The Attorney General provides representation for the state in civil litigation, both at the trial and appellate levels, through the General Civil Litigation Division and represents the state in felony criminal appellate cases through the Criminal Appellate Division. Additionally, the Solicitor General represents the State of Florida in litigation affecting the powers, duties, and responsibilities of all branches of government.

• The Criminal Appellate Division's Criminal Appeals Bureau represents the state in all criminal appeals heard in this state and federal courts except appeals of capital murder cases, which are handled by the Capital Appeals Bureau.
• The General Civil Litigation Division provides statewide representation on behalf of the state, its agencies, officers, employees, and agents at the trial and appellate levels. The division handles cases involving constitutional challenges to statutes, civil rights, employment discrimination, torts, contract disputes, eminent domain, tax, child support and paternity, ethics, administrative law, prisoner litigation, declaratory judgment, child dependency, charitable trusts, and class action suits.
• The Solicitor General represents the state in significant litigation affecting the powers, duties, and responsibilities of all branches of state government. The Solicitor General directs, coordinates, and represents the state in cases of statewide importance, including constitutional cases, before the Florida Supreme Court, the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the Florida district courts of appeal. The Solicitor General is also involved, at the trial level, in significant civil litigation cases that have statewide impact.
• The Office of the Attorney General conducts additional criminal and civil litigation activities, which include enforcing state and federal antitrust laws through the Antitrust Division, protecting consumers from fraud and other financial exploitation through the Consumer Protection Division, enforcing civil rights laws through the Office of Civil Rights, investigating fraud committed upon the Medicaid Program by the Medical Fraud Control Unit, and administers a forum for the resolution of disputes between consumers and manufacturers that arise under Florida’s motor vehicle Lemon Law.

The Criminal Appellate Division consists of the five regional Criminal Appeals Bureaus and one statewide Capital Appeals Bureau, which represent the state in all appellate prosecutions. The Criminal Appeals Bureaus defend judgments and sentences that are appealed to the District Courts of Appeal and litigate all state cases that have been filed in the federal district courts and United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit seeking federal constitutional relief. The Capital Appeals Bureau handles appeals of capital murder cases where defendants have committed first degree murder and the death sentence has been imposed. These cases are automatically appealed to the Florida Supreme Court.

The goals of the division are to provide quality legal representation on behalf of the state in civil litigation and to produce cost savings to the state by reducing reliance on private legal services through its bureaus.

• Administrative Law serves as counsel to professional licensure and disciplinary boards.
• Child Support Enforcement represents the Department of Revenue in 12 of Florida's 67 counties in cases establishing and enforcing child support orders. The bureau provides legal services in cases involving children who reside in Florida, as well as children outside of the state.
• Children's Legal Services is charged with litigating child abuse, abandonment, and neglect cases for the Department of Children and Families in Broward and Hillsborough counties. The bureau is also responsible for litigating termination of parental rights petitions to establish permanency for children who have been long-time sufferers of abuse, abandonment, or neglect.
• Complex Litigation handles high-visibility state and federal litigation involving the environment, Native American gaming, tobacco, education, election laws, inverse condemnation, and constitutional challenges to both the Florida Statutes and Florida constitutional amendments.
• Corrections Litigation represents the state and its employees in civil actions brought by inmates in state correctional institutions.
• Eminent Domain provides legal resources to governmental agencies exercising the power of eminent domain to acquire property for public use.
• Employment Litigation defends state agencies in suits brought under any of the various federal and state employment laws.
• Ethics assists the Florida Commission on Ethics by serving as advocates.The advocate makes a recommendation as to whether an ethics case should go forward. If the case goes forward, the advocate conducts the prosecution through an administrative hearing.
• The Civil Litigation Bureaus in Tampa and Fort Lauderdale/West Palm Beach provide legal services for state agencies, state officials, and judges in the areas of corrections, employment, tort, and state programs. In addition, the units defend the presumptive constitutionality of state statutes and handle civil forfeiture and civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act cases in conjunction with Statewide Prosecution's criminal cases. The bureaus also handle most of their own appeals in both federal and state appellate courts.
• Revenue Litigation enforces and defends tax assessments issued by the Department of Revenue. In addition, this bureau represents the Department of Revenue in litigation involving claims for refunds of taxes.
• State Programs defends the state in a wide variety of actions in both state and federal court, at the trial and appellate levels. The bureau is also charged with representing the state in class action civil rights lawsuits filed against state programs or agencies.
• Tort Litigation provides legal defense to state agencies and employees. Litigation engaged in by this bureau regularly involves the interpretation and application of Florida's limited waiver of sovereign immunity state pursuant to s. 768.28, Florida Statutes.

