Vermont Attorney General
Encyclopedia
The Vermont Attorney General is one of five cabinet-level constitutional officers in the U.S. state of Vermont
which are 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in 1790, repealed in 1797, and revived in 1904.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. William H. Sorrell
of Burlington
is the current Vermont Attorney General.
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.
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
which are elected every two years. It was created by an act of the Vermont General Assembly
Vermont General Assembly
The Vermont General Assembly is the legislative body of the U.S. state of Vermont. The Legislature is formally known as the "General Assembly," but the style of "Legislature" is commonly used, including by the body itself...
in 1790, repealed in 1797, and revived in 1904. The office began as a one-person operation located at Windsor, Vermont
Windsor, Vermont
Windsor is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,756 at the 2000 census.-History:One of the New Hampshire grants, Windsor was chartered as a town on July 6, 1761 by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth. It was first settled in August 1764 by Captain Steele Smith and...
, the state's first capital. When the position was recreated in 1904 offices were located in the Vermont State House
Vermont State House
The Vermont State House, located in Montpelier, is the state capitol of Vermont and the seat of the Vermont General Assembly. The current Greek Revival structure is the third building on the same site to be used as the State House...
. The office is now headquartered in the Pavilion and is the largest employer of attorneys in the state. William H. Sorrell
William Sorrell
William H. Sorrell is the current attorney general of the U.S. state of Vermont, United States. Originally appointed by Governor Howard Dean in 1997, he has won re-election seven times since then in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010...
of Burlington
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
is the current Vermont Attorney General.
The office provides legal counsel for all state agencies and the Vermont General Assembly
Vermont General Assembly
The Vermont General Assembly is the legislative body of the U.S. state of Vermont. The Legislature is formally known as the "General Assembly," but the style of "Legislature" is commonly used, including by the body itself...
, 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 is elected every two years at the same time and manner as other statewide elected officials.List of Vermont Attorneys General
- 1790-1793 Samuel HitchcockSamuel HitchcockSamuel Hitchcock was an attorney and judge in Vermont.Hitchcock was born in Brimfield, Massachusetts and attended Harvard College in 1777. He engaged in private practice in Burlington, Vermont, from 1786-87, and was then the state's attorney for Chittenden County, Vermont until 1790, when he...
- 1793-1795 Daniel BuckDaniel BuckDaniel Buck was a United States Representative from Vermont. Born in Hebron, Connecticut, he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1783 and practiced in Thetford, Vermont. He was prosecuting attorney of Orange County from 1783 to 1785 and was clerk of the court in 1783 and 1784...
- 1795-1797 Vacant
- 1797-1904 Repealed by the legislature
- 1904-1908 Clarke C. Fitts, Republican(2)
- 1908-1912 John G. SargentJohn G. SargentJohn Garibaldi Sargent was an American lawyer and statesman.-Biography:He graduated from Tufts College in 1887, and earned a master's degree from the same institution in 1912. He studied law in the interim and was admitted to the Vermont bar in 1890...
, Republican - 1912-1915 Rufus E. Brown, Republican
- 1915-1919 Herbert G. Barber, Republican
- 1919-1925 Frank C. ArchibaldFrank C. ArchibaldFrank C. Archibald was a businessman and politician in Newfoundland. He represented Harbour Grace from 1919 to 1923 and from 1928 to 1932 in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly as a Liberal....
, Republican - 1925-1931 J. Ward Carver, Republican (appointed after a resignation)
- 1931-1941 Lawrence C. Jones, Republican
- 1941-1947 Alban J. Parker, Republican
- 1947-1953 Clifton G. Parker, Republican
- 1953-1955 F. Elliott Barber, Jr., Republican
- 1955-1957 Robert T. Stafford, Republican
- 1957-1960 Frederick M. Reed, Republican
- 1960-1962 Thomas M. Debevoise, Republican (appointed after a resignation)
- 1962-1963 Charles J. AdamsCharles J. AdamsCharles J. Adams was a Brigadier General in the United States Air Force.-Biography:Adams was born in Sanpete County, Utah in 1921. He attended the University of Utah and the University of Nebraska at Omaha....
(appointed after a resignation) - 1963-1965 Charles E. Gibson, Jr., Republican
- 1965-1967 John P. Connarn, Democrat
- 1967-1969 James L. OakesJames L. OakesJames Lowell Oakes was a senior circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit....
, Republican - 1969-1973 James M. JeffordsJim JeffordsJames Merrill "Jim" Jeffords is a former U.S. Senator from Vermont. He served as a Republican until 2001, when he left the party to become an independent. He retired from the Senate in 2006.-Background:...
, Republican - 1973-1975 Kimberly B. CheneyKimberly B. CheneyKimberly B. Cheney served as Vermont's attorney general from 1973 to 1975.-Career:Cheney graduated from Yale College in 1957. After a stint in the U.S. Navy, he attended Yale Law School, where he received the degree of LL.B. in 1964...
, Republican - 1975-1981 M. Jerome Diamond, Democrat
- 1981-1985 John J. Easton, Jr., Republican
- 1985-1997 Jeffrey L. Amestoy, Republican
- 1997-current William H. SorrellWilliam SorrellWilliam H. Sorrell is the current attorney general of the U.S. state of Vermont, United States. Originally appointed by Governor Howard Dean in 1997, he has won re-election seven times since then in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010...
, Democrat (appointed after a resignation)