Attorney General of New Hampshire
From Ballotpedia
| New Hampshire Attorney General | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $141,390 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $47,265,510 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | New Hampshire Constitution, Article 46 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by Governor |
| Current Officeholder | |
Attorney General of New Hampshire
John Formella | |
| Other New Hampshire Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Director of Fish & Game • Public Utilities Commission |
The Attorney General of New Hampshire is an appointed constitutional officer for the state of New Hampshire who serves as head of the Department of Justice. The office's primary responsibilities include acting as attorney for the state in all criminal and civil cases in the supreme court in which the state is interested, and in the prosecution of persons accused of crimes punishable with death or imprisonment for life. The attorney general is appointed by the governor with the consent of the executive council.[1]
New Hampshire has a Republican triplex. The Republican Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
Current officeholder
The office is currently held by Attorney General John Formella (R).
The New Hampshire Constitution addresses the office of the attorney general in Article 46, Executive Power.
Under Article 46:
|
All judicial officers, the attorney general, and all officers of the navy, and general and field officers of the militia, shall be nominated and appointed by the governor and council...[2] |
Qualifications
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that establishes the requirements necessary to qualify for a state executive office. That information for the Attorney General of New Hampshire has not yet been added. After extensive research, we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Appointments
New Hampshire state government organizational chart
As established by Part II, Article 46 of the New Hampshire Constitution, the attorney general is appointed by the governor with approval of the executive council.[2]
Vacancies
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that details the process of filling vacancies for a state executive office. That information for the Attorney General of New Hampshire has not yet been added. After extensive research, we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Duties
The attorney general is authorized to:
- act as attorney for the state in all criminal and civil cases in the supreme court in which the state is interested, and in the prosecution of persons accused of crimes punishable with death or imprisonment for life.
- exercise general supervision of the criminal cases pending before the state supreme and superior courts, and
- with the aid of the county attorneys, enforce the criminal laws of the state
- collect uncollected debts owed to the state [3]
Divisions
As of January 11, 2021, the following divisions are contained within the office of the attorney general:[4]
- Charitable Trusts Unit
- Chief Medical Examiner
- Civil Bureau
- Cold Case Unit
- Consumer Protection
- Criminal Justice Bureau
- Drug Task Force
- Election Law
- Environmental Protection Bureau
- Grants Management Unit
- Investigations and Financial Analysis
- Medicaid Fraud Unit
- Transportation & Construction Bureau
- Victims' Compensation Program
- Victim/Witness Assistance
Office of the Attorney General
The attorney general is required by statute to nominate a deputy and a director of administration. He or she is also permitted to nominate assistant and senior assistant attorneys general, as well as criminal justice and consumer protection investigators; provided there is money appropriated in biennium budget for such positions. Additionally, in the interest of the public welfare, the attorney general is permitted to delegate the authority of the office to the deputy and assistant attorneys general as he or she sees fit.[5]
Campaign finance
The Attorney General of New Hampshire is responsible for all disciplinary matters of the state's campaign finance laws. The attorney general's office handles the whole complaint process and prosecuting all offenses regardless if it is civil or criminal. The first step if a person or committee may violate New Hampshire's campaign finance laws is to file a complaint with the state attorney general.[6]
State budget
- See also: New Hampshire state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of Justice in Fiscal Year 2025 was $47,265,510.[7]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
See statutes: NH Rev Stat § 94:1-a
The compensation for the governor, secretary of state and attorney general, amongst other public officers, are set under NH Code 94:1a. [8]
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $141,390, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $132,820, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2021
In 2021, the attorney general received a salary of $144,354, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2020
In 2020, the attorney general received a salary of $128,260, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2019
In 2019, the attorney general received a salary of $128,260, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2018
In 2018, the attorney general received a salary of $128,260, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2017
In 2017, the attorney general received a salary of $117,913, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2016
In 2016, the attorney general received a salary of $117,913, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2015
In 2015, the attorney general received a salary of $117,913, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2014
In 2014, the attorney general received a salary of $117,913, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
2013
In 2013, the attorney general was paid an estimated $110,114.[19]
2012
In 2012, the attorney general was paid an estimated $104,364. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Attorney General of New Hampshire has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
- John Formella (R) (2021-Present)
- Gordon MacDonald (R) (2017-2021)
- Joe Foster (D) (2013-2017)
- Michael Delaney (D) (2009-2013)
- Kelly Ayotte (R) (2004-2009)
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms New Hampshire Attorney General. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
33 Capitol Street
Concord, NH 03301
Phone:603-271-3658
Fax:603-271-2110
See also
| New Hampshire | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
| New Hampshire State Executive Offices New Hampshire State Legislature New Hampshire Courts | 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 New Hampshire elections: 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 | Party control of state government State government trifectas State of the state addresses Partisan composition of governors |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ New Hampshire Department of Justice, "Home," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 New Hampshire Government, "State Constitution," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑ New Hampshire Department of Justice, "Resources," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑ New Hampshire Department of Justice, "Contact Us" accessed January 13, 2021
- ↑ Nevada State Legislature, "Chapter 228 - Attorney General," accessed January 11, 2021
- ↑ New Hampshire General Court, "New Hampshire Campaign Finance Law," accessed January 12, 2021
- ↑ New Hampshire Legislature, "HB 1-A Final Version," accessed December 6, 2023
- ↑ New Hampshire State Legislature, Title VI Public Officers and Employees,” accessed January 12, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 12, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 12, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 12, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 12, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 3, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 31, 2014
| Attorneys General | ||
|---|---|---|
| Elected (by voters) | Alabama • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • Washington, D.C. • West Virginia • Wisconsin |  |
| Appointed (by gov.) | Alaska • Hawaii • New Jersey • Wyoming | |
| Appointed (by courts) | ||
| Elected (state leg.) | ||
| Elections | ||
| Other |
| State executive offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Offices |  | |
| States | Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming | |
| Elections | ||
| Features |
