Attorney General of Maryland

The Attorney General of the State of Maryland is the chief legal officer of the U.S. state of Maryland, serving as the state's primary prosecutor and legal representative.

The current attorney general is Anthony Brown, who was elected in 2022 and has served since 2023.

Like most state attorneys general, the attorney general is elected by statewide vote every four years. The officeholder serves a four-year term and is eligible for re-election with no term limits. As with all statewide offices in Maryland, the attorney general is elected on even-numbered years when there is no election for the president of the United States.

To run for the office, a person must be a citizen of and qualified voter in Maryland and must have lived and practiced law in the state for at least ten years. If the office becomes vacant, the Governor appoints a replacement to serve the remainder of the term.

The attorney general has general charge, supervision and direction of the legal business of the State. The main constitutional duties of the attorney general are to enforce the rule of law and to provide legal counsel and representation to the state of Maryland.

The attorney general is the legal advisor and representative of the governor, the General Assembly, the judiciary, and all state departments, various boards, commissions, officials, and institutions of state government. Notably, the governor cannot employ additional legal counsel without legislative authorization.

The office consists of fourteen Central Divisions and fifty-six state agency client units. The office provides written legal opinions interpreting state law to the General Assembly, the governor, and other state and local elected officials. Administrative rules and regulations promulgated by state agencies, and bills passed by the General Assembly, are reviewed by the office and defended in court when necessary.

The attorney general and assistant attorneys general represent the state of Maryland in all legal cases. This includes representing the state before the Maryland Circuit Courts, the Appellate Court of Maryland, the Supreme Court of Maryland, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, and in the United States Supreme Court.