Arizona attorneys
Terry Goddard is Arizona''s 24th Attorney General, the chief legal officer of the State. The Attorney General is an independent, constitutionally mandated office elected by the people of the State of Arizona to a four-year term. The Attorney General's Office provides legal advice to most State agencies. The Office also investigates and prosecutes consumer fraud, white-collar crime, organized crime, public corruption, drug, environmental violations and deprivation of civil rights.
The Attorney General's Office is the largest law office in the State, with approximately 400 attorneys and 1,000 employees.
The Attorney General's Office is divided into :
Executive Office
The Executive Office consists of the Attorney General, Chief of Staff, Chief Deputy and others who provide the Office with overall policy and management. The Executive Office is the focal point for policy development, external communications, emergencies and issues that are sensitive or have broad impact.
Solicitor General
The Solicitor General assists in appellate cases, including supervision of all civil appeals; oversees preparation of legal opinions; administers and enforces State election laws; provides independent advice to State agencies and boards in administrative proceedings in which Assistant Attorneys General appear as advocates; reviews constitutional challenges to State laws; and works on special projects as requested by the Attorney General. With regard to civil appeals, the Solicitor Generals Office authorizes all appeals and special actions, reviews drafts of all civil appellate pleadings, arranges moot courts, reviews and coordinates amicus curiae requests, and directly handles certain cases.
Administrative Operations
The Administrative Operations Division includes Facilities Management and Planning; Budget and Finance; Human Resources; Information Services; and Library and Research Services.
Child and Family Protection
The Child and Family Protection Division is responsible for providing legal services to all programs and business operations of the Department of Economic Security (DES), but as such, cannot give legal advice or provide representation to the public.
The Division provides these services through three sections :
The Protective Services Section (PSS) represents Child Protective Services in 15 counties statewide
PSS represents DES in all dependency, severance and guardianship proceedings (including appeals) brought for the protection of abused and neglected children.The Child Support Enforcement Section (CSE) represents Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE). DCSE is responsible for the statewide operation of the Title IV-D child support program. This includes establishing paternity and obtaining and enforcing support orders. CSE provides representation in 10 counties (excluding Cochise, Gila, La Paz, Navajo and Pinal). The Attorney General does not represent individual parties in child support matters, but only represents DCSE. However, any member of the public can apply for services from DCSE.
The Civil and Criminal Litigation and Advice Section (CLA) provides legal advice and representation in administrative hearings and in state and federal courts to a myriad of programs within DES other than Protective Services and Child Support Enforcement. Some of these programs are the Division of Developmental Disabilities, Adult Protective Services, Procurement, Unemployment Insurance, Welfare Programs (food stamps and child care assistance) and Licensing of foster homes and child welfare agencies.
Civil Rights
The mission of the Civil Rights Division is to enforce civil rights laws, increase public awareness of civil rights and provide dispute resolution services. The Division's major duty is to enforce state and federal statutes that prohibit discrimination in employment, voting, public accommodations, disability and housing by investigating and litigating civil rights complaints. In addition, the Division provides conflict resolution services and mediation programs statewide, including many court and agency programs. The Division not only is responsive to complaints it receives, but actively addresses discriminatory activity by providing education awareness. It also conducts surveys and inquiries in efforts to eliminate discrimination and publishes reports to highlight civil rights issues in the State.
Criminal
Special Investigations Division represents the State in death penalty proceedings. It also investigates and prosecutes drug traffickers, trafficking organizations, money launderers, criminal enterprises, white-collar crime, financial crimes, and cases dealing with the fraud, abuse and neglect of persons receiving AHCCCS benefits. It provides support to local and federal law enforcement agencies throughout Arizona.Public Advocacy
The Public Advocacy Division includes Consumer Protection and Environmental Enforcement. The Division provides legal advice to the Banking, Real Estate and Insurance Departments. It enforces Arizona's consumer protection laws and provides consumer education. It also prosecutes criminal activity related to Arizona\\'s environmental laws and serious industrial injuries.
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