Attorney General

A law officer of state in England and the United States; the attorney of the King or Queen, {attomatus regis, or regincs;) the attorney of the government or state. In England the attorney general is appointed by letters patent, and selected from the queen's counsel He is the only legal representative of the crown in the courts, and his duties are to exhibit informations, to prosecute for the crown in criminal matters, to conduct proceedings in the exchequer in revenue causes, and generally to appear and act in all legal proceedings, and m all courts where the mterests of the crown are in question. Wltartor Cs Lex, P. Cyclopaedia.

3 BL Com. 27. 4 Burr, 2570.

Tomlins, The title of attorney general is first mentioned in England in the eleventh year of Edward IV.

4 Reeves^ Hiet, Eng. Law, 122.

The attorney general of the United States is appointed by the President, and his office is, (besides special and incidental duties,) to prosecute and conduct all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States are concerned, and to give his advice and opinion upon questions of law, when required by the President, or the heads of the departments.

Act of Congress, September 24, 1789, § 35. 1 KerU's Com. 308.

Each of the states has also its attorney general, whose duties are defined by its own laws. See U, S. Digest, Attorney and Counsel, IX. Attornet General. [L. Fr. atiome general; L. Lat. attomatus generaiisJ] In old practice. A general attorney; one who was authorized to appear in all suits and causes, and in all courts; or in all suits at a particular circuit, or for a specified period of time.* Beg. Grig. 20—22. These were made either by the king's letters patent, or by appointment of the people {par constitueions de gents) before the justices in eyre. Britt. c.

126.

See Id, c.

46.

An attorney special, on the other hand, was one who was employed in one or more causes particularly specified, or one who belonged to a particular court.

Cowell.