Oregon's Attorney General
Roles & Responsibilities
The Attorney General heads the Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) and serves as the chief law officer for the state and all its departments.
The 2023-25 current service level budget for the Oregon DOJ totals $742 million and includes 1,470 employees. The agency is headquartered in Salem and has ten legal and 13 child support offices throughout the state. In addition to providing legal representation to state government, the DOJ advocates for and protects all Oregonians, especially the most vulnerable, such as children and seniors.
The attorney general is a law enforcement and law execution position, not a law creation position. Oregon's attorney general must enforce our laws justly and without a political lens.
The existing partisan approach to multistate legal battles undermines the role of the state attorney general. Oregon's next attorney general should focus on prioritizing the protection and advocacy of our rights, rather than continuing to engage in partisan politics.
As Oregon's preeminent law enforcement officer, Will is committed to solving problems, standing up for victims of crime, and protecting Oregonians by upholding our laws.
The scope of the attorney general goes far beyond consumer protection and multi-state litigation.
By statute, the Attorney General shall:
- Establish, coordinate and assist local, state and federal law-enforcement in the investigation and suppression of organized criminal activity. (ORS 180.610)
- Investigate allegations of corruption or malfeasance by public officials in Oregon and, where appropriate, coordinate, cooperate and assist in taking legal action. (ORS 180.610)
- Consult with, advise and direct the district attorneys in all criminal causes and matters relating to state affairs in their respective counties. (ORS 180.060)
- Have the same powers and prerogatives in each of the several counties of the state as the district attorneys have in their respective counties. (ORS 180.240)
Oregon's attorney general serves as a direct check to the governor and our state agencies.
In addition to leading the Criminal Justice Division, the AG is our chief child protection officer, overseeing the Child Advocacy and Protection Division as well as the Child Support Division within the DOJ.
