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State Attorney General Generic Casebook

General Introduction

Other than the U.S. Solicitor General, state attorneys general are the most frequent participants in the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court is more likely to take AG cases and cases supported by AG amicus briefs than any private litigant. AGs participate in most of the major hot button cases, criminal cases, and federalism cases heard by the Court. Increasingly, state solicitors general play a significant role in the Court. Recently, criticisms have been leveled against AGs and their unique and prominent role in litigating before the Supreme Court.