What is the role of the US Attorney General?
Asked by: Erich Carroll | Last update: December 4, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (46 votes)
The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters generally and gives advice and opinions to the President and to the heads of the executive departments of the Government when so requested.
Who is more powerful, US Attorney or Attorney General?
United States Attorneys serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General of the United States of America.
Who is above the U.S. Attorney General?
The department is headed by the U.S. attorney general, who reports directly to the president of the United States and is a member of the president's Cabinet.
Is the attorney general higher than the Supreme Court?
Attorney general offices therefore play an active role before the Supreme Court. Collectively, they are the second most active litigant before the Court, behind only the U.S. government.
How much power does a US attorney have?
As chief federal law enforcement officers, U.S. attorneys have authority over all federal law enforcement personnel within their districts and may direct them to engage, cease or assist in investigations.
The Attorney General
What are the three main job duties of the U.S. attorney general?
Attorney General Powers and Responsibilities
Proposing legislation. Enforcing federal and state environmental laws. Representing the state and state agencies before the state and federal courts.
Who has more power a lawyer or an attorney?
Is an attorney more powerful than a lawyer? Not necessarily. While attorneys specifically represent clients in court, both lawyers and attorneys have the same level of legal education and training. The distinction is more about their role, rather than their power or authority.
Why is the attorney general so powerful?
The attorney general acts as the principal legal advisor to the president of the United States on all legal matters. The attorney general is also a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States and a member of the United States National Security Council.
Do you need a law degree to be attorney general?
By tradition, persons appointed to the position of Attorney-General have been lawyers. Only two former attorneys-general have not been lawyers, most recently Dr Michael Cullen who held the post in 2005, and again from 2006.
How much does the US Attorney General make a year?
As of Jan 21, 2025, the average annual pay for an Attorney General in the United States is $103,584 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $49.80 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,992/week or $8,632/month.
Can the president remove the attorney general?
U.S. Attorneys are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Like other presidential appointees, they can be removed by the President for any reason or for no reason, as long as it is not an illegal or improper reason.
Who is above FBI?
Within the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI is responsible to the attorney general, and it reports its findings to U.S. Attorneys across the country. The FBI's intelligence activities are overseen by the Director of National Intelligence.
Who controls the US Attorney General?
The attorney general is the lawyer appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate to lead the Department of Justice, known as the DOJ.
How important is the US Attorney General?
The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters generally and gives advice and opinions to the President and to the heads of the executive departments of the Government when so requested. In matters of exceptional gravity or importance the Attorney General appears in person before the Supreme Court.
Why would the attorney general investigate me?
Target letters are often issued to the subjects of a white-collar investigation. White-collar crimes encompass a wide range of fraudulent practices, including securities fraud, embezzlement, corporate fraud, healthcare fraud, mortgage fraud, and tax evasion.
How long does the U.S. Attorney General serve?
Under the state Constitution, the Attorney General is elected to a four-year term in the same statewide election as the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Controller, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Insurance Commissioner.
Can you become a lawyer without a license?
Like many other professionals, attorneys must have a license before they can practice law in any state. While license requirements differ slightly from state to state, all states make it illegal to engage in the practice of law without first obtaining a license.
Does the U.S. Attorney General have to be a licensed attorney?
Does the U.S. Attorney General have to have a law degree and/or have passed a bar exam? Theoretically no. As long as you're appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, the job is yours. In practice, it's unlikely someone without a legal background would ever be appointed.
Does Congress have to approve the attorney general?
The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, an Attorney General of the United States. The Attorney General is the head of the Department of Justice.
Who is the most powerful person in court?
Prosecutors are the most powerful officials in the American criminal justice system. The decisions they make, particularly the charging and plea-bargaining decisions, control the operation of the system and often predetermine the outcome of criminal cases.
Who gets paid more a lawyer or an attorney?
The national average salary for an attorney is $97,879 per year , while a lawyer has an average salary of $96,557 per year . Although the average earnings have a slight difference, you may earn more or less depending on your years of experience, employer, location and skills.
What does Esq mean after your name?
"Esquire" is a title of respect for a person authorized to practice law. While it's often abbreviated as "Esq.," it comes from English history, where it originally referred to someone just below the rank of knight. Today, in the United States, "Esquire" is used to identify licensed attorneys.