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The Attorney General of Oklahoma is the State Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma . The Attorney General serves as the chief legal and law enforcement officer of the State Of Oklahoma . The Attorney General is responsible for advising the various agencies and departments of the Executive Branch , Legislative Branch and Judicial Branch of the state government. The office is also responsible for the Prosecution of offenses to Oklahoma State Statutes and advocate the basic rights of Oklahoman residents. The 16th and current Attorney General of Oklahoma is Drew Edmondson . Edmondson is currently serving a record-breaking fourth consecutive term in office, having been elected in 1994 , and subsequently reelected in 1998 , 2002 , and 2006 . CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS As with all offices established by the Oklahoma Constitution in Article V, any person running for the office of Attorney General of Oklahoma must be citizen of the State of Oklahoma, at least thirty-one years of age and a resident of the United States for ten years. ELECTION Elections for the Attorney General are held on a four year concurrent basis with the election of the Governor. After all votes are collected, the Legislature of Oklahoma shall convene in the hall of the House of Representatives and the Speaker of the House of Representatives announce the results of the elections in the presence of a majority of each branch of the Legislature. The persons having the highest number of votes for the office of the Attorney General shall be declared duly elected. However, in case two or more shall have an equal and the highest number of votes for the office of Attorney General, the Legislature shall, by joint ballot, choose one of the said persons having an equal and the highest number of votes for the office of Attorney General. TERM(S) OF OFFICE The Attorney General’s four year term begins on the first Monday in January following the general election. The Constitution of Oklahoma places no limit to the number of terms a candidate may serve in succession or in total. Drew Edmondson , the current Attorney General, is serving his fourth consecutive term, having won reelection in 2006 . POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES The office of the Attorney General is divided into several divisions: The Litigation Section The civil trial division for the Office of the Attorney General and main function of the office. This section defends and prosecutes civil matters for the state and its agencies, officers and employees. Litigation on behalf of the state is supported in every county, the Oklahoma Supreme Court, every federal district court in the state, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, the U. S. Supreme Court and in other states and foreign jurisdictions. The Office of the Attorney General defends state employees when sued for civil rights actions taken during their official duties. A majority of the more complicated and costly trials come from allegations surrounding the hiring, firing and promotion of state employees. The Litigation Section also has the responsibility to handle and direct the major class action litigation filed against institutions, including the challenges to the juvenile justice system. The unit represents state judicial officers, District Attorneys, Legislators, and the executive branch of state government when sued in both their official and individual capacities. The Litigation Section is also responsible for tracking the hiring of private attorneys by other state agencies and reporting the costs to state agencies for services provided by private attorneys. The Criminal Appeals Division As in civil matter, the Attorney General represents the state in the criminal appeals process to ensure that the decisions rendered by judges and juries are upheld in the appellate courts. The unit works to uphold the convictions of the guilty and ensures that the punishment imposed by judges and juries are carried out. Unit attorneys provide quality responses that aid the court in ruling on issues of law and in the development of new legal precedents. General Counsel Division A major function of the Attorney General is to assists public officials in the performance of their duties, seeking to provide the best legal advice possible for the good of the State and its citizens. Most Attorney General Opinions are written by members of the General Counsel Unit. These opinions are binding on state agencies unless overturned by a ruling from a court of competent jurisdiction. General Counsel Attorneys review Interlocal Agreements and examine and pass on any security issued by a county, municipality, township or other political subdivision. General Counsel Attorneys assist their clients in interpreting and following the Open Records Act and the Open Meeting Act and may assist in investigating and presenting a case against a particular professional licensee, or act as a hearing advisor to the licensure board during discipline proceedings. In addition to several specialized duties, the General Counsel Unit provides day-to-day legal advice for state agencies, boards and commissions. For many entities, the assistant attorney general is the sole provider of legal advice and services. For others, the assistant attorney general is a liaison available in addition to the agency's in-house counsel. The Attorney General is unable to give advice to private citizens. Opinions may be provided to the Legislature (or the House or Senate thereof), any state officer (such as the Governor or Secretary Of State ), board, commission or department. The Consumer Protection Division Provides mediation services to consumers to help resolve complaints against businesses. The Division can also provide information about complaints that have been filed against businesses, and provide publications to help you make good decisions in the marketplace. The Division also brings law enforcement actions against businesses that harm large numbers of Oklahoma consumers through unfair and deceptive practices. The Environmental Protection Division Division active in every area of environmental and natural resources law. Unit personnel protect the state's air, land, water and natural resources from pollution by investigating allegations of pollution and aggressively seeking remedies in both criminal and civil courts. The unit also provides legal advice and representation to state environmental agencies and chairs the Environmental Crimes Task Force, a collection of state, federal and local agencies united for the purpose of coordinating investigations and assuring efficient use of resources. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit This division investigates and prosecutes provider fraud in statewide Medicaid programs. The Workers' Compensation Fraud Unit Division charged with controlling fraud in worker’s compensation by: holding claimants accountable for providing truthful information; holding doctors accountable for accurately and completely documenting evidence supporting diagnoses; holding attorneys accountable as officers of the Court to expedite valid claims and prevent and report fraudulent clams or activities; holding insurance companies accountable for reporting suspected fraud, for paying claims without investigation, and for paying fraudulent claims; and holding the Workers' Compensation Court accountable for ensuring the legality and fairness of the disposition of claims. This mission shall be accomplished by identification and aggressive investigation and prosecution of violations of criminal statutes; by continuous interaction with the public, employers, insurance professionals and other law enforcement officers by providing education and training about workers' compensation fraud; and by analyzing the workers' compensation system in order to make recommendations for amendments and new legislation. Victim Services Division Division that keeps family members informed of the status of capital cases. OATH OF OFFICE "I, ........., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, obey, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma, and that I will not, knowingly, receive, directly or indirectly, any money or other valuable thing, for the performance or nonperformance of any act or duty pertaining to my office, other than the compensation allowed by law; I further swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully discharge my duties as Attorney General of the State of Oklahoma to the best of my ability." OFFICE-HOLDERS SEE ALSO |
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