Spanish Attorney General

Attorney General of the State

Fiscal General del Estado

Incumbent
Álvaro García Ortiz

since 2 August 2022

Public Prosecution Ministry
Style| The Most Excellent
(formal)
Madam Attorney General (informal)
Member of| Prosecution Ministry
Attorney General's Office
Reports to| Minister of Justice
Nominator| The Government, after hearing the General Council of the Judiciary
Appointer| The King
Term length| 4 years, not renewable
Constituting instrument| Spanish Constitution
First holder| Juan Manuel Fanjul Sedeño
Deputy| Lieutenant Attorney of the Supreme Court
Salary| € 132,235 per year (2023)
Website| www.fiscal.es

The Attorney General of the State (Spanish: Fiscal General del Estado), or also, Prosecutor General, is the head of the Public Prosecutor's Office (Ministerio Fiscal), the independent body within the Judiciary,[1] that is tasked with promoting the operation of justice in defence of the rule of law, defending citizens’ rights, defending the public interest, with protecting the independence of the courts and with ensuring the public interest is satisfied through the courts.[2]

The Prosecutor General is a civil servant, appointed and dismissed by the King, after a process that includes a nomination by the Government, a hearing before the General Council of the Judiciary and an appearance before the Congress to evaluate their suitability (although approval by Congress is not required). That is, the three powers of State participate in the appointment. The candidate must be a Spanish jurist of recognised prestige and with more than fifteen years effective exercise of their profession.[3]

The term of the Prosecutor General is a maximum of four years and may not be renewed (except where they have held the position for less than two years) and in any event terminates when the Government completes its term. They can not be removed from office except for as defined by law (disability or serious illness, serious or repeated breach of duties, and other prohibitions).[4]

## Functions

[edit]

According to the law of the Public Prosecutor's Office: The functions of the Public Prosecutor (Attorney General) include:[2]

* ensuring that the judicial function is performed effectively in accordance with the laws and within the stipulated time limits through the necessary actions, appeal procedures and other measures;
* acting in the criminal process by ensuring that the judicial authority takes the appropriate precautionary measures and carries out investigations aimed at establishing the facts;
* acting in civil proceedings specified by law that affect the public interest or the interests of minors, the disabled or the underprivileged until the normal representation mechanisms are provided;
* performing the functions assigned to them by the relevant legislation in cases involving the criminal liability of minors, in order to serve the best interests of the minor.

## Public Prosecutor's Office

[edit]

Main article: Public Prosecutors Office

The Office of the Public Prosecutor is an assistant body of the Public Prosecutor. It consists of the following bodies:

* The Prosecution Inspection
* Performs inspection powers by permanent delegation of the Attorney General of the State, without prejudice to the functions of ordinary inspection of the Superior Prosecutions and the inspection functions of the Chief Prosecutors with respect to the Prosecutors who depend on them. Inside of the Prosecution Inspection there is a Permanent Section of Valuation to centralize the information on merit and capacity of the Prosecutors in order to give support to the Prosecution Ministry's Council when reporting discretionary appointments of the Prosecutor Career.

Attorney General Office's Headquarters

* The Technical Secretariat
* Through its studies, investigations and reports, it is a constant support body for the Attorney General, to exercise the superior leadership of the Public Prosecution Ministry, also carrying out the preparatory work for the Joint of Prosecutors. Collaborates in the planning of the training of the Prosecutors whose competence is attributed to the Center for Legal Studies and assumes the functions that in the field of international legal cooperation the law attributes to the Public Prosecution.
* The Support Unit
* Performs representation work and institutional relations with public authorities, as well as communication and attention to the citizen. It is responsible for the analysis and preparation of reports related to the organization and operation of the Public Prosecution Ministry in matters of statistics, information technology, personnel, material means, information and documentation. In general, it carries out functions of support and assistance to the Prosecutor General, to the prosecutors assigned to the Prosecution Ministry, to the Prosecution Ministry's Council and to the Joint of Prosecutors who do not correspond to the Inspection or to the Technical Secretariat.
* The Special Prosecutors
* Prosecutor for Violence against Women
* Prosecutor for Environment and Urbanism
* Prosecutor for the Protection and Reform of Minors
* Prosecutor for Workplace Accidents
* Prosecutor for Traffic Safety
* Prosecutor for Immigration
* Prosecutor for International Criminal Cooperation
* Prosecutor for Computer Crimes
* Prosecutor for Historical Memory

