Except as otherwise in the general laws provided, the attorney general, whenever requested, shall act as the legal adviser of the individual legislators of the general assembly, of all state boards, divisions, departments, and commissions and the officers thereof, of all commissioners appointed by the general assembly, of all the general officers of the state, and of the director of administration, in all matters pertaining to their official duties, and shall institute and prosecute, whenever necessary, all suits and proceedings that they may be authorized to commence, and shall appear for and defend the above-named individual legislators, boards, divisions, departments, commissions, commissioners, and officers, in all suits and proceedings that may be brought against them in their official capacity.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-9-6
Legal adviser — Representation of state officers and agencies
Applied in 3 court decisions — leading case 937 F. Supp. 153 - Gray v. Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families (1996)
Most recently applied in Common Cause Rhode Island v. RI Republic Party (August 2020)
G.L. 1896, ch. 17, § 4; G.L. 1909, ch. 23, § 4; G.L. 1923, ch. 22, § 4; G.L. 1938, ch. 10, § 4; impl. am
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Official source: Rhode Island General Assembly. Reproduced from public-domain Rhode Island statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.