.jpg|75px]]
|[[Barnabas Bidwell]]
|
|
|1807–1810
|Democratic–Republican
|- {{Party shading/Democratic–Republican}}
|4
|[[File:PerezMorton byFevretDeSaintMemin.png|75px]]
|[[Perez Morton]]
|
|
|1810–1832
|Democratic–Republican
|- {{Party shading/National Republican}}
|5
|
|[[James T. Austin]]
|
|
|1832–1843
|National Republican
|-
|–
|
|''Office abolished''
|
|
|1843–1849
|
|- {{Party shading/Whig}}
|6
|[[File:JohnHClifford.jpg|75px]]
|[[John H. Clifford]]
|
|
|1849–1853
|Whig
|- {{Party shading/Whig}}
|7
|[[File:RufusChoate Southworth Hawes-crop.png|75px]]
|[[Rufus Choate]]
|
|
|1853–1854
|Whig
|- {{Party shading/Whig}}
|8
|[[File:JohnHClifford Photograph.jpg|75px]]
|[[John H. Clifford]]
|
|
|1854–1858
|Whig
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|9
|[[File:Stephen Henry Phillips.jpg|75px]]
|[[Stephen Henry Phillips]]
|
|
|1858–1861
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|10
|[[File:Dwight Foster (1828–1884).png|75px]]
|[[Dwight Foster (politician, born 1828)|Dwight Foster]]
|
|
|1861–1864
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|11
|[[File:Chester I. Reed.png|75px]]
|[[Chester I. Reed]]
|
|
|1864–1867
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|12
|[[File:Charles Allen (jurist).png|75px]]
|[[Charles Allen (jurist)|Charles Allen]]
|
|
|1867–1872
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|13
|[[File:CRTrain.jpg|75px]]
|[[Charles R. Train]]
|
|
|1872–1879
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|14
|[[File:George Marston (Massachusetts).png|75px]]
|[[George Marston (Massachusetts politician)|George Marston]]
|
|
|1879–1883
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|15
|[[File:Edgar J. Sherman.png|75px]]
|[[Edgar J. Sherman]]
|
|
|1883–1887
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|16
|[[File:Andrew J. Waterman.png|75px]]
|[[Andrew J. Waterman]]
|
|
|1887–1891
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|17
|[[File:Albert E. Pillsbury.png|75px]]
|[[Albert E. Pillsbury]]
|
|
|1891–1894
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|18
|[[File:Hosea M. Knowlton cph.3b32615.jpg|75px]]
|[[Hosea M. Knowlton]]
|
|
|1894–1902
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|19
|[[File:Herbert Parker.png|75px]]
|[[Herbert Parker (Massachusetts politician)|Herbert Parker]]
|
|
|1902–1906
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|20
|[[File:Dana Malone.png|75px]]
|[[Dana Malone]]
|
|
|1906–1911
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|21
|[[File:James M. Swift.png|75px]]
|[[James M. Swift (lawyer)|James M. Swift]]
|
|
|1911–1914
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|22
|[[File:Thomas J. Boynton (Massachusetts).png|75px]]
|[[Thomas J. Boynton (politician)|Thomas J. Boynton]]
|
|
|1914–1915
|Democratic
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|23
|[[File:Henry Converse Atwill.png|75px]]
|[[Henry Converse Atwill]]
|
|
|1915–1919
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|24
|
|[[Henry A. Wyman]]
|
|
|1919–1920
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|25
|[[File:J Weston Allen.png|75px]]
|[[J. Weston Allen]]
|[[Massachusetts House of Representatives|House]] 1915 to 1918, Attorney-at-Law<ref>{{cite book|title=Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1921-1922|year=1921 |url=https://archives.lib.state.ma.us/handle/2452/43371|publisher=Boston Review|page=28}}</ref>
|[[Newton, Massachusetts|Newton]]
|1920–1923
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|26
|[[File:AG Jay R. Benton.png|75px]]
|[[Jay R. Benton]]
|[[Massachusetts House of Representatives|Mass. House]] 1917, '18; Ass't Atty. Gen'l 1918-'22<ref>{{cite book|title=Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1925-1926|year=1925 |url=https://archives.lib.state.ma.us/handle/2452/43373|publisher=Boston Review|page=28}}</ref>
|[[Belmont, Massachusetts|Belmont]]
|1923–1927
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|27
|[[File:Reading-Arthur 002a.png|75px]]
|[[Arthur Kenneth Reading|Arthur K. Reading]]
|[[Massachusetts House of Representatives|Mass House]] 1919 to 1922, [[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]] [[District Attorney]], 1923-'26, Lawyer<ref>{{cite book|title=Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1927-1928|year=1927 |url=https://archives.lib.state.ma.us/handle/2452/43374|publisher=Boston Review|page=28}}</ref>
|[[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]]
|1927–1928
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|28
|[[File:Joseph E. Warner.png|75px]]
|[[Joseph E. Warner (Massachusetts politician)|Joseph E. Warner]]
|[[Taunton, Massachusetts|Taunton]] Municipal Council 1907-'11, Trust. Pub. Library, [[Massachusetts House of Representatives|Mass. House]] 1913-'20, [[Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives|Speaker]] 1919-'20, Delegate to [[1920 Republican National Convention|Rep. National Convention 1920]], Asst. Atty. Gen. 1923-'28, Attorney-at-Law<ref>{{cite book|title=Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1933-1934|year=1933 |url=https://archives.lib.state.ma.us/handle/2452/43377|publisher=Boston Review|page=27}}</ref>