## List of attorneys general

[edit]

Espectro político

Progressive Party

Moderate Party

Liberal Union

Constitutional Party

Liberal Party

Conservative Party

Military

Royalist

Coalition

Radical Republican Party

Republican Action

Republican Left

Republican Union

Independent

National Movement

Democratic Centre Union

Spanish Socialist Workers' Party

People's Party

Status

Denotes service as acting Attorneys General

Portrait  | Name  | Took office  | Left office  | Prime Minister(s)

|
|
|
|

| Felipe Gómez Acebo
(1800-?) | 1 August 1843  | 12 December 1843  |  | Joaquín María López
| Salustiano Olózaga
| Luis González Bravo
| Pedro Jiménez Navarro  | 12 December 1843  | 15 January 1845
| Ramón María Narváez
| Joaquín Francisco Pacheco[note 1]
(1808-1865) | 5 February 1847  | 28 March 1847  |  | Carlos Martínez de Irujo y McKean
| Lorenzo Arrazola
(1795-1873) | 16 April 1847  | 4 October 1847  |  | Joaquín Francisco Pacheco
| Florencio García Goyena
| Manuel Barrio Ayuso
(1788-1850) | 4 October 1847  | 23 November 1850  |  | Ramón María Narváez
| Serafín María de Sotto
| Ramón María Narváez
| José María Huet y Allier
(1804-1868) | 10 January 1851  | 25 August 1854
| Juan Bravo Murillo
| Federico Roncali
| Francisco Lersundi Hormaechea
| Luis José Sartorius
| Fernando Fernández de Córdova
| Ángel de Saavedra
| Baldomero Espartero
| Pedro Gómez de la Serna
(1806-1871) | 25 August 1854  | 24 October 1856
| Leopoldo O'Donnell
| Ramón María Narváez
| Joaquín José Casaus
(1793-1885) | 24 October 1856  | 1857
| Manuel Seijas Lozano
(1800-1868) | 1857  | 26 March 1862
| Francisco Armero Peñaranda
| Francisco Javier Istúriz
| Saturnino Calderón Collantes
| Leopoldo O'Donnell
| Antonio Corzo y Granado  | 28 March 1862  | 17 July 1869
| Manuel Pando Fernández de Pinedo
| Lorenzo Arrazola
| Alejandro Mon y Menéndez
| Ramón María Narváez
| Leopoldo O'Donnell
| Luis González Bravo
| José Gutiérrez de la Concha
| Francisco Serrano
| Fernando Pérez de Rozas  | 23 July 1869  | 17 September 1869  |  | Juan Bautista Topete
| Juan Manuel González Acevedo
(1806-1880) | 17 September 1869  | 23 June 1870  |  | Juan Prim
| Eugenio Díez  | 29 June 1870  | 10 December 1871  |  | Juan Bautista Topete
| Francisco Serrano
| Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla
| José Malcampo
| Pascual Bayarri García
(1812-1876) | 15 January 1872  | 10 August 1872  |  | Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
| Francisco Serrano
| Eugenio Díez  | 10 August 1872  | 19 November 1873  |  | Manuel Ruiz Zorrilla
| Estanislao Figueras
| Francisco Pi y Margall
| Nicolás Salmerón
| Emilio Castelar
| Ricardo Díaz de Rueda  | 2 May 1874  | 27 June 1874
| Francisco Serrano
| Críspulo García y Gómez de la Serna  | 27 June 1874  | 28 February 1875
| Juan Zavala de la Puente
| Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
| Antonio Cánovas del Castillo
| Saturnino Álvarez Bugallal
(1834-1885) | 28 February 1875  | 13 July 1877
| Joaquín Jovellar Soler
| Antonio Cánovas del Castillo
| Ricardo Alzugaray Yanguas
(-1878) | 13 July 1877  | 3 October 1878
| Salvador Albacete y Albert
(1827-1890) | 23 October 1878  | 15 March 1879
| Arsenio Martínez-Campos
| Antonio de Mena y Zorrilla
(1823-1895) | 21 March 1879  | 16 February 1881
| Antonio Cánovas del Castillo
| Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
| Aureliano Linares Rivas
