The attorney general of Washington is the chief legal officer of the U.S. state of Washington and head of the Washington State Office of the Attorney General. The attorney general represents clients of the state and defends the public interest in accordance to state law. The office of the attorney general is an executive office elected by the citizens of Washington, and the officeholder serves a four-year term.[1]
| Attorney General of Washington | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Office of the Attorney General | |
| Style | The Honorable |
| Term length | Four years No limit |
| Constituting instrument | Washington State Constitution |
| Formation | 1887 |
Authority
editThe powers and responsibilities of the Washington attorney general derive from the Washington State Constitution (Const. art. III, § 1)[2] and the Revised Code of Washington (RCW 43.10).[3]
List of attorneys general of Washington
editThe following is a list of individuals who have served as attorney general of the U.S. state of Washington.[4][5] The attorney general is fifth (behind the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, and auditor, respectively) in the line of succession to the office of Governor of Washington.[6]
| # | Image | Attorney General | Term of office | Political party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James B. Metcalfe | 1887 | 1889 | Democratic | |
| 2 | William C. Jones | 1889 | 1897 | Republican | |
| 3 | Patrick Henry Winston | 1897 | 1901 | People's Party | |
| 4 | Wickliffe Stratton | 1901 | 1905 | Republican | |
| 5 | John Atkinson | 1905 | 1909 | Republican | |
| 6 | Walter Bell | 1909 | 1911 | Republican | |
| 7 | William V. Tanner | 1911 | 1912 | Republican | |
| 1912 | 1919 | ||||
| 8 | L.L. Thompson | 1919 | 1920 | Republican | |
| 1920 | 1923 | ||||
| 9 | John Dunbar | 1923 | 1925 | Republican | |
| 1925 | 1933 | ||||
| 10 | Garrison Hamilton | 1933 | 1940 | Democratic | |
| 11 | Smith Troy | 1941 | 1944 | Democratic | |
| 1944 | 1952 | ||||
| 12 | Don Eastvold | 1953 | 1956 | Republican | |
| 13 | John J. O'Connell | 1957 | 1969 | Democratic | |
| 14 | Slade Gorton | 1969 | 1981 | Republican | |
| 15 | Ken Eikenberry | 1981 | 1993 | Republican | |
| 16 | Christine Gregoire | 1993 | 2005 | Democratic | |
| 17 | Rob McKenna | 2005 | 2013 | Republican | |
| 18 | Bob Ferguson | 2013 | present | Democratic | |
| 19 | Nick Brown | Attorney General-elect takes office January 15, 2025 | N/A | Democratic | |
References
edit- ^ "Office Information". Washington State Office of the Attorney General. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "Code Reviser Washington State Constitution". Washington State Legislature. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "Chapter 43.10: Attorney General". Revised Code of Washington. Washington State Legislature. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ Bowers, Todd; Scott, Drew; Scharber, Maureen (2006). "Historical Highlights: Office of the Washington State Attorney General". Office of the Washington State Attorney General. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2009.
- ^ Washington State Yearbook: The Evergreen State Government Directory. Olympia, WA: Washington Roll Call. 2017.
- ^ "Washington State Constitution". Washington State Legislature. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
External links
edit- Washington Attorney General official website
- Washington Attorney General articles at ABA Journal
- News and Commentary at FindLaw
- Revised Code of Washington at Law.Justia.com
- U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Washington" at FindLaw
- Washington State Bar Association
- Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson profile at National Association of Attorneys General
- Press releases at Washington Attorney General