Opinion ID: 2049885
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: authority of attorney general.

Text: The appellants contend the attorney general has no authority to move that the State of Wisconsin be dismissed as a party plaintiff when private persons commence forfeiture actions under sec. 196.625, Stats., and include the state as a party plaintiff. Sec. 196.625, Stats. 1975, provides in part: ... and every person or corporation neglecting or refusing to comply with any of the provisions of this section shall forfeit not less than $25 nor more than $100 for each and every day such neglect or refusal shall continue, one-half of which shall go to the use of the person or corporation prosecuting therefor.  Sec. 195.07(3), Stats. 1975 (amended and renumbered as sec. 196.44 by Chapter 29, Laws of 1977), provides in part: ... Any forfeiture, fine or other penalty provided in chapters 192 to 196 may be recovered as a forfeiture in a civil action brought in the name of the state.... Chapter 288, Stats., provides for the COLLECTION OF FORFEITURES and Sec. 288.02, Stats. 1975 (amended by ch. 29, Laws of 1977), states in part: ... Every such forfeiture action shall be in the name of the state of Wisconsin, ... [1-3] In this state, the attorney general has no common-law powers or duties. State ex rel. Beck v. Duffy, 38 Wis.2d 159, 163, 156 N.W.2d 368 (1968); State ex rel. Reynolds v. Smith, 19 Wis.2d 577, 584, 120 N.W.2d 664 (1963); State ex rel. Jackson v. Coffey, 18 Wis.2d 529, 538, 118 N.W.2d 939 (1963); State v. Snyder, 172 Wis. 415, 417, 179 N.W. 579 (1920). This court has stated: Wisconsin, unlike numerous states, has specifically circumscribed the powers and duties of the office of the attorney general. Art. VI, sec. 3 of the Wisconsin Constitution limits those powers and duties to those `prescribed by law.' This constitutional principle has been interpreted by the courts in numerous decisions as removing from the office of the attorney general any powers and duties which were found in that office under common law. State ex rel. Beck v. Duffy (1968), 38 Wis.2d 159, 163, 156 N.W.2d 368; State ex rel. Jackson v. Coffey (1963), 18 Wis.2d 529, 118 N.W.2d 939; State v. Snyder (1920), 172 Wis. 415, 179 N.W. 579. The attorney general is devoid of the inherent power to initiate and prosecute litigation intended to protect or promote the interests of the state or its citizens and cannot act for the state as parens patriae. See generally: Christenson, The State Attorney General, 1970 Wis. L. Rev. 298. Such power must be specifically granted by the  legislature. Unless the power to prosecute a specific action is granted by law, the office of the attorney general is powerless to act. In Estate of Sharp, 63 Wis.2d 254, 260, 261, 217 N.W.2d 258 (1974). Sec. 165.25, Stats. 1975 (subsection (1) was amended by chs. 29 and 187, Laws of 1977), provides: 165.25 Duties of department of justice. The department of justice shall: (1) REPRESENT STATE. Appear for the state and prosecute or defend all actions and proceedings, civil or criminal, in the supreme court, in which the state is interested or a party, and attend to and prosecute or defend all civil cases sent or remanded by the supreme court to any circuit court in which the state is a party; and, when requested by the governor or either branch of the legislature, appear for the state and prosecute or defend in any court or before any officer, any cause or matter, civil or criminal, in which the state or the people thereof may be in anywise interested. All expenses of such proceedings shall be charged to the sum sufficient case account of the department of justice under s. 20.455(2) (d). (2) PROSECUTE BREACHES OF BONDS AND CONTRACTS. Prosecute, at the request of the governor, or of the head of any department of the state government any official bond or any contract in which the state is interested, deposited with any of them, upon a breach thereof, and prosecute or defend for the state all actions, civil or criminal, relating to any matter connected with any of their departments except in those cases where other provision is made. More specifically, sec. 195.07(2), Stats. 1975 provides: ... Upon request of the commission, the attorneygeneral or the district attorney of the proper county shall aid in any investigation, hearing or trial had under the provisions of those chapters, [chapters 195 and 196] and shall institute and prosecute all necessary actions or proceedings for the enforcement of all laws relating to railroads or public utilities, and for the punishment of all violations thereof.  [4] The record in this case clearly indicates that the attorney general was appearing in behalf of the State of Wisconsin and the public service commission which wanted the action dismissed and not prosecuted as a forfeiture proceeding. This fact is not controverted in any manner and therefore it is presumed that the attorney general had authorization to make the motion to dismiss in his official capacity and on behalf of the state and the public service commission. Martin v. Smith, 239 Wis. 314, 325, 1 N.W.2d 163 (1941). In this case we conclude the actions of the attorney general were within the general concept of his duties and authorized by sec. 195.07(2), Stats.