(1841-1903) | 16 February 1881  | 18 May 1882
| Trinitario Ruiz Capdepón
(1836-1911) | 7 July 1882  | 7 January 1884
| José de Posada Herrera
| Santos Isasa y Valseca
(1831-1902) | 22 January 1884  | 19 December 1885
| Antonio Cánovas del Castillo
| Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
| Manuel Colmeiro y Penido
(1818-1894) | 15 February 1886  | 9 July 1890
| Antonio Cánovas del Castillo
| Juan de la Concha Castañeda
(1818-1903) | 9 July 1890  | 27 November 1891
| Rafael Conde y Luque
(1835-1922) | 27 November 1891  | 22 December 1892
| Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
| Eduardo Martínez del Campo y Acosta
(1840-1911) | 23 December 1892  | 2 April 1894
| Juan de Aldana y Carvajal
Acting Attorney General
(1835-?) | 3 April 1894  | 8 July 1895
| Antonio Cánovas del Castillo
| Luciano Puga Blanco
(1842-1899) | 8 July 1895  | 21 October 1897
| Marcelo Azcárraga Palmero
| Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
| Felipe Sánchez Román
(1850-1916) | 21 October 1897  | 7 March 1899
| Francisco Silvela
| Salvador Viada y Vilaseca
(1843-1904) | 7 March 1899  | 25 June 1900
| José Díez Macuso
(1844-1916) | 25 June 1900  | 11 March 1901
| Marcelo Azcárraga Palmero
| Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
| Juan Montilla y Adán
(1856-1903) | 11 March 1901  | 19 March 1902
| Trinitario Ruiz Valarino
(1862-1945) | 7 April 1902  | 6 December 1902
| Eugenio Silvela y Corral
(1866-1911) | 27 July 1903  | 7 December 1903  |  | Raimundo Fernández Villaverde
| Joan Maluquer
(1856-1940) | 10 December 1903  | 28 June 1905  |  | Antonio Maura
| Marcelo Azcárraga Palmero
| Raimundo Fernández Villaverde
| Eugenio Montero Ríos
| Trinitario Ruiz Valarino
(1862-1945) | 28 June 1905  | 28 January 1907
| Segismundo Moret
| José López Domínguez
| Segismundo Moret
| Antonio Aguilar y Correa
| Antonio Maura
| Francisco Javier Ugarte Pagés
(1852-1919) | 28 January 1907  | 30 October 1909
| Segismundo Moret
| Trinitario Ruiz Valarino
(1862-1945) | 30 October 1909  | 9 February 1910
| Javier Gómez de la Serna y Laguna
(1880-1922) | 14 June 1910  | 14 November 1910  |  | José Canalejas
| Buenaventura Muñoz Rodríguez
(1853-1925) | 11 July 1911  | 27 July 1911
| Andrés Tornos y Alonso
(1854-1926) | 15 September 1911  | 8 October 1912
| Manuel Portela
(1867-1952) | 8 October 1912  | 17 March 1913
| Manuel García Prieto
| Álvaro de Figueroa
| Martín Rosales y Martel
Duke of Almodóvar del Valle
(1872-1931) | 17 March 1913  | 19 June 1913
| José Parrés y Sobrino
(1865-1917) | 19 June 1913  | 31 October 1913
| Eduardo Dato
| Joan Maluquer
(1856-1940) | 31 October 1913  | 17 July 1914
| Senén Canido y Pardo
(1847-1928) | 17 July 1914  | 13 December 1915
| Álvaro de Figueroa
| Andrés Avelino Montero Ríos y Villegas
(1875-1922) | 13 December 1915  | 3 May 1917
| Manuel García Prieto
| Carlos Cañal y Migolla
(1876-1938) | 16 June 1917  | 14 November 1917
| Eduardo Dato
| Manuel García Prieto
| Víctor Covián y Junco
(1848-1927) | 17 December 1917  | 6 March 1923
| Antonio Maura
| Manuel García Prieto
| Álvaro de Figueroa
| Antonio Maura
| Joaquín Sánchez de Toca
| Manuel Allendesalazar Muñoz
| Eduardo Dato
| Gabino Bugallal
| Manuel Allendesalazar Muñoz
| Antonio Maura
| José Sánchez Guerra
| Manuel García Prieto
| José Lladó Vallés
(1888-1933) | 6 March 1923  | 21 September 1923
| Miguel Primo de Rivera
| Galo Ponte y Escartín
