Solicitor General

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The Solicitor General or Solicitor-General is a government position in several countries, dealing with legal affairs. In some countries it is a cabinet position, in others it is not.

In the United States the Federal Solicitor General is the attorney who represents or advises a government when it is party to a suit, generally in front of its supreme court.

In the Republic of Ireland the Solicitor General is known as the Chief State Solicitor. The Office of Chief State Solicitor is a branch of the Attorney General's Office.

In Sweden the Chancellor of Justice performs the tasks of a Solicitor General. The office was introduced by King Charles XII of Sweden in 1713.

In the United Kingdom the Solicitor General is the Attorney General's deputy, and will often represent the Attorney General in the House of Commons if the Attorney General is a member of the House of Lords.

In Canada, at provincial level, Solicitors General have been responsible for administering the police, prisons and jails. At the federal level, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness replaced the office of the Solicitor General.

In Australia, the Solicitor General is the second law officer of state, after the Attorney General. Unlike the Attorney General, the Australian Solicitor General is not a minister or a member of the government. The Solicitor General was, until 1964, also the Secretary to the Attorney General's Department. The principal function of the Commonwealth Solicitor General is to act for the Attorney General as senior counsel appearing for the Commonwealth's interest, particularly in the High Court.

In New Zealand the role of the Solicitor General is similar to that in Australia. The Solicitor General is a public servant and head of the Crown Law Office - a government department which provides legal advice to the New Zealand Government, including other public service bodies. As in Australia, the Solicitor General appears in court representing the Attorney General. This function is normally delegated to one of the Deputy Solicitors General, or another lawyer from the Crown Law Office except in important cases.

In Hong Kong, the Solicitor General heads the Legal Policy Division of the Department of Justice, which is responsible for advising departments and bureaux of the government on proposed legislation and law reform.

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External links

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