View source for Michigan Attorney General

{{short description|Michigan government official}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Attorney General
| body = the State of Michigan
| insignia = Seal of Michigan Attorney General.svg
| insigniasize = 150px
| insigniacaption = Seal of the attorney general
| image = Dana Nessel Michigan Is Preparing for 'Every Scenario' on Election Day THE CIRCUS SHOWTIME 0-25 screenshot (cropped).jpg
| imagesize = 
| incumbent = [[Dana Nessel]]
| incumbentsince = January 1, 2019
| department = Michigan Department of Attorney General
| Governor = [[Gretchen Whitmer]]
| style = The Honorable
| residence = Private
| appointer = Popular Election
| termlength = 4 Years, Renewable Once
| formation = 1837
| succession = [[Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Michigan|Third]]
| inaugural = [[Daniel LeRoy]]
| website = {{url|www.michigan.gov/ag}}
}}
The '''attorney general of the State of Michigan''' is the fourth-ranking official in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. The officeholder is elected statewide in the November general election alongside the [[governor of Michigan|governor]], [[Lieutenant Governor of Michigan|lieutenant governor]], [[Secretary of State of Michigan|secretary of state]], members of the [[Michigan Senate|Senate]] and members of the [[Michigan House of Representatives|House of Representatives]].

Since the [[Michigan Constitution]] of 1963 was adopted, the attorney general has served a term of four years. The officeholder is also limited to two terms, for a total of eight possible years of service; ten possible years of service if the officeholder serves two full terms and less than half of one term as a replacement.

“Inasmuch as the office of Attorney General has common law powers as the chief law enforcement officer of the State, [they] may exercise the powers of a peace officer and may appoint special agents having this status to assist [them] in enforcing [their] powers and carrying out [their] functions” (AG Opinion No. 5236,10/20/1977).

Michigan law, MCL 14.32, provides that "[i]t shall be the duty of the attorney general, when required, to give [their] opinion upon all questions of law submitted to [them] by the legislature, or by either branch thereof, or by the governor, auditor general, treasurer or any other state officer . . . ."

Michigan's current attorney general is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Dana Nessel]], who was elected in November 2018, and sworn into office on January 1, 2019.

==Courtesy title==
The attorney general traditionally receives the courtesy title of ''[[Honorable|The Honorable]]'' for life.

