The Indiana Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Indiana in the United States. Attorneys General are chosen by a statewide general election to serve for a four-year term. The forty-fourth and current[update] Attorney General is Todd Rokita.
| Indiana Attorney General | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Term length | Four years |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Indiana |
| Formation | 1855 |
| First holder | James Morrison |
| Succession | Statewide election |
| Salary | $107,686 |
| Website | www |
Office of Attorney General Divisions
edit- Advisory Division - The Advisory Division provides legal advice and counsel to large state agencies and individual officials at every level of state government. The division also publishes official opinions related to significant state issues. The Advisory Division does not make or recommend policy. Rather, it guides officials in their efforts to understand specific state statutes, policies, and procedures. The Attorney General’s law clients are the statewide elected officials, state legislators, state agencies, and the 92 county prosecutors.
- Appeals Division - The Appeals Division represents the state in both civil and criminal appeals, as well as in other specialized areas. Civil Appeals represents the state in appellate cases involving constitutional issues, civil rights, consumer protection, government benefits, administrative procedures, and employment matters, as well as business regulations and cases involving claims against the state. Criminal Appeals represents the state in criminal cases appealed to the Indiana Court of Appeals and Indiana Supreme Court. This means these attorneys work to uphold sentences - and keep criminals in prison. This section also represents the state's interests when prison inmates challenge their convictions in the federal court system through a habeas corpus petition.
- Complex Litigation Division - The Complex Litigation Division represents the State of Indiana in high profile and often multifaceted investigations and litigation in both state and federal courts. In furtherance of those matters, Complex Litigation works closely with other State agencies, States and office divisions to best advocate for Hoosiers. While not limited to one substantive subject matter area, Complex Litigation matters typically involve issues of unsettled law, large number of impacted individuals or damages, or issues of particular importance to the State of Indiana.
- Consumer Protection Division - The Consumer Protection Division works to protect consumers from deceptive and predatory business practices. By state law, the Attorney General’s Office cannot act as an individual's private attorney or provide legal advice to citizens. However, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division mediates and investigates consumer complaints against businesses and other organizations and takes legal action on behalf of the state against individuals and companies that violate Indiana’s Deceptive Consumer Sales Act.
- Litigation Division - The Litigation Division serves as the State’s law firm and represents the State and its agencies, officials and employees in state and federal courts in complex and significant interest cases in almost every substantive area of the law - protecting the public interest by defending constitutional challenges and class actions to bringing actions to enforce state statutes and regulations to condemnation to public integrity whistleblower and fraud cases to recoup taxpayer money. The Litigation Division has four Sections - each with their own area of expertise; Administrative and Regulatory Enforcement Litigation Section, Asset Recovery and Bankruptcy Litigation Section, Government Litigation Section, and Real Estate Litigation Section.
- Medicaid Fraud Control Unit - The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates fraud involving healthcare providers that intentionally defraud the state's Medicaid program through fraudulent practices. The unit also investigates allegations of prescription drug diversion, patient abuse, neglect, and exploitation in facilities receiving payments under the Medicaid program, such as nursing homes, facilities for the mentally and physically disabled, and assisted living facilities. The unit employs a professional staff of criminal investigators, auditors, attorneys and support staff who work closely with federal, state, and local partners to investigate and prosecute violations of health care laws.
- Solicitor General - The Solicitor General is the chief litigation policy advisor to the attorney general, providing comprehensive oversight of state and federal litigation for Indiana. The solicitor general also handles specific cases involving constitutional challenges, pursues cases with issues of vital interest to the state government, makes recommendations to the attorney general on the state’s participation in filing amicus curiae briefs (friend of the court briefs), and consults with the Appellate Division to determine which civil cases the state should appeal and the appropriate legal position to pursue.
- Unclaimed Property Unit - Each year, millions of dollars in assets are turned over to the Indiana Attorney General's Office as unclaimed property. The Unclaimed Property Division works to help return these assets to their rightful owners. Unclaimed property is any financial asset with no activity by its owner for an extended period of time, including; dormant bank accounts, lost or forgotten uncashed checks, stocks or bonds, dividends, and bond interest, insurance proceeds, utility refunds, and safe-deposit box contents.
List of Indiana Attorneys General
editTerritorial
edit| Image | Attorney General | Political party | Term of service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Parke | 1804–1808 | ||
| John Rice Jones | 1808–1816 |
State
editUnder the 1816 Constitution of Indiana the office of Attorney General was filled by appointment. After the adoption of the 1851 constitution, the office was filled by popular election.
- Parties
Democratic (19) Republican (25)
Notes
edit- ^ See http://www.in.gov/library/3239.htm, a list of historic Attorneys General compiled by staff of the Indiana State Library.