Maine Attorney General

Maine Attorney General
Flag of the State of Maine
Incumbent
Aaron Frey
since January 2, 2019
StyleMr. Attorney General (informal)
The Honorable (formal)
SeatBurton M. Cross Building
Augusta, Maine
Appointer
Term length
  • 2 years
FormationMarch 15, 1820
First holderErastus Foote
DeputyDeputy Attorney General
Salary$143,499
Websitewww.maine.gov/ag/

The Maine attorney general is the chief legal advisor and prosecutor of the state of Maine. The constitutional basis of the office is Article IX, Section 11 of the Maine Constitution, and the holder of the position is chosen biennially by the Maine Legislature in joint session. Maine is the only state to select its attorney general in such a manner; in 2023 a group of state Republicans called for the attorney general to be selected by popular vote, though no action was taken on the proposal.

The powers of the attorney general are derived from the Maine Revised Statues Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 9. These include representing the state in civil actions, investigating and prosecuting homicides, advising district attorneys, and providing written opinions on matters of law at the request of the governor or the legislature. The attorney general is empowered to appoint deputy and assistant attorneys general, who serve at the attorney general's pleasure.

List of Maine attorneys general

No.ImageNameHometownTook officeLeft officeParty
1Erastus FooteWiscasset18201831Democratic-Republican
2Jonathan P. RogersBangor18321833Democratic
3Nathan CliffordNewfield18341837Democratic
4Daniel GoodenowAlfred18381838Democratic
5Stephen EmeryParis18391840Democratic
6Daniel GoodenowAlfred18411841Democratic
7Otis L. BridgesCalais18421843Democratic
8Wyman B. S. MoorWaterville18441847Democratic
9Samuel H. BlakeBangor18481848Democratic
10Henry TallmanBath18491852Democratic
11George EvansPortland18531854Whig
12John S. AbbottNorridgewock18551855Republican
13George EvansPortland18561856Whig
14Nathan D. AppletonAlfred18571859
15G.W. IngersollBangor18601860
16Josiah Hayden DrummondPortland18601863Republican
17John A. PetersBangor18641866Republican
18William P. FryeLewiston18671869Republican
19Thomas Brackett ReedPortland18701872Republican
20Harris M. PlaistedBangor18731875Republican
21Lucilius A. EmeryEllsworth18761878Republican
22William H. McLellanBelfast18791879Democratic
23Henry B. CleavesPortland18801884Republican
24Orville D. BakerAugusta18851888Republican
25Charles E. LittlefieldRockland18891892Republican
26Frederick A. PowersHoulton18931896Republican
27William T. HainesWaterville18971900Republican
28George M. SeidersPortland19011904Republican
29Hannibal Emery HamlinEllsworth19051908Republican
30Warren C. PhilbrookWaterville19091910Republican
31Cyrus R. TupperBoothbay Harbor19111911Democratic
32William Robinson PattangallWaterville19111912Democratic
33Scott WilsonPortland19131914Republican
34William Robinson PattangallWaterville19151916Democratic
35Guy H. SturgisPortland19171920Republican
36Ransford W. ShawHoulton19211924Republican
37Raymond FellowsBangor19251928Republican
38Clement F. RobinsonPortland19291932Republican
39Clyde R. ChapmanBelfast19331936Republican
40Franz U. BurkettPortland19371940Republican
41Frank I. CowanPortland19411944Republican
42Ralph W. FarrisAugusta19451950Republican
43Alexander A. LaFleurPortland19511954Republican
44Frank F. HardingRockland19551958Republican
45Frank E. HancockYork19591964Republican
46Richard J. DubordWaterville19651966Democratic
47James S. ErwinYork19671971Republican
48Jon A. LundAugusta19721975Republican
49Joseph E. BrennanPortland19751979Democratic
50Richard S. CohenAugusta19791981Republican
51James E. TierneyLisbon Falls19811991Democratic
52Michael E. CarpenterHoulton19911995Democratic
53Andrew KettererMadison19952001Democratic
54G. Steven RowePortland20012009Democratic
55Janet MillsFarmington20092011Democratic
56William SchneiderDurham20112013Republican
57Janet MillsFarmington20132019Democratic
58Aaron FreyBangor2019presentDemocratic

References

  1. ↑ "Maine State Constitution".
  2. ↑ "Maine lawmaker says voters should pick constitutional officers". Bangor Daily News. April 15, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  3. ↑ "GOP pushes to have Mainers elect the attorney general, other top posts". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  4. ↑ "Office of the Maine AG: About Us: What We do".
  5. ↑ "Maine Attorneys General, 1820-". Maine State Legislature. Augusta, Maine: Maine State Legislature. March 13, 2026. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  6. ↑ Litchfield. History of Litchfield and an Account of Its Centennial Celebrations, 1895. Рипол Классик. ISBN 978-5-87689-016-0.
  7. ↑ "The Political Graveyard: Maine Delegation to 1876 Democratic National Convention". politicalgraveyard.com. Retrieved 2020-04-22.