Attorney General
From England and the common-law world
Legal professionsConstitutional and public law
What it means
A senior law officer of the state. The role varies widely, from the government's legal adviser to the head of the justice ministry to a chief prosecutor.
Why it travels badly
The English 'Attorney General' is a legal adviser to the government, who is also a political appointee. In the United States he or she heads the Department of Justice, and each state has its own. In civil-law countries the closest posts are the justice minister or the chief public prosecutor, which are different jobs.
How other systems say it
Attorney General
The government's chief legal adviser, who also has certain public-interest duties in court.
Attorney General
The head of the federal Department of Justice, a member of the President's cabinet. Each state also has an attorney general.
Attorney General for India
The Union government's chief legal adviser, appointed under Article 76 of the Constitution.
garde des Sceaux (Minister of Justice)
A member of the government who is responsible for the justice system. The chief prosecutors are separate officers.
Fiscal General del Estado
The head of the public prosecution service, not a government legal adviser.
Tip for translators and students
Keep 'Attorney General' as a title and add a short gloss, such as 'the government's chief legal adviser', whenever the reader may expect a prosecutor or a minister.
Related: Prosecutor, Barrister and solicitor
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
TheLawToKnow Tools’s glossary is an educational overview of the main differences between legal systems. It is not legal advice.