|[[Taunton, Massachusetts|Taunton]]
|1928–1935
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|29
|[[File:Paul A. Dever.png|75px]]
|[[Paul A. Dever]]
|[[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]] Public Administrator, [[Massachusetts House of Representatives|Mass. House]] 1929-'34, Lawyer<ref>{{cite book|title=Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1945-1946|year=1939 |url=https://archives.lib.state.ma.us/handle/2452/43380|publisher=Boston Review|page=26}}</ref>
|[[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]]
|1935–1941
|Democratic
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|30
|[[File:Robert T. Bushnell.png|75px]]
|[[Robert T. Bushnell]]
|[[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]] [[District Attorney]], Lawyer
|[[West Newton, Massachusetts|West Newton]]
|1941–1945
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|31
|[[File:Clarence A. Barnes.png|75px]]
|[[Clarence A. Barnes]]
|[[Mansfield, Massachusetts|Mansfield]] Town Moderator and Counsel, [[Massachusetts House of Representatives|Mass. House]] 1912-'13, Constitutional Convention, [[Massachusetts Governor's Council|Governor's Council]] 1943-'44, Lawyer<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hayden|first1=Irving N.|last2=Grove|first2=Lawrence R.|date=1945|title=Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1945-1946|url=https://archive.org/details/publicofficersof19451946bost/page/24/mode/2up|publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts|page=25}}</ref>
|[[Mansfield, Massachusetts|Mansfield]]
|1945–1949
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|32
|[[File:Francis E. Kelly.png|75px]]
|[[Francis E. Kelly]]
|[[Boston City Council]], [[Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts|Lieutenant Governor]], [[Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River]] Finance Commissioner, Attorney at law<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hayden|first1=Irving N.|last2=Grove|first2=Lawrence R.|date=1957|title=Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1951-1952|url=https://archive.org/details/publicofficersof19511952bost/page/26/mode/2up|publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts|page=27}}</ref>
|[[Dorchester, Boston]]
|1949–1953
|Democratic
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|33
|[[File:George Fingold.png|75px]]
|[[George Fingold]]
|Asst. Attorney General, Asst. District Attorney, City Council, Lawyer<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hayden|first1=Irving N.|last2=Grove|first2=Lawrence R.|date=1957|title=Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1957-1958|url=https://archive.org/details/publicofficersof19571958bost/page/26/mode/2up|publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts|page=26}}</ref>
|[[Concord, Massachusetts|Concord]]
|1953–1958
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|34
|[[File:Edward J. McCormack, Jr.png|75px]]
|[[Edward J. McCormack Jr.]]
|[[Boston City Council]], Lawyer
|[[Dorchester, Boston]]
|1958–1963
|Democratic
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|35
|[[File:Edward W. Brooke.png|75px]]
|[[Edward Brooke|Edward W. Brooke]]
|[[Boston Finance Commission]] (chairman), Mass. Advisory Committee, [[U.S. Civil Rights Commission]] (chairman), Lawyer<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chadwick|first1=Thomas A.|last2=Maiers|first2=William C.|date=1965|title=Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1965-1966|url=https://archives.lib.state.ma.us/handle/2452/43394|publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts|page=23}}</ref>
|[[Newton Centre, Massachusetts|Newton Centre]]
|1963–1967
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|36
|
|[[Edward T. Martin]]
|
|
|1967
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Republican}}
|37
|[[File:Elliot L. Richardson.png|75px]]
|[[Elliot Richardson]]
|[[Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts|Lieutenant Governor]], [[United States Attorney]] for the [[United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts|District of Massachusetts]], Assistant Secretary of the [[United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare]], [[Brookline, Massachusetts|Brookline]] [[Town Meeting]] member, Lawyer<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pidgeon|first1=Norman L.|last2=Maiers|first2=William C.|date=1967|title=Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1967-1968|url=https://archives.lib.state.ma.us/handle/2452/43395|publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts|page=23}}</ref>
|[[Brookline, Massachusetts|Brookline]]
|1967–1969
|Republican
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|38
|[[File:Robert H. Quinn.png|75px]]
|[[Robert H. Quinn]]
|[[List of speakers of the Massachusetts House of Representatives|Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives]], Member of the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]], Lawyer
