Attorney General of Virginia

The attorney general of Virginia is an elected constitutional role that is an executive office in the government of Virginia. Attorneys general are elected for a four-year term. There are no term limits for this role."Constitutional and Statutory Provisions For Number of Consecutive Terms of Elected State Officials", National Governors Association. Retrieved on 2008-05-21.

List of attorneys general

Colonial Virginia
Source:

NameTermNotesRichard Lee October 12, 1643 – 1642 Appointed by Governor William Berkeley and Council (Office not in use?) 1652–1660 Office apparently vacant during the InterregnumPeter Jenings Before June 25, 1670 – c. October 12, 1670 Reappointed by Charles II of England on September 15, 1670George Jordan October 12, 1670 – at least October 3, 1672 Appointed by Governor William Berkeley and CouncilRobert Beverley March 10, 1676 (appointed) Appointed by Governor William Berkeley and CouncilGeorge Jordan Acting on May 20, 1677 William Sherwood Early March 1677 – at least until November 25, 1678 Edward Hill appointed by Deputy Governor Henry Chicheley on September 27, 1679. Edmund Jenings 1680 – before November 16, 1686 George Brent Before November 16, 1686 – before May 1, 1688 ActingEdmund Jenings c. May 1, 1688 – June 10, 1691Edward Chilton October 20, 1691 (sworn) – April 1694 Appointed by Governor Francis Nicholson. Resigned.William Randolph April 1694 (sworn) – October 29, 1698 Appointed by Governor Francis Nicholson. Resigned.Bartholomew Fowler October 29, 1698 – September 4, 1700 Appointed by Governor Francis Nicholson. Resigned.Benjamin Harrison III October 17, 1700 – c. 1702 Appointed by Governor Francis Nicholson and Council. Stevens Thomson March 2, 1704 (sworn) – February 1714 Privy Council approved appointment July 30, 1703. Died in office.John Clayton 1714 – November 18, 1737 Appointed by Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood, given leave to EnglandJohn Randolph April 22, 1726 – late 1727 or early 1728 Appointed acting by Lieutenant Governor William Gooch in Clayton's absenceJohn Clayton late 1727 or early 1728 – November 18, 1737 Reappointed by royal warrant after February 29, 1728. Died in officeEdward Barradall Acting between November 17 and 25, 1737 – June 19, 1743 Appointed acting by Lieutenant Governor William Gooch, followed by warrant March 7, 1738, died in officeThomas Nelson Between June 19 and 27, 1743 – summer 1744 Appointed acting by Lieutenant Governor William GoochPeyton Randolph May 7, 1744 (warrant) – sometime before January 29, 1754 Office declared forfeit on June 20, 1754Peyton Randolph May 13, 1755 (warrant) – sometime soon after November 22, 1766 ResignedGeorge Wythe c. January 29, 1754 – between January 20 and February 10, 1755 Appointed acting by Lieutenant Governor Robert DinwiddieGeorge Wythe c. after November 22, 1766 – between June 4 and 11, 1767 Appointed acting by Lieutenant Governor Francis FauquierJohn Randolph Between June 4 and 11, 1767 – early September 1775 (fled) Fled Virginia in September 1775

Virginia (1776–1857) 
ImageNameTermPartyNotes
 60pxEdmund Randolph early July 1776 – November 30, 1786 Elected by conventionJames Innes November 30, 1786 – November 13, 1796 Resigned60pxJohn Marshall mid-October 1794 – late March 1795 Acting60pxRobert Brooke mid-November 1796 – February 27, 1800Democratic-Republican Died in office60pxPhilip Norborne Nicholas March 15, 1800 – January 7, 1819Democratic-Republican Appointed by Governor James Monroe, elected by General Assembly, resignedJohn Robertson January 21, 1819 – mid-October 1834Democratic ResignedSidney Smith Baxter December 11, 1834 – January 1, 1852DemocraticWillis Perry BocockJanuary 1, 1852 – May 15, 1857DemocraticResigned

