The attorney general of Iowa is the chief legal officer of the state of Iowa, United States.
The office was created February 9, 1853. The Office of the Attorney General is housed in the Lucas State Office Building in Des Moines; the attorney general also has a room in the Iowa State Capitol to prepare legislation.
As stated in Iowa law, the powers and duties of the office include: Representing the departments and agencies of state government; taking action for citizens in consumer protection and other areas; enforcing the state's environmental protection laws; playing a central role in the criminal justice system; and providing assistance and advocacy for the victims of crime. The attorney general also issues legal opinions on questions of law submitted by elected or appointed state officials and defends all tort claim actions against the state. Iowa is unique in that its attorney general belongs to the judicial branch of government; in 48 of the other 50 states, the attorney general is a member of the executive branch.
Republican Brenna Bird has been the attorney general since 2023.
List of attorneys general of Iowa Parties
No. Name Took office Left office Party1 David C. Cloud18531856Democratic2 Samuel A. Rice18561861Republican3 Charles C. Nourse18611865Republican4 Isaac L. Allen18651866Republican5 Frederick E. Bissell18661867Republican6 Henry O'Connor18671872Republican7 Marsena E. Cutts18721877Republican8 John F. McJunkin18771881Republican9 Smith McPherson18811885Republican10 Andrew J. Baker18851889Republican11 John Young Stone18891895Republican12 Milton RemleyPortrait and biographical record of Johnson, Poweshiek and Iowa counties, Iowa. 1893.18951901Republican13 Charles W. Mullan19011907Republican14 Howard Webster Byers19071911Republican15 George Cosson19111917Republican16 Horace M. Havner19171921Republican17 Ben Gibson19211927Republican18 John Fletcher19271933Republican19 Edward L. O'Connor19331937Democratic20 John H. Mitchell19371938 Democratic21 Fred D. Everett19391940Republican22 John M. Rankin19411947Republican23 Robert L. Larson19471953Republican24 Leo Hoegh19531955Republican25 Dayton Countryman19551957Republican26 Norman A. Erbe19571961Republican27 Evan Hultman19611965Republican28 Lawrence F. Scalise19651967Democratic29 Richard C. Turner19671979Republican30 Tom Miller19791991Democratic31 Bonnie Campbell19911995Democratic32 Tom Miller19952023Democratic 33 Brenna Bird2023IncumbentRepublican
References
External links Iowa Attorney General articles at ABA Journal News and Commentary at FindLaw Iowa Code at Law.Justia.com U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Iowa" at FindLaw The Iowa State Bar Association Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller profile at National Association of Attorneys General Press releases at Iowa Attorney General