|[[Dorchester, Boston]]
|1969–1975
|Democratic
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|39
|[[File:Francis X. Bellotti.jpg|75px]]
|[[Francis Bellotti|Francis X. Bellotti]]
|[[Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts|Lieutenant Governor]], Attorney
|[[Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy]]
|1975–1987
|Democratic
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|40
|[[File:James Shannon (MA Attorney General).jpeg|75px]]
|[[James Shannon (Massachusetts politician)|James Shannon]]
|Representative in Congress, Lawyer
|[[Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence]]
|1987–1991
|Democratic
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|41
|[[File:L. Scott Harshbarger.png|75px]]
|[[Scott Harshbarger|L. Scott Harshbarger]]
|[[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]] [[District Attorney]]; General Counsel, State Ethics Commission; Chief, Public Protection Bureau, Department of Attorney General; Deputy Chief Counsel, Massachusetts Defenders Committee<ref>{{cite book|last1=O'Neill|first1=Edward B.|last2=MacQueen|first2=Robert E.|date=1997|title=Public Officers of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1997-1998|url=https://archives.lib.state.ma.us/bitstream/handle/2452/43410/ocm09668846-19971998.pdf|work=Massachusetts General Court|publisher=Commonwealth of Massachusetts|page=25}}</ref>
|[[Westwood, Massachusetts|Westwood]]
|1991–1999
|Democratic
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|42
|[[File:Thomas F. Reilly (2003).png|75px]]
|[[Thomas Reilly (Massachusetts politician)|Thomas Reilly]]
|[[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]] [[District Attorney]]
|[[Watertown, Massachusetts|Watertown]]
|1999–2007
|Democratic
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|43
|[[File:Martha Coakley (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|[[Martha Coakley]]
|[[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]] [[District Attorney]]
|[[Medford, Massachusetts|Medford]]
|2007–2015
|Democratic
|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|44
|[[File:Maura Healey official photo (better crop).jpg|75px]]
|[[Maura Healey]]
|Massachusetts Attorney General's Office as the Chief of the Civil Rights Division, Chief of the Public Protection and Advocacy Bureau, Chief of the Business and Labor Bureau, litigator and junior partner at the international law firm [[WilmerHale]], Special [[Assistant District Attorney]] for [[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]], clerk for Judge [[David Mazzone]] in the [[United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts|United States District Court in Massachusetts]], former professional basketball player
|[[Boston]]
|2015–2023
|Democratic
|- {{party shading/Independent}}
|Acting
|
|[[Kate R. Cook]]
|First Assistant Attorney General of Massachusetts from January 2022 until January 5, 2023
|Boston
|January 5, 2023
|Independent
|-{{Party shading}}

|- {{party shading/Democratic}}
|Acting
|[[File:Bessie Dewar 53501588163 o (1).jpg|75px]]
|[[Bessie Dewar]]
|State Solicitor of Massachusetts since January 2016
|Boston
|January 5–18, 2023
|Democratic
|-{{Party shading}}

|- {{Party shading/Democratic}}
|45
|[[File:AJC Headshot (3x4).jpg|75px]]
|[[Andrea Campbell]]
|Member of the [[Boston City Council]], President of the [[Boston City Council]], [[2021 Boston mayoral election|2021 Boston mayoral candidate]], Lawyer
|[[Boston]]
|2023–present
|Democratic
|}
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.mass.gov/ago/ Massachusetts Attorney General] official website
* {{citation |title= Office of the Attorney General |hdl= 2452/35664 }}. (Various documents).
* [http://www.abajournal.com/search/results/search&keywords=Massachusetts+Attorney+General/ Massachusetts Attorney General] articles at ''ABA Journal''
* [http://public.findlaw.com/LCsearch.html?restrict=consumer&entry=%22Massachusetts+Attorney+General%22 News and Commentary] at [[FindLaw]]
* [http://law.justia.com/codes/massachusetts/ Massachusetts General Laws] at Law.Justia.com
* [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&navby=title&v1=State+of+Massachusetts U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Massachusetts"] at [[FindLaw]]
* [http://www.massbar.org/ Massachusetts Bar Association]
* [http://naag.org/naag/attorneys-general/whos-my-ag/massachusetts/maura-healey.php Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey profile] at [[National Association of Attorneys General]]
* [http://www.mass.gov/ago/news-and-updates/press-releases/press-releases.html Press releases] at Massachusetts Attorney General

{{Massachusetts statewide political officials}}
{{Massachusetts government}}
{{U.S. state attorneys general}}

[[Category:Massachusetts attorneys general| ]]
[[Category:Lists of Massachusetts politicians|Attorneys General]]
[[Category:1702 establishments in the Province of Massachusetts Bay]]
[[Category:Massachusetts law-related lists|Attorneys general]]