# Attorney General of Kentucky

The attorney general of Kentucky is the chief legal officer of the U.S. state of Kentucky, created by the Kentucky Constitution (Ky.Const. § 91). Under Kentucky law, they serve several roles, including the state's chief prosecutor (KRS 15.700), the state's chief law enforcement officer (KRS 15.700), and the state's chief law officer (KRS 15.020). As the chief prosecutor, the attorney general is the chairman of the Kentucky Prosecutors Advisory Council, which supervises the prosecutors of Kentucky (KRS 15.700, KRS 15.705). As chief law officer, they write opinions to advise government officials and agencies concerning the law. (KRS 15.020). The attorney general holds an ex officio seat on various Kentucky state boards and agencies.
The attorney general of Kentucky is elected for a four-year term in the same year other statewide officers are elected, rather than being appointed as in some states such as Alaska. A 1992 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution permits the attorney general of Kentucky to serve two consecutive terms. (Ky.Const. § 93). The attorney general appoints a deputy and various assistants to the attorney general, who have the power to act on his behalf. (KRS 15.100(1)).
The attorney general of Kentucky is currently Republican Russell Coleman.

## List of attorneys general of Kentucky

| # | Name | Political party | Term |
| 1 | George Nicholas | Federalist | 1792–1793 |
| 2 | John Breckinridge | Democratic-Republican | 1793–1797 |
| 3 | James Blair | Democratic-Republican | 1797–1820 |
| 4 | Joseph M. White | Democratic-Republican | 1820 |
| 5 | Ben Hardin | Democratic-Republican | 1820–1821 |
| 6 | Solomon P. Sharp | Democratic-Republican | 1821–1825 |
| 7 | Frederick W. S. Grayson | Jacksonian | 1825–1825 |
| 8 | James W. Denny | Jacksonian | 1825–1832 |
| 9 | Charles Morehead | Whig | 1832–1838 |
| 10 | Owen G. Cotes | Democratic | 1838–1849 |
| 11 | Madison Conyers Johnson | Democratic | 1849 |
| 12 | James Harlan | Whig | 1849–1859 |
| 13 | Andrew J. James | Democratic | 1859–1861 |
| 14 | John M. Harlan | Union | 1861–1865 |
| 15 | John Rodman | Democratic | 1865–1875 |
| 16 | Thomas Edward Moss | Democratic | 1875–1879 |
| 17 | Parker Watkins Hardin | Democratic | 1879–1889 |
| 18 | William J. Hendrick | Democratic | 1889–1896 |
| 19 | William S. Taylor | Republican | 1896–1900 |
| 20 | R. J. Breckinridge | Democratic | 1900–1902 |
| 21 | C. J. Pratt | Democratic | 1902–1904 |
| 22 | N. B. Hays | Democratic | 1904–1908 |
| 23 | James Breathitt | Republican | 1908–1912 |
| 24 | James Garnett | Democratic | 1912–1916 |
| 25 | M. M. Logan | Democratic | 1916–1917 |
| 26 | Charles H. Morris | Democratic | 1917–1920 |
| 27 | Charles I. Dawson | Republican | 1920–1923 |
| 28 | Thomas Burnett McGregor | Democratic | 1923–1924 |
| 29 | Frank E. Daugherty | Democratic | 1924–1928 |
| 30 | James W. Cammack | Democratic | 1928–1932 |
| 31 | Bailey P. Wootton | Democratic | 1932–1936 |
| 32 | B. M. Vincent | Democratic | 1936–1937 |
| 33 | Hubert Meredith | Democratic | 1937–1944 |
| 34 | Eldon S. Dummit | Republican | 1944–1948 |
| 35 | Alvarado E. Funk | Democratic | 1948–1952 |
| 36 | J. D. Buckman, Jr. | Democratic | 1952–1956 |
| 37 | Jo M. Ferguson | Democratic | 1956–1960 |
| 38 | John Bayne Breckinridge | Democratic | 1960–1964 |
| 39 | Robert F. Matthews, Jr. | Democratic | 1964–1968 |
| 40 | John Bayne Breckinridge | Democratic | 1968–1972 |
| 41 | Ed W. Hancock | Democratic | 1972–1976 |
| 42 | Robert F. Stephens | Democratic | 1976–1979 |
| Acting | Steve Beshear | Democratic | 1979–1980 |
| 43 | Steve Beshear | Democratic | 1980–1984 |
| 44 | David L. Armstrong | Democratic | 1984–1988 |
| 45 | Fred Cowan | Democratic | 1988–1992 |
| 46 | Chris Gorman | Democratic | 1992–1996 |
| 47 | Ben Chandler | Democratic | 1996–2004 |
| 48 | Greg Stumbo | Democratic | 2004–2008 |
| 49 | Jack Conway | Democratic | 2008–2016 |
| 50 | Andy Beshear | Democratic | 2016–2019 |
| Acting | Daniel Cameron | Republican | 2019–2020 |
| 51 | Daniel Cameron | Republican | 2020–2024 |
| 52 | Russell Coleman | Republican | 2024–present |