Mississippi Code
Miss. Code Ann. § 7-5-5 (2026)
Assistants to the attorney general
✓ current as of July 2026
- (1) The Attorney General shall appoint nine (9) competent attorneys, each of whom shall be designated as an assistant attorney general. The assistants shall each possess all of the qualifications required by law of the Attorney General and shall have power and authority under the direction and supervision of the Attorney General to perform all of the duties required by law of that officer; and each shall be liable to the pains and penalties to which the Attorney General is liable. The assistants shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Attorney General, and they shall devote their entire time and attention to the duties pertaining to the department of justice as required by the general laws. The compensation of all assistants authorized by law shall be fixed by the Attorney General not to exceed the compensation fixed by law.
- (2)
- (a) The Attorney General shall designate three (3) of the assistant attorneys general authorized under subsection (1) of this section to devote their time and attention primarily to defending and aiding in the defense in all courts of any suit, filed or threatened, against the State of Mississippi, against any subdivision thereof, or against any agency or instrumentality of the state or subdivision, including all elected officials and any other officer or employee thereof. When the circumstances permit, the assistants may perform any of the Attorney General's powers and duties, including, but not limited to, engaging in lawsuits outside the state when in his opinion this would help bring about the equal application of federal laws and court decisions in every state and guaranteeing equal protection of the laws as guaranteed every citizen by the United States Constitution.
- (b) The Attorney General may employ outside counsel as special assistant attorneys general on a fee or contract basis; the Attorney General shall be the sole judge of the compensation in such cases except as otherwise provided in Section 7-5-8.
- (i) Any contract for services of outside counsel shall require current and complete written time and expense records that describe in detail the time, in increments of no greater than one tenth (1/10) of an hour, and money spent each day in performance of the contract.
- (ii) On conclusion of the matter for which the outside legal services were obtained, outside counsel shall provide a complete written statement of all fees and expenses, and the final complete time and expense records.
- (3) The Attorney General may discharge any assistant attorney general or special assistant attorney general at his pleasure and appoint another in his stead. The assistant attorneys general shall devote their entire time and attention to the duties pertaining to the Department of Justice under the control and supervision of the Attorney General.
Codes, 1906, § 183; Hemingway's 1917, § 3471; 1930, § 3656; 1942, §§ 3827, 3827-01, 3827-04; Laws, 1902, ch. 58; Laws, 1929, ch. 15; Laws, 1930, ch. 154; Laws, 1956, ch. 358, § 1; Laws, 1960, ch. 270; Laws, 1962, ch. 487, §§ 1, 4; Laws, 1970, ch. 348, §§ 2, 3; Laws, 2012, ch. 546, § 2, eff. 7/1/2012.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9
cases, 1994–2012 · leading case: Jordan v. State, 786 So. 2d 987 (Miss. 2001).
Jordan v. State, 786 So. 2d 987 (Miss. 2001). “Owen was appointed by the Attorney General, and the Attorney General has unlimited discretion to appoint a special prosecutor under Miss.Code Ann. §§ 7-5-5 & -7 (1991). The State also points out that either the District Attorney or one of his assistants was present with Owen at…”
Pickering v. Langston Law Firm, P.A., 88 So. 3d 1269 (Miss. 2012). “Miss.Code Ann. § 7-5-5 (emphasis added). .”
Pursue Energy Corp. v. MISS. STATE TAX COM'N, 816 So. 2d 385 (Miss. 2002). “1991) states in pertinent part: The attorney general is hereby authorized and empowered to appoint and employ special counsel, on a fee or salary basis, to assist the attorney general in the preparation for, prosecution, or defense of any litigation in the state or federal…”
Darold L. Rutland v. Mike Moore, Attorney Gen. of the State of Mississippi, 54 F.3d 226 (5th Cir. 1995). “Miss.Code Ann. § 7-5-5. As discussed, Attorney General Moore approved the recommendations on whether to retain the DHS attorneys.”
Jordan v. Epps, 740 F. Supp. 2d 802 (S.D. Miss. 2010). “Miss.Code Ann. §§ 7-5-5 and -7 (1972). For all of these reasons, Jordan has not established a claim of prosecutorial vindictiveness that is cognizable on habeas review, and he is not entitled to relief on this issue.”
Pickering v. Hood, 95 So. 3d 611 (Miss. 2012). “Miss.Code Ann. § 7-5-5 (emphasis added). .”
Rieger v. Grp. Health Ass'n, 851 F. Supp. 788 (N.D. Miss. 1994). “The Attorney General has plenary powers of appointment and removal of Special Assistant Attorneys General pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. § 7-5-5 (1972), which provides that “[t]he Attorney General may discharge any .”
Rutland v. Off. of Atty. Gen., State of Miss., 851 F. Supp. 793 (S.D. Miss. 1994). “The Attorney General has plenary powers of appointment and removal of Special Assistant Attorneys General pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. § 7-5-5 (1972), which provides that "[t]he Attorney General may discharge any .”
Pursue Energy Corp. v. Mississippi State Tax Comm'n (Miss. 1999). “1991) states in pertinent part: The attorney general is hereby authorized and empowered to appoint and employ special counsel, on a fee or salary basis, to assist the attorney general in the preparation for, prosecution, or defense of any litigation in the state or federal…”
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