What is the Difference Between Attorney General and Solicitor General?

The Attorney General and Solicitor General are both legal officers who represent the government in court. However, there are some differences between the two roles:

Rank: In systems that have both an Attorney General and a Solicitor General, the Solicitor General is often the second-ranked law officer of the state and a deputy of the Attorney General.
Responsibilities: The Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the government and is responsible for representing the government in court, providing legal advice, and maintaining the rights of the state in suits affecting the public interest. The Solicitor General, on the other hand, is the chief representative of the government in the Supreme Court and handles government appeals to the Supreme Court.
Relation to the Executive Branch: The Solicitor General is an Executive Branch officer who reports to the Attorney General and ultimately to the President.
Appointment: The Solicitor General is appointed by the President and must be confirmed by the Senate.

In summary, the main differences between the Attorney General and the Solicitor General are their ranks within the government, their specific responsibilities, and their relation to the Executive Branch. While the Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the government, the Solicitor General serves as the government's representative in the Supreme Court and handles government appeals.

On this page

What is the Difference Between Attorney General and Solicitor General?

Comparative Table: Attorney General vs Solicitor General

The Attorney General and Solicitor General are both legal roles within a government, but they have distinct responsibilities and functions. Here is a table highlighting the differences between the two positions:

Attorney General	Solicitor General
Chief law officer of the Crown	Responsible for matters relating to policing, corrections, motor vehicles, and liquor licensing
Responsible for the conduct of prosecutions of offenses on behalf of the government	Functions can vary by jurisdiction, and in some cases, may be assumed by the Office of the Attorney General
Presides over the Ministry of Justice and acts as the chief legal advisor to the government	In the United States, the Solicitor General argues cases in Federal Court and helps review important cases going through the federal court system
In British Columbia, the Attorney General oversees the court system and Sheriff Service	The Office of the Solicitor General represents the state and its agencies on appeals in various courts, handling a wide range of cases, from civil rights to election disputes to criminal law

In summary, the Attorney General is the chief law officer of the Crown and is responsible for the conduct of prosecutions and providing legal advice to the government, while the Solicitor General is typically responsible for specific law enforcement-related matters and may represent the state in appeals.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.