Civil War and Reconstruction
ImageNameTermPartyNotes60pxJohn Randolph Tucker  June 13, 1857 – May 9, 1865Democratic Confederate attorney general throughout war. Left office when government abandoned Richmond.James S. Wheat  June 21, 1861 – December 7, 1863Republican Elected at the Wheeling Convention and then in a May 1862 election for the Restored Government of Virginia in Wheeling.Thomas Russell BowdenDecember 7, 1863 – August 1, 1869Union Attorney general for the Restored Government of Virginia in Wheeling, then Alexandria, after West Virginia separated, and in post-war Reconstruction Virginia.Charles Whittlesey September 10, 1869 – January 19, 1870Republican Appointed and removed by Brigadier General Edward Richard Sprigg CanbyJames Craig Taylor January 19, 1870 – January 1, 1874Conservative Party of Virginia Appointed by Brigadier General Canby after winning election (moving forward swearing-in date)

Virginia (1874–present)
ImageNameTermPartyNotes60pxRaleigh Travers Daniel January 1, 1874 – August 16, 1877Conservative Party of Virginia Died in office60pxJames Gavin Field August 29, 1877 – January 1, 1882Conservative Party of Virginia Appointed and then electedFrancis Simpson Blair January 1, 1882 – January 1, 1886Readjuster Party 60pxRufus A. Ayers January 1, 1886 – January 1, 1890Democratic 60pxR. Taylor Scott January 1, 1890 – August 5, 1897Democratic Died in officeRichard Carter Scott August 11, 1897 – January 1, 1898Democratic appointed by Governor Charles T. O'Ferrall60pxAndrew Jackson Montague January 1, 1898 – January 1, 1902Democratic Became governor January 1, 1902William Alexander Anderson January 1, 1902 – February 1, 1910DemocraticSamuel Walker Williams February 1, 1910 – February 2, 1914Democratic60pxJohn Garland Pollard February 2, 1914 – January 5, 1918DemocraticResigned.60pxJosiah D. Hank Jr. January 5, 1918 - February 1, 1918DemocraticAppointed by Governor Henry C. Stuart 60pxJohn R. SaundersFebruary 1, 1918 – March 17, 1934DemocraticDied in office60pxAbram Penn StaplesMarch 22, 1934 – October 6, 1947DemocraticResigned to become judge of the Virginia Supreme Court of AppealsHarvey Black AppersonOctober 7, 1947 – February 2, 1948DemocraticAppointed by Governor; Died in office60pxJ. Lindsay AlmondFebruary 11, 1948 – September 16, 1957DemocraticResigned to run for GovernorKenneth Cartwright PattySeptember 1957 – January 1958DemocraticAppointed by Governor60pxAlbertis Sydney HarrisonJanuary 1958 – April 1961DemocraticResigned to run for Governor60pxFrederick Thomas GrayMay 1961 – January 1962DemocraticAppointed by GovernorRobert Young ButtonJanuary 1962 – January 1970Democratic60pxAndrew Pickens MillerJanuary 1970 – January 1977DemocraticResigned to run for GovernorAnthony Francis TroyJanuary 1977 – January 1978Democratic60pxJ. Marshall ColemanJanuary 14, 1978 – January 16, 1982Republican60pxGerald BalilesJanuary 16, 1982 – June 30, 1985DemocraticResigned to run for GovernorWilliam BroaddusJuly 1, 1985 – January 11, 1986DemocraticMary Sue TerryJanuary 11, 1986 – January 28, 1993DemocraticResigned to run for GovernorStephen D. RosenthalJanuary 29, 1993 – January 15, 1994Democratic60pxJim GilmoreJanuary 15, 1994 – June 11, 1997RepublicanResigned to run for GovernorRichard CullenJune 11, 1997 – January 17, 1998RepublicanMark EarleyJanuary 17, 1998 – June 4, 2001RepublicanResigned to run for GovernorRandolph A. BealesJuly 11, 2001 – January 12, 2002Republican60pxJerry KilgoreJanuary 12, 2002 – February 1, 2005RepublicanResigned to run for GovernorJudith JagdmannFebruary 1, 2005 – January 14, 2006Republican60pxBob McDonnellJanuary 14, 2006 – February 20, 2009RepublicanResigned to run for GovernorBill MimsFebruary 20, 2009 – January 16, 2010Republican60pxKen CuccinelliJanuary 16, 2010 – January 11, 2014Republican60pxMark HerringJanuary 11, 2014 – January 15, 2022Democratic60pxJason MiyaresJanuary 15, 2022 – January 17, 2026Republican First attorney general of Hispanic and Cuban descent.60pxJay JonesJanuary 17, 2026 – presentDemocratic First African-American attorney general

References

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