Kentucky Revised Statutes

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 15.020 (2026)

Chief law officer and adviser -- Duty to attend to litigation, write opinions,

✓ current as of May 2026

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draft writings -- Communication with Legislative Research Commission -- When to appear for Commonwealth -- Constitutional challenge may be brought in any county. (1) The Attorney General is the chief law officer of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and all of its departments, commissions, agencies, and political subdivisions, and the legal adviser of all state officers, departments, commissions, and agencies, and when requested in writing shall furnish to them his or her written opinion touching any of their official duties, and shall prepare proper drafts of all instruments of writing required for public use, and shall exercise all common law duties and authority pertaining to the office of the Attorney General under the common law, except when modified by statutory enactment. (2) The Attorney General shall communicate with the Legislative Research Commission as required by KRS 418.075. (3) Except as otherwise provided in KRS 48.005 and 2000 Ky. Acts ch. 483, sec. 8, the Attorney General shall appear for the Commonwealth in all cases in the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals wherein the Commonwealth is interested, and shall also commence all actions or enter an appearance in all cases, hearings, and proceedings in and before all other courts, tribunals, or commissions in or out of the state, and attend to all litigation and legal business in or out of the state required of the office by law, or in which the Commonwealth has an interest, and any litigation or legal business that any state officer, department, commission, or agency may have in connection with, or growing out of, his, her, or its official duties, except where it is made the duty of the Commonwealth's attorney or county attorney to represent the Commonwealth. When any attorney is employed for any said agency, the same shall have the approval of such agency before such employment. (4) Notwithstanding any other statute or provision to the contrary, the Attorney General may bring any action challenging the constitutionality of a Kentucky statute, executive order, administrative regulation, or order of any cabinet, program cabinet, or department under KRS Chapter 12. The action may be brought in any county where the alleged constitutional harm has occurred or could be reasonably presumed to occur. (5) If any funds of any kind or nature whatsoever are recovered by or on behalf of the Commonwealth, in any action, including an ex rel. action where the Attorney General has entered an appearance or is a party according to statutory or common law authority, those funds shall be handled under KRS 48.005. Effective: June 29, 2021 History: Amended 2021 Ky. Acts ch. 173, sec. 2, effective June 29, 2021. -- Amended 2012 Ky. Acts ch. 110, sec. 8, effective April 11, 2012. -- Amended 2000 Ky. Acts ch. 483, sec. 2, effective April 21, 2000. -- Amended 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 202, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1996. -- Amended 1976 Ky. Acts ch. 62, sec. 7. -- Amended 1944 Ky. Acts ch. 7, sec. 1. -- Amended 1942 Ky. Acts ch. 106, sec. 4. -- Recodified 1942 Ky. Acts ch. 208, sec. 1, effective October 1, 1942, from Ky. Stat. secs. 112-1, 112- 5, 2711a-159.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 54 cases (12 in the last 5 years), 1959–2026 · leading case: Jim Wayne in His Off. Capacity as State Rep. v. Commonwealth of Kentucky Off. of the Governor Matthew Bevin in His Off. Capacity as Governor, 498 S.W.3d 355 (Ky. 2016).

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Jim Wayne in His Off. Capacity as State Rep. v. Commonwealth of Kentucky Off. of the Governor Matthew Bevin in His Off. Capacity as Governor, 498 S.W.3d 355 (Ky. 2016). · cites it 15× “The General Assembly has prescribed the Attorney General's duties and responsibilities in KRS 15.020, which in relevant part provides: The Attorney General is the chief law officer of the Commonwealth of Kentucky .”

Commonwealth v. Johnson, 423 S.W.3d 718 (Ky. 2014). · cites it 11× “This Court granted discretionary review. After reviewing the record and the law, we reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals.”

Commonwealth Ex Rel. Conway v. Thompson, 300 S.W.3d 152 (Ky. 2010). · cites it 4× “KRS 15.020 provides, in the role as "chief law officer of the Commonwealth of Kentucky[,]" the Attorney General "shall *173 exercise all common law duties and authority pertaining to the office of the Attorney General under the common law, except when modified by statutory…”

EMW Women's Surgical Ctr. v. Andrew Beshear, 920 F.3d 421 (6th Cir. 2019). · cites it 2× “" KRS § 15.020. Kentucky law permits the Attorney General to defend a statute's constitutional validity, but it also gives her or him discretion.”

St. Clair v. Commonwealth, 140 S.W.3d 510 (Ky. 2004). · cites it 2× “]" KRS 15.020. And, "[t]o encourage cooperation among law enforcement officers [,] .”

Strong v. Chandler, 70 S.W.3d 405 (Ky. 2002). · cites it 5× “The principal issue is whether KRS 15.020 and KRS 15.060 permit the Attorney General to review the records of the Cabinet pertaining to economic incentives extended to Alliance Research or whether *407 such review is governed by the Open Records Act set out in KRS 61.”

California v. Infineon Tech. AG, 531 F. Supp. 2d 1124 (N.D. Cal. 2007). · cites it 2× “29, § 2504(3); Ky.Rev.Stat. § 15.020; N. Mar. I. Const. Art.”

Commonwealth Ex Rel. Ferguson v. Gardner, 327 S.W.2d 947 (Ky. Ct. App. 1959). · cites it 6× “It is prescribed in KRS 15.020 that the Attorney General is the chief law officer of the Commonwealth and all its departments and subdivisions, is the legal adviser of all state officers, commissions and agencies, "and shall exercise all common law duties and authority…”

Young v. Hammond, 139 S.W.3d 895 (Ky. 2004). · cites it 2× “" Prior to the 1992 amendment, the Attorney General rendered an opinion pursuant to KRS 15.020 in response to an inquiry as to whether school councils were entitled to review applications of those not "recommended by" the superintendent before consulting with the principal with…”

Maney v. Mary Chiles Hosp., 785 S.W.2d 480 (Ky. 1990). · cites it 2× “KRS 15.020. Likewise, the prevention of collusive, non-adversarial proceedings between or among litigants which might result in the invalidation of state law is a matter of public interest.”

Commonwealth Ex Rel. Hancock v. Paxton, 516 S.W.2d 865 (Ky. Ct. App. 1974). · cites it 3× “The most significant provisions of that statute, as concern the question here in issue, are that the Attorney General is "the chief law officer of the commonwealth” and “shall commence all actions or enter his appearance in all cases * * * in which the Commonwealth has an…”

Delahanty v. Commonwealth, 558 S.W.3d 489 (Ky. Ct. App. 2018). “1990) (citing KRS 15.020 ). "Likewise, the prevention of collusive, non-adversarial proceedings between or among litigants *508 which might result in the invalidation of state law is a matter of public interest.”

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— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 15.020(1) — 3 cases

Commonwealth of Kentucky, Ex Rel. Attorney Gen. Russell Coleman v. Dr. Ernest Marshall (Ky. Ct. App. 2024).

Russell Coleman, Attorney Gen., on Behalf of the Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Commonwealth of Kentucky, Cabinet for He (Ky. Ct. App. 2026).

Commonwealth of Kentucky, Cabinet for Health & Fam. Servs., Dep't for Medicaid Servs. v. Mountain Comprehen (Ky. Ct. App. 2026).

— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 15.020(3) — 1 case

Daniel Cameron, in His Off. Capacity as Attorney Gen. of the Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Jefferson Cnty. Bd. of Educ. (Ky. Ct. App. 2023).

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