| The Office of the Attorney General is the central legal agency of the State. The Office is responsible for the prosecution of all felony criminal cases and misdemeanor appeals as well as the prosecution of misdemeanor cases brought by State law enforcement action in the various district courts. As chief legal officer of the State, the Attorney General also has responsibilities beyond criminal prosecution. The Attorney General represents all agencies, departments, and commissions in litigation and initiates legal action where necessary to protect the interests of Rhode Island citizens. These matters range from gas, electric, and telephone company rates before the Public Utilities Commission; health insurance rate cases; environmental issues; protecting the public's rights under the Open Meetings Act and the Access to Public Records Act; and protecting consumers from deceptive practices and antitrust violations. In addition to providing legal advice to state officers and state agencies whenever requested, the Office of the Attorney General is charged with operating and maintaining the State Bureau of Criminal Identification, which is the central repository of all criminal records in the State. |
