State of New Jersey Office of the Attorney General
Agency overview
Jurisdiction
Headquarters
Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex, 25 Market Street, Trenton, New Jersey
Agency executive
Parent agency
State of New Jersey
Website
The attorney general of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state and oversees the Department of Law and Public Safety. The office is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, confirmed by the New Jersey Senate, and term limited. Under the provisions of the New Jersey State Constitution, the Attorney General serves a concurrent term to the governor (starting on the third Tuesday of January following the election and ending on the third Tuesday following the next election). Matt Platkin became the acting officeholder on February 14, 2022, following his nomination by Governor Phil Murphy.
The conventional wisdom is that the attorney general cannot be removed from office except "for cause" by the governor or by way of legislative impeachment.[1]
It is fourth in the line of succession after the lieutenant governor of New Jersey, president of the New Jersey Senate, and speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly. The attorney general cannot also serve as the lieutenant governor.
Holders of the office of attorney general include:[2]
Term of office
Attorney General
Notes and references
1704
–1714
Alexander Griffith
Alexander Griffith was the first Colonial New Jersey Attorney General.
1714
–1719
(17 April 1652—April 28, 1722) was a Scottish emigrant to the Thirteen Colonies who became Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and New Jersey Attorney General for the Province of New Jersey.[3]
1719
–1723
(died 1725) was a governor of both West Jersey and East Jersey. He became governor of West Jersey in 1697, and became governor of East Jersey in 1697.
1723
–1728
(May 27, 1691
– April 2, 1756) was a lawyer and statesman in colonial New York. He served in the Colonial Assembly and as attorney general of the colony in 1721
–23. His son William was later a major general in the Continental Army during the American revolution. Alexandria Township, New Jersey was named after James Alexander.
1728
–1733
1733
–1754
1754
–1776
(December 16, 1727
– March 15, 1799) was the last colonial attorney general of New Jersey and a brigadier general in the British Loyalist force, the New Jersey Volunteers during the American Revolutionary War.[4][5]
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Attorney General
Term in office
Party affiliation
Appointed by
1
William Paterson[6](1745–1806)
1776
–
1783
Federalist
Elected by the legislature
2
(1753–1823)
1783
–
1792
Anti-Administration
Elected by the legislature
3
1792
–
1811
Federalist
Elected by the legislature
4
Andrew S. Hunter
1811
Democratic-Republican
Elected by the legislature
5
Aaron Woodruff[7]
1812
–
June 26, 1817
Federalist
Elected by the legislature
6
February 6, 1817
–
March 4, 1829
Federalist
Elected by the legislature
7
1829
–
1833
National Republican
Elected by the legislature
8
John Moore White
1833
–
1838
Elected by the legislature
9
1838
–
1841
Republican
Elected by the legislature
10
George P. Mollesson
1841
–
1844
Elected by the legislature
11
Richard P. Thompson
1844
–
1845
12
1845
–
1850
Democratic
13
1850
–
1852
Democratic
14
Richard P. Thompson
1852
–
1857
15
1857
–
1861
Republican
16
Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen[12]
1861
–
1867
Republican
17
1867
–
1870
Republican
18
1870
–
1875
Democratic
19
1875
Democratic
20
Jacob Vanatta
1875
–
1877
21
April 8, 1877
–
April 5, 1897
Democratic
22
Samuel H. Grey[16]
1897
–
1902
23
1902
–
1903
Republican
24
1903
–
1908
Republican
25
1908
–
1914
Republican
26
1914
–
1919
Democratic
27
1919
–
1924
Republican
28
1924
–
1929
29
1929
–
1934
30
1934
–
1944
Democratic
31
1944
–
1948
Republican
32
February 4, 1948
–
1954
33
1954
–
1958
34
1958
–
1962
35
January 6, 1962
–
1970
36
1970
–
1974
37
1974
–
1978
Democratic
38
January 17, 1978
–
March 5, 1981
Democratic
39
1981
–
1982
Democratic
40
January 19, 1982
–
January 21, 1986
Republican
41
January 21, 1986
–
January 19, 1989
Republican
42
February 14, 1989
–
January 16, 1990
43
January 16, 1990
–
August 24, 1994
Democratic
44
January 18, 1994
–
July 10, 1996
Republican
45
July 10, 1996
–
May 15, 1999
Republican
46
June 3, 1999
–
January 15, 2002
Republican
47
January 15, 2002
–
February 15, 2003
48
February 15, 2003
–
January 30, 2006
Democratic
49
January 30, 2006
–
August 31, 2006
Democratic
Acting
August 31, 2006
–
September 26, 2006
Democratic
50
September 26, 2006
–
June 29, 2007
Democratic
51
June 29, 2007
–
January 18, 2010
Democratic
52
January 18, 2010
–
January 10, 2012
Democratic
53
January 10, 2012
–
June 6, 2013
Republican
Acting
June 10, 2013
–
March 14, 2016
Republican
Acting
March 14, 2016
–
June 21, 2016
54
June 21, 2016
–
January 16, 2018
Independent
55
January 16, 2018
–
July 19, 2021
Democratic
Acting
July 19, 2021
–
February 14, 2022
Democratic
Acting
February 14, 2022
–
September 29, 2022
Democratic
56
September 29, 2022
–
present
Democratic
▌Kris Mayes (D)
▌Tim Griffin (R)
▌Rob Bonta (D)
▌Phil Weiser (D)
▌William Tong (D)
▌Kathy Jennings (D)
▌Ashley Moody (R)
▌Christopher M. Carr (R)
▌Anne E. Lopez (D)
▌Raúl Labrador (R)
▌Kwame Raoul (D)
▌Todd Rokita (R)
▌Brenna Bird (R)
▌Kris Kobach (R)
▌Russell Coleman (R)
▌Liz Murrill (R)
▌Aaron Frey (D)
▌Anthony Brown (D)
▌Andrea Campbell (D)
▌Dana Nessel (D)
▌Keith Ellison (DFL)
▌Lynn Fitch (R)
▌Andrew Bailey (R)
▌Austin Knudsen (R)
▌Mike Hilgers (R)
▌Aaron D. Ford (D)
▌John Formella (R)
▌Matt Platkin (D)
▌Raúl Torrez (D)
▌Letitia James (D)
▌Josh Stein (D)
▌Drew Wrigley (R)
▌Dave Yost (R)
▌Gentner Drummond (R)
▌Ellen Rosenblum (D)
▌Michelle Henry (D)
▌Peter Neronha (D)
▌Alan Wilson (R)
▌Marty Jackley (R)
▌Jonathan Skrmetti (R)
▌Ken Paxton (R)
▌Sean Reyes (R)
▌Charity Clark (D)
▌Jason Miyares (R)
▌Bob Ferguson (D)
▌Patrick Morrisey (R)
▌Josh Kaul (D)
▌Bridget Hill (R)
Federal districts:
▌Brian Schwalb (D)
Territories:
▌Doug Moylan (R)
▌Ed Manibusan (D)
▌Domingo Emanuelli (NPP)
▌Ian Clement (acting)
