Opinion ID: 1796970
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: representation of the appellees by the attorney general

Text: The chancellor held that the Attorney General for the State of Tennessee is given very broad discretion to decide what matters may be of interest to the people generally and that the state certainly has an interest in the outcome of a suit involving matters such as were present in the instant case. Here, the suit was filed alleging wrongdoing against all of the justices, in part because of actions taken in the course of their official business, e.g., acting improperly in the Inman suit, supra. The additional allegations of wrongdoing address the circumstances of the court's election. This court is of the opinion that the chancellor was correct in his ruling in the matter. In the case of Heath v. Cornelius, 511 S.W.2d 683 (Tenn. 1974), the plaintiff contended that the attorney general had no authority to represent a state criminal court trial judge in a civil suit for actions arising out of his official duties. The supreme court found this contention without merit and quoted with approval from Mundy v. McDonald, 216 Mich. 444, 185 N.W. 877, 880 (1921) as follows: A broad discretion is vested in this officer in determining what matters may, or may not, be of interest to the people generally. We must recognize the fact that the office of Attorney General is ancient in its origin in history, and it is generally held by the states of the Union that the Attorney General has a wide range of powers at common law. These are in addition to his statutory powers. T.C.A. § 8-6-109 provides in pertinent part as follows: ... (b) In addition to the duties described in subsection (a) of this section, the attorney general and reporter or his assistants acting at his discretion, shall have the following duties: ... (1) The trial and direction of all civil litigated matters and administrative proceedings in which the state of Tennessee or any officer, department, agency, board, commission or instrumentality of the state may be interested; ... The statute is very broad in both its specific language and intent. The legislature has undoubtedly vested the attorney general with a broad discretion to decide when he may lend the assistance of his office to defend public officers. Under the facts presented, this court is of the opinion that the attorney general acted properly in representing the defendants herein. For the attorney general to have done otherwise would have been improper in view of the fact that this lawsuit presents the third occasion that the identical issues heretofore resolved in Taylor, supra , have been raised. [10]