Opinion ID: 1429543
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Role of the Attorney General in Arizona

Text: In Arizona, the Attorney General has no common law powers; whatever powers he possesses must be found in the Arizona Constitution or the Arizona statutes. Fund Manager, Public Safety Personnel Retirement Sys. v. Corbin, 161 Ariz. 348, 354, 778 P.2d 1244, 1250 (App.1988), approved in part, 161 Ariz. 364, 778 P.2d 1260 (1989); see also Arizona State Land Dep't v. McFate, 87 Ariz. 139, 142, 348 P.2d 912, 914 (1960). By statute, the Attorney General has been authorized to bring an action in quo warranto against any person who usurps, intrudes into or unlawfully holds or exercises any public office ... within the state. A.R.S. § 12-2041(A). An action in quo warranto is an extraordinary proceeding, addressed to preventing a continued exercise of authority unlawfully asserted. Johnson v. Manhattan Ry. Co., 289 U.S. 479, 502, 53 S.Ct. 721, 729, 77 L.Ed. 1331 (1933). Additionally, the Attorney General has statutory authority to bring an action to prevent the illegal payment of monies or to recover monies alleged to be illegally paid. A.R.S. § 35-212. Arizona also has long considered the Attorney General to be a key player in litigation concerning a statute's constitutionality. A party challenging the constitutionality of a statute must serve the Attorney General, who is entitled to be heard. A.R.S. § 12-1841 (Supp.1996). The statute imposing this requirement was recently amended to provide that if the Attorney General is not timely served with the proper notice, the court, upon motion by the Attorney General, shall vacate any finding of unconstitutionality and shall give the attorney general a reasonable opportunity to prepare and be heard. Id. Although A.R.S. § 12-1841 gives the Attorney General broad power to argue in support of the constitutionality of a statute, it does not mandate him to do so in all cases. He clearly retains discretion not to intervene if he concludes it is appropriate to do so. The Attorney General must support and defend the Arizona Constitution, A.R.S. § 38-231(G) (1996), which is superior to state statutes.