Arkansas Attorney General

The attorney general of Arkansas, usually known simply as the attorney general (AG), is one of Arkansas's seven constitutional officers. The officeholder serves as the state's top law enforcement officer and consumer advocate.

History

The Attorney General was not originally a state constitutional officer but rather was created by Act 1 of 1843, which designated the Arkansas Attorney for the Fifth Judicial District as the attorney general. The first Attorney General of Arkansas was Robert W. Johnson. The Arkansas Constitution of 1868 made the post elective, though it required only that the attorney general “perform such duties as are now, or may hereafter, be prescribed by law.” This was reaffirmed in the constitution of 1874. Act 131 of 1911 laid out four general responsibilities of the attorney general's office: 1) to give opinions to state officers and agencies “upon any constitutional or other legal question that may concern the official action of said officers”; 2) to defend the interest of the state in federal court and representing all state officers, boards, and commissions in litigation involving the interests of the state; 3) to furnish any board or commission an opinion as to the validity of the title on any land they seek to purchase; and 4) to make a biennial report to the governor and the Arkansas General Assembly on all transactions of the attorney general's office.

Role and duties

The Attorney General represents state agencies and commissions in courts of law, giving opinions on issues presented by legislators and prosecutors, handling criminal matters and habeas corpus matters in the state, and advocating for citizens on issues pertaining to the environment, antitrust, and consumer protection.

List of attorneys general

19th century

Robert W. Johnson (1843) Democrat

Geo. C. Watkins (1843–1851) Whig, then Democrat

J. J. Clendenin (1851–1856) Democrat

Thomas Johnson (1856–1858) Democrat

J. L. Hollowell (1858–1861) Democrat

P. Jordan (1861–1862) Confederate

Sam W. Williams (1862–1864) Confederate

Charles T. Jordan (1864–1865) Republican

R.S. Gantt (1865–1866) Republican

R. H. Deadman (1866–1868) Republican

J. R. Montgomery (1868–1873) Republican

Thomas D. W. Yonley (1873–1874) Republican

J. L. Witherspoon (1874) Democrat

Simon P. Hughes (1874–1876) Democrat

W. F. Henderson (1877–1881) Democrat

C. B. Moore (1881–1885) Democrat

D. W. Jones (1885–1889) Democrat

W. E. Atkinson (1889–1893) Democrat

J. P. Clarke (1893–1895) Democrat

E. B. Kinsworthy (1895–1899) Democrat

Jeff Davis (1899–1901) Democrat

20th century

George W. Murphy (1901–1905) Democrat

Robt. L. Rogers (1905–1907) Democrat

Wm. F. Kirby (1907–1909) Democrat

Hal L. Norwood (1909–1913) Democrat

William L. Moose (1913–1915) Democrat

Wallace Davis (1915–1917) Democrat

John D. Arbuckle (1917–1921) Democrat

J. S. Utley (1921–1925) Democrat

W. H. Applegate (1925–1929) Democrat

Hal L. Norwood (1929–1934) Democrat

Walter L. Pope (1934–1935) Democrat

Carl E. Bailey (1935–1937) Democrat

Jack Holt, Sr. (1937–1943) Democrat

Guy E. Williams (1943–1949) Democrat

Ike Murry (1949–1953) Democrat

Tom Gentry (1953–1957) Democrat

Bruce Bennett (1957–1961) Democrat

J. Frank Holt (1961-1962) Democrat

Jack Holt, Jr. (1962–1963) Democrat

Bruce Bennett (1963–1967) Democrat

Joe Purcell (1967–1971) Democrat

Ray Thornton (1971–1973) Democrat

Rodney Parham (1973) Democrat

Jim Guy Tucker (1973–1977) Democrat

Bill Wilson (1977) Democrat

Bill Clinton (1977–1979) Democrat

Steve Clark (1979–1990) Democrat

Ron Fields (1990) Democrat

Mary Stallcup (1990-1991) Democrat

Winston Bryant (1991–1999) Democrat

Mark Pryor (1999–2003) Democrat

21st century

Leon Johnson (2003) Democrat

Mike Beebe (2003–2007) Democrat

Dustin McDaniel (2007–2015) Democrat

Leslie Rutledge (2015–2023) Republican

Tim Griffin (2023–present) Republican

See also

Attorney General of the United States

References

External links

Official

General information

Attorneys General of Arkansas at The Political Graveyard

Attorney General

Attorney General

Attorney General