Office of the Secretary of the State

In order to practice social distancing and slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), public access to our building, 165 Capitol Avenue, will be restricted. Although in-person interactions will be limited, our office staff will be available via email as normal. For the Business Services Division email CRD@ct.gov and for the Legislative & Elections Administration Division email LEAD@ct.gov. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to return to normal business as soon as the immediate threat to public health has subsided.

 

ATTORNEYS GENERAL

The Attorney General is the chief civil legal officer of the State of Connecticut. The Attorney General's Office serves as legal counsel to all state agencies and acts to protect the public interest for the people of the State of Connecticut. Among the critical missions of the AGO are to represent and advocate the interests of the state and its citizens as vigorously as possible, to ensure that state government acts within the letter and spirit of the law, to ensure that public resources are protected for present and future generations, to ensure that the quality of life of all our citizens is preserved and enhanced, and to ensure that the rights of our most vulnerable citizens are safeguarded.

The Attorney General represents the state government, its elected officers, and state boards, commissions, and agencies in suits and other civil proceedings in which the state has an interest. The Attorney General also provides opinions to the agencies of state government, state officers, and the General Assembly upon questions of law submitted to him by such parties. The Attorney General also acts as counsel for state officials in matters pertaining to their official duties. The Attorney General has a role in screening regulations of state agencies, state contracts, and extradition papers.

By virtue of this statutory responsibility to provide legal direction to state government, the Attorney General is in a critical position to advise all segments of the government so that they can carry out their responsibilities in accordance with the law.

In addition, the Attorney General possesses extensive statutory powers that enable him to represent the public interest more generally.

The Attorney General is elected by the people to a term of four years, is committed by law to serving full-time, and must be an attorney-at-law who has been admitted to practice in Connecticut for at least ten years. The Attorney General receives an annual salary of $110,000.

Attorney General Town and Party** Term of Service Years of Service
Charles Phelps Vernon, R 1899-1903 4 yrs.
William A. King Windham, R 1903-07 4 yrs.
Marcus H. Holcomb1 Southington, R 1907-10 3 yrs. 8 m. 9 d.
John H. Light2 Norwalk, R 1910-15 4 yrs. 3 m. 21 d.
George E. Hinman Windham, R 1915-19 4 yrs.
Frank E. Healy Windsor Locks, R 1919-27 8 yrs.
Benjamin W. Alling New Britain, R 1927-31 4 yrs.
Warren B. Burrows Groton, R 1931-35 4 yrs.
Edward J. Daly3 Hartford, D 1935-37 2 yrs. 9 m. 22 d.
Chas. J. McLaughlin4 West Hartford, D 1937-38 1 yr. 2 m.
Dennis P. O'Connor5 Hartford, D 1938-39 1 m. 13 d.
Francis A. Pallotti1 Hartford, R 1939-45 6 yrs. 6 m.
William L. Hadden6 West Haven, R 1945-51 5 yrs. 6 m. 20 d.
George C. Conway1 Guilford, R 1951-53 2 yrs. 7 m. 20 d.
William L. Beers7 New Haven, R 1953-55 1 yr. 4 m. 11 d.
John J. Bracken Hartford, R 1955-59 4 yrs.
Albert L. Coles1 Bridgeport, D 1959-63 4 yrs. 7 m. 22 d.
Harold M. Mulvey8 New Haven, D 1963-67 4 yrs. 2 m. 17 d.
Robert K. Killian9 Hartford, D 1967-75 7 yrs. 1 m. 22 d.
Carl R. Ajello Ansonia, D 1975-83 8 yrs.
Joseph I. Lieberman10 New Haven, D 1983-89 6 yrs.
Clarine Nardi Riddle11 New Haven, D 1989-91 2 yrs.
Richard Blumenthal Greenwich, D 1991-2011 20 yrs.
George C. Jepsen Ridgefield, D 2011-19 8 yrs.
William Tong Stamford, D 2019- Currently serving

**Town listed is town of residence at time of election.

1Resigned to become a judge of the Superior Court.

2Appointed September 15, 1910, by Governor Weeks, to fill the unexpired term of Marcus H. Holcomb. Elected for a full term of 4 years in November, 1910.

3Appointed a judge of the Superior Court, effective September 22, 1937.

4Appointed by the Governor, September 22, 1937, to fill the unexpired term of Edward J. Daly.

5Appointed by the Governor, November 21, 1938, to fill the unexpired term of Charles J. McLaughlin, who resigned to become Tax Commissioner.

6Appointed by the Governor, June 13, 1945, to fill the unexpired term of Francis A. Pallotti, who resigned to become a judge of the Superior Court.

7Appointed by the Governor, to fill the unexpired term of George C. Conway, who resigned to become a judge of the Superior Court, effective August 24, 1953.

8Appointed by the Governor, August 29, 1963, to fill the unexpired term of Albert L. Coles, who resigned to become a judge of the Superior Court; elected for a full term November 8, 1966; resigned November 16, 1967 to become a judge of the Superior Court, effective January 1, 1968.

9Appointed by the Governor, November 16, 1967, to fill the unexpired term of Harold M. Mulvey. Elected for a full term November 3, 1970.

10Resigned January 3, 1989 to become U.S. Senator.

11Appointed by the Governor to fill the unexpired term of Joseph I. Lieberman, effective January 3, 1989, as Deputy Attorney General serving as Acting Attorney General. Sworn in as Attorney General, October 27, 1989.