The Tennessee Supreme Court plans to open applications for the next state attorney general Friday.
Current Attorney General Herbert Slatery announced he would not seek reappointment and would step down at the end of his term later this year.
The state’s high court on Tuesday announced the application window will run from July 15-29. The new chief legal officer is expected to take the role Sept. 1.
Tennessee is the only state where the supreme court appoints the attorney general and reporter as part of the judicial, not executive, branch of state government. The attorney general serves an eight-year term.
Slatery was sworn into the role in October 2014 under then-Gov. Bill Haslam. The office under his leadership has taken increasing conservative stances in legal arguments alongside the Republican supermajority in the General Assembly.
Previous coverage: Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery won’t seek new eight-year term
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The attorney general’s office includes more than 300 staff and attorneys across the state, responsible for representing the state in criminal appeals and civil actions in both state and federal court.
Also, the attorney general can investigate and prosecute civil actions for environmental enforcement, antitrust violations, Medicaid fraud and consumer fraud.
“The Attorney General and Reporter works extensively with all three branches of Tennessee government and provides executive leadership and legal strategy and counsel to policymakers throughout the state as well as serving as chief legal officer,” Chief Justice Roger A. Page said in a release on the application process. “The Court looks forward to an open and robust process in