The Solicitor General oversees civil and criminal appeals involving the state and has the authority to decide whether the state should appeal a case to the U.S. and Florida Supreme Courts and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The Solicitor General reviews each petition for review filed in the Florida Supreme Court to determine whether the case involves an issue of statewide importance in which the state should be involved. When such a case is identified, the Solicitor General researches the legal and policy issues implicated in the case and consults with potentially affected state agencies. The Solicitor General will then advise the Attorney General on whether the state should intervene in the case or appear as amicus curiae.

There are several additional divisions and programs that conduct investigations, mediation, enforcement, and litigation activities.

• Antitrust Unit initiates civil investigations or formal legal proceedings regarding antitrust violations, as authorized by federal and state law. Antitrust violations include price fixing, bid rigging, market or contract allocation, and monopoly-related actions.
• Consumer Protection Division is charged with protecting consumers from fraud and other financial exploitation. The division takes legal action against entities that commit unfair trade practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce. The division also often partners with other state attorneys general, other state agencies, and federal consumer protection enforcement agencies in joint enforcement efforts.
• The Attorney General's office is responsible for enforcing Florida's Lemon Law. The office also provides a forum for resolution of disputes between consumers and manufacturers that arise under the Lemon Law and operates a toll-free Lemon Law Hotline telephone complaint line.
• Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates and prosecutes fraud involving providers that intentionally defraud the state's Medicaid program. The unit also investigates allegations of patient abuse, neglect, and exploitation in facilities receiving payments under the Medicaid program, such as nursing homes, facilities for the mentally and physically disabled, and assisted living facilities.
• Office of Civil Rights enforces civil rights laws on behalf of the state through investigation, litigation, education, outreach and legislative proposals. Section 760.01, Florida Statutes, protects individuals from discrimination on the basis of a person's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status. The office works with the Florida Commission on Human Relations to enforce provisions of the Florida Fair Housing Act. The office also compiles the state's annual Hate Crime Report.

The department reported that it handled 731 briefs, state and federal court responses, and oral arguments in capital cases; and 15,846 briefs, state and federal court responses, and oral arguments in non-capital cases in Fiscal Year 2019-20. These numbers exceeded the standards set for the department. The department reported 41,401 active child support enforcement cases in Fiscal Year 2019-20, below the standard of 65,000 cases.

The department reported 220 active Solicitor General cases, which is greater than the approved standard of 200.

The department reported that 99% of lemon law cases in Fiscal Year 2019-20 were resolved within one year, which exceeds the standard of 95%. The department also reported 130 active antitrust cases, more than the standard of 62 cases. In addition the department reported 1,261 active Medicaid fraud cases, above the standard of 900 active cases.

Other Reports
Hate Crimes in Florida, January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019, Office of the Attorney General, December, 2020.

The Auditor General reports on department operations are available on its website.

Websites of Interest
Office of the Attorney General, Addresses and Phone Numbers
National Association of Attorneys General

Performance Information

Performance measures and standards for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan.

Article V, Section 4(b), Constitution of the State of Florida; and Chs. 16, 119, 501, 542, 760, and 895, and ss. 16.57, 16.59, 20.21(4), 68.081, 286.011, 409.920(9), 455.221, 681.102 through 681.104, 768.28, 812.035, and 921.141(4), Florida Statutes.

Office of Attorney General, 850-414-3300, 850-414-3990 (Citizens Services), or 1-866-966-7226

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