Attorney General of Oklahoma

Attorney General of Oklahoma is the chief legal officer of the State of Oklahoma and head of the Oklahoma Department of Justice. The office is responsible for providing legal advice to the Governor of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Legislature, and other state officials, as well as representing the state in court. The Attorney General also plays a key role in enforcing Oklahoma state laws and protecting the rights of Oklahoma residents. The office works closely with other state agencies, such as the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety.

● History of

the Office The office of the Attorney General of Oklahoma was established in 1908, when Oklahoma became the 46th state to join the United States of America. The first Attorney General was Charles West, who served from 1907 to 1911. Since then, the office has been held by numerous individuals, including Mac Q. Williamson, who served from 1931 to 1935 and later became a United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The office has also been involved in several notable cases, including the Tulsa riot of 1921 and the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice.

● Powers and Responsibilities

The Attorney General of Oklahoma has a wide range of powers and responsibilities, including providing legal advice to state officials, representing the state in court, and enforcing Oklahoma state laws. The office also works closely with other state agencies, such as the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, to investigate and prosecute crimes. The Attorney General also has the authority to issue opinions on the interpretation of Oklahoma state laws and to represent the state in federal court, including the United States Supreme Court. The office has also been involved in several high-profile cases, including the Bush v. Gore case, which was decided by the United States Supreme Court in 2000.

● List of Attorneys General

The following is a list of individuals who have served as Attorney General of Oklahoma: * Charles West (1907-1911) * S.P. Freeling (1911-1915) * Robert A. Kerr (1915-1919) * George Short (1919-1923) * Edwin D. McBride (1923-1927) * James G. Tolbert (1927-1931) * Mac Q. Williamson (1931-1935) * D.S. Ramsey (1935-1939) * Mac Q. Williamson (1939-1943) * Randell S. Cobb (1943-1947) * Mac Q. Williamson (1947-1951) * Noble E. Gill (1951-1955) * Mac Q. Williamson (1955-1959) * Annie Brown (1959-1963) * G.T. Blankenship (1963-1967) * G.T. Blankenship (1967-1971) * Larry Derryberry (1971-1975) * Jan Eric Cartwright (1975-1979) * Jan Eric Cartwright (1979-1983) * Michael C. Turpen (1983-1987) * Robert H. Henry (1987-1991) * Susan B. Loving (1991-1995) * Drew Edmondson (1995-2007) * Drew Edmondson (2007-2011) * Scott Pruitt (2011-2017) * Mike Hunter (2017-2021) * John M. O'Connor (2021-present)

● Election and Term

The Attorney General of Oklahoma is elected by the people of Oklahoma to a four-year term. The election is held in November of each even-numbered year, and the term begins on January 1 of the following year. The Attorney General must be at least 31 years old, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Oklahoma for at least 10 years prior to election. The office is limited to two consecutive terms, and the Attorney General is not eligible to serve more than two terms in a row.

● Duties and Authorities

The Attorney General of Oklahoma has a wide range of duties and authorities, including providing legal advice to state officials, representing the state in court, and enforcing Oklahoma state laws. The office also works closely with other state agencies, such as the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, to investigate and prosecute crimes. The Attorney General also has the authority to issue opinions on the interpretation of Oklahoma state laws and to represent the state in federal court, including the United States Supreme Court. The office has also been involved in several high-profile cases, including the Tulsa riot of 1921 and the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice.

● Notable Attorneys General

Several Attorneys General have gone on to hold other notable offices, including Mac Q. Williamson, who served as a United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. Another notable Attorney General is Drew Edmondson, who served as the Attorney General of Oklahoma from 1995 to 2011 and later ran for Governor of Oklahoma in 2010. The current Attorney General, John M. O'Connor, has also been involved in several high-profile cases, including the Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta case, which was decided by the United States Supreme Court in 2022. Other notable Attorneys General include Scott Pruitt, who served as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from 2017 to 2018, and Mike Hunter, who served as the Secretary of State of Oklahoma from 2016 to 2017.