The Vermont attorney general is a statewide elected executive official in the U.S. state of Vermont who is elected every two years. It was created by an act of the Vermont General Assembly in 1790, repealed in 1797, and revived in 1904. The office began as a one-person operation located at Windsor, Vermont, the state's first capital. When the position was recreated in 1904 offices were located in the Vermont State House. The office is now headquartered in the Pavilion and is the largest employer of attorneys in the state. As of January 5, 2023, Charity Clark is the Vermont attorney general, having been elected in 2022.
The office provides legal counsel for all state agencies and the Vermont General Assembly, the state's legislative branch. It handles civil and criminal cases in all courts of the state for both the trial and appellate levels. It defends the state when it is sued and files suits to enforce Vermont’s criminal, environmental, consumer protection, civil rights and other laws.
Election The attorney general was originally chosen by a vote of the Vermont General Assembly. Since 1908 the attorney general has been elected every two years at the same time and in the same manner as other statewide elected officials.3 V.S.A. §151
List of Vermont attorneys general # Image Name Term of office Political party1Samuel Hitchcock 1790–1793Federalist2Daniel Buck 1793–1795FederalistOffice vacant (1795–1797)Office abolished (1797–1904)3Clarke C. Fitts 1904–1908Republican4John G. Sargent1908–1912Republican5Rufus E. Brown1912–1914Republican6Herbert G. Barber1914–1919Republican7Frank Archibald1919–1925Republican8J. Ward Carver1925–1931Republican9Lawrence C. Jones1931–1941Republican10Alban J. Parker1941–1947Republican11Clifton G. Parker1947–1952Republican12F. Elliott Barber Jr. 1952–1955Republican13Robert T. Stafford1955–1957Republican14Frederick M. Reed1957–1960Republican15Thomas M. Debevoise1960–1962Republican16Charles Adams1962–1963Republican17Charles E. Gibson Jr.1963–1965Republican18John P. Connarn1965–1967Democratic19James L. Oakes1967–1969Republican20Jim Jeffords1969–1973Republican21Kimberly B. Cheney1973–1975Republican22M. Jerome Diamond1975–1981Democratic23John J. Easton Jr.1981–1985Republican24Jeffrey L. Amestoy1985–1997Republican25Bill Sorrell1997–2017Democratic26T. J. Donovan2017–2022Democratic–Josh Diamond 2022Democratic27Susanne Young2022–2023Republican28Charity Clark2023–presentDemocratic
References
External links
Vermont Attorney General articles at ABA Journal News and Commentary at FindLaw Vermont Statutes at Law.Justia.com U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Vermont" at FindLaw Vermont Bar Association Vermont Attorney General William H. Sorrell profile at National Association of Attorneys General Press releases at Vermont Attorney General