==List of attorneys general of Michigan==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! colspan="2"|Attorney General
! In office
! Political party
|-
|[[File:Daniel Leroy.png|75px]]
|[[Daniel LeRoy]]
|1836–1837
|
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:No image.svg|75px]]
|[[Peter Morey]]
|1837–1841
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Whig}}
|[[File:No image.svg|75px]]
|[[Zephaniah Platt (Michigan Attorney General)|Zephaniah Platt]]
|1841–1843
|[[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:Chancellor Elon Farnsworth.png|75px]]
|[[Elon Farnsworth (Michigan Attorney General)|Elon Farnsworth]]
|1843–1845
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:Bradish-Walker.jpg|75px]]
|[[Henry N. Walker]]
|1845–1847
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:Edward Mundy.png|75px]]
|[[Edward Mundy]]
|1847–1848
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:George Van Ness Lothrop portrait circa 1910.jpg|75px]]
|[[George V. N. Lothrop]]
|1848–1851
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:No image.svg|75px]]
|[[William Hale (Michigan Attorney General)|William Hale]]
|1851–1855
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Jacob M. Howard - Brady-Handy.jpg|75px]]
|[[Jacob M. Howard]]
|1855–1860
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Hon. Charles Upson, Mich - NARA - 527337.jpg|75px]]
|[[Charles Upson]]
|1861–1863
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|[[File:Michigan Attorney General Albert Williams.png|75px]]
|[[Albert Williams (Michigan Attorney General)|Albert Williams]]
|1863–1867
|
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:WilliamLStoughton.jpg|75px]]
|[[William L. Stoughton]]
|1867–1869
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Dwight May.png|75px]]
|[[Dwight May]]
|1869–1873
|
|-
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:No image.svg|75px]]
|[[Byron D. Ball]]
|1873–1874
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|[[File:Michigan Justice Isaac Marston, The Green Bag, p. 388.jpg|75px]]
|[[Isaac Marston]]
|1874–1875
|
|-
|[[File:No image.svg|75px]]
|[[Andrew J. Smith (Michigan Attorney General)|Andrew J. Smith]]
|1875–1877
|
|-
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Otto Kirchner.jpg|75px]]
|[[Otto Kirchner (Michigan Attorney General)|Otto Kirchner]]
|1877–1881
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|[[File:Jacob J. Van Riper.jpg|75px]]
|[[Jacob J. Van Riper]]
|1881–1885
|
|-
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:No image.svg|75px]]
|[[Moses Taggart]]
|1885–1889
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|[[File:No image.svg|75px]]
|[[Stephen V. R. Trowbridge (Michigan Attorney General)|Stephen V. R. Trowbridge]]
|1889–1890
|
|-
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:No image.svg|75px]]
|[[Benjamin W. Huston]]
|1890
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:Michigan Attorney General Adolphus A. Ellis.png|75px]]
|[[Adolphus A. Ellis]]
|1891–1895
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
|[[File:Michigan Attorney General Fred A. Maynard.png|75px]]
|[[Fred A. Maynard]]
|1895–1899
|
|-
|[[File:Michigan Attorney General Horace M. Oren.png|75px]]
|[[Horace M. Oren]]
|1899–1903
|
|-
|[[File:Charles A. Blair.png|75px]]
|[[Charles A. Blair]]
|1903–1905
|
|-
|[[File:John E. Bird.jpg|75px]]
|[[John E. Bird]]
|1905–1910
|
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Franz C. Kuhn.png|75px]]
|[[Franz C. Kuhn]]
|1910–1912
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:No image.svg|75px]]
|[[Roger I. Wykes]]
|1912
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Grant Fellows.jpg|75px]]
|[[Grant Fellows]]
|1913–1917
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:AlexJGroesbeck.jpg|75px]]
|[[Alex J. Groesbeck]]
|1917–1921
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Merlin Wiley.png|75px]]
|[[Merlin Wiley]]
|1921–1923
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Andrew B. Dougherty.png|75px]]
|[[Andrew B. Dougherty]]
|1923–1926
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Clare Retan.png|75px]]
|[[Clare Retan]]
|1926
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:William W. Potter (1869-1940).jpg|75px]]
|[[William W. Potter (Michigan politician)|William W. Potter]]
|1927–1929
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Attorney General Brucker 2.png|75px]]
|[[Wilber M. Brucker]]
|1929–1931
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Paul W. Voorhies.png|75px]]
|[[Paul W. Voorhies]]
|1931–1933
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:Michigan Attorney General Patrick H. O’Brien.png|75px]]
|[[Patrick H. O'Brien]]
|1933–1935
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Harry S. Toy.png|75px]]
|[[Harry S. Toy]]
|1935
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:David H. Crolwey 1937.png|75px]]
|[[David H. Crowley]]
|1935–1937
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|[[File:Raymond Wesley Starr.png|75px]]
|[[Raymond Wesley Starr]]
|1937–1939
|
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Thomas Read Politician.jpg|75px]]
|[[Thomas Read (politician)|Thomas Read]]
|1939-1940
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Herbert J. Rushton.png|75px]]
|[[Herbert J. Rushton]]
|1941–1944
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:John R. Dethmers.png|75px]]
|[[John R. Dethmers]]
|1945–1946
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Foss O. Eldred.png|75px]]
|[[Foss O. Eldred]]
|1946
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Eugene F. Black.png|75px]]
|[[Eugene F. Black]]
|1947–1949
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-
|[[File:Stephen John Roth.png|75px]]
|[[Stephen John Roth]]
|1949–1951
|
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Frank Millard 1953.png|75px]]
|[[Frank Millard]]
|1951–1955
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:Thomas M. Kavanagh.png|75px]]
|[[Thomas M. Kavanagh]]
|1955–1957
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:Paul L. Adams.png|75px]]
|[[Paul L. Adams (Michigan judge)|Paul L. Adams]]
|1957–1961
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:Frank J. Kelley.jpg|75px]]
|[[Frank J. Kelley]]
|1961–1999
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:Jennifer Granholm 5.jpg|75px]]
|[[Jennifer Granholm]]
|1999–2003
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:Mike Cox Summer 2009.JPG|75px]]
|[[Mike Cox (American politician)|Mike Cox]]
|2003–2011
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|[[File:President Donald Trump with Bill Schuette (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|[[Bill Schuette]]
|2011–2019
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|[[File:Dana Nessel 20190202 110126 (cropped).jpg|75px]]
|[[Dana Nessel]]
|2019–present
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|}

Source: [http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(4arpx155oyrw0zygyp5ziw3e))/documents/publications/manual/2003-2004/2003-mm-0510-0519-Former.pdf Michigan Manual 2003-2004, Chapter IV, Former Officials of Michigan]

==External links==
{{Commons category|Attorneys General of Michigan}}
* [http://www.michigan.gov/ag/ Michigan Attorney General] official website
* [http://www.abajournal.com/search/results/search&keywords=Michigan+Attorney+General/ Michigan Attorney General] articles at ''ABA Journal''
* [http://public.findlaw.com/LCsearch.html?restrict=consumer&entry=%22Michigan+Attorney+General%22 News and Commentary] at [[FindLaw]]
* [http://law.justia.com/codes/michigan/ Michigan Compiled Laws] at Law.Justia.com
* [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&navby=title&v1=State+of+Michigan U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Michigan"] at [[FindLaw]]
* [http://www.michbar.org/ State Bar of Michigan]
* [https://www.naag.org/attorney-general/dana-nessel/ Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel profile] at [[National Association of Attorneys General]]
* [http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-164-46849---,00.html Press releases] at Michigan Attorney General

{{Michigan statewide elected officials}}
{{Attorneys-General of Michigan}}
{{Michigan state agencies}}
{{U.S. State Attorneys General}}

[[Category:Michigan attorneys general| ]]
[[Category:1837 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Michigan law-related lists|Attorneys general]]