(1867-1943) | 30 June 1924  | 4 December 1925
| Diego María Crehuet del Amo
(1873-1956) | 4 December 1925  | 4 January 1928
| José Oppelt García
(1862-1926) | 4 January 1928  | 6 February 1930
| Dámaso Berenguer
| Santiago Del Valle y Aldabalde
(1865-1940) | 6 February 1930  | 16 December 1930
| Manuel Moreno y Fernández de Roa  | 16 December 1930  | 16 April 1931
| Juan Bautista Aznar-Cabañas
| Ángel Galarza
(1891-1966) | 16 April 1931  | 14 May 1931  |  | Niceto Alcalá Zamora
| Francisco Javier Elola
(1877-1939) | 14 May 1931  | 31 July 1931
| José Franchy y Roca
(1871-1944) | 2 August 1931  | 24 December 1931
| Manuel Azaña
| Gabriel Martínez de Aragón y Urbitzondo
(1865-1934) | 24 December 1931  | 7 March 1933
| José Oriol Anguera de Sojo
(1879-1956) | 10 May 1933  | 20 September 1933
| Antonio Marsá Bragado
(1877-1965) | 20 September 1933  | 26 May 1934
| Alejandro Lerroux
| Diego Martínez Barrio
| Alejandro Lerroux
| Ricardo Samper
| Alejandro Lerroux
| Lorenzo Gallardo González
(1880-1940) | 26 May 1934  | 17 November 1935
| Joaquín Chapaprieta
| Marcelino Valentín Gamazo
(1878-1936) | 17 November 1935  | 27 December 1935
| Antonio Taboada Tundidor
(-1959) | 27 December 1935  | 2 January 1936  |  | Manuel Portela
| Manuel Iglesias Corral
(1901-1989) | 3 January 1936  | 8 February 1936
| Alberto de Paz y Mateos
(1915-1967) | 22 February 1936  | 28 August 1936  |  | Manuel Azaña
| Augusto Barcia Trelles
| Santiago Casares Quiroga
| Jesús Vallés Fortuño
(1862-1970) | 28 August 1936  | 12 December 1936  |  | Diego Martínez Barrio
| José Giral
| Eduardo Ortega y Gasset
(1882-1964) | 12 December 1936  | 14 November 1937  |  | Francisco Largo Caballero
| Leopoldo Garrido Cavero
(1893-1946) | 26 December 1937  | 25 April 1939[note 2][5] |  | Juan Negrín
| Blas Pérez González
(1896-1978) | 10 November 1938  | 3 September 1942  |  | Francisco Franco
| Ramón García del Valle y Salas
Acting Attorney General
(1881-1961) | 3 September 1942  | 12 September 1945
| Manuel de la Plaza Navarro
(1886-1960) | 12 September 1945  | 21 October 1955
| Ildefonso Alamillo Salgado
(1888-?) | 21 October 1955  | 30 September 1965
| Fernando Herrero Tejedor
(1920-1975) | 30 September 1965  | 21 March 1975
| Luis Carrero Blanco
| Torcuato Fernández-Miranda
| Carlos Arias Navarro
| Antonio García Rodríguez-Acosta
(1921-2006) | 21 March 1975  | 10 December 1976
| Fernando de Santiago y Díaz
| Adolfo Suárez
| Eleuterio González Zapatero
(1916-?) | 12 December 1976  | 13 January 1978
| Juan Manuel Fanjul Sedeño
(1914-1989) | 13 January 1978  | 14 November 1980  |  | Adolfo Suarez
| José María Gil-Albert
(1925-2007) | 14 November 1980  | 15 December 1982
| Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo
| Luis Antonio Burón Barba
(1918-1995) | 16 December 1982  | 19 September 1986  |  | Felipe González
| Javier Moscoso
(1934-) | 19 September 1986  | 26 January 1990
| Leopoldo Torres Boursault
(1941-2021) | 26 January 1990  | 10 April 1992
| Eligio Hernández
(1947-) | April 10, 1992  | May 27, 1994
| Carlos Granados
(1944-) | 3 June 1994  | 6 September 1996
| Juan Ortiz Úrculo
(1939-) | 6 September 1996  | 16 May 1997  |  | José María Aznar
| Jesús Cardenal Fernández
(1930-2018) | 16 May 1997  | 22 April 2004
| Cándido Conde-Pumpido
(1949-) | 22 April 2004  | 11 December 2011  |  | José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
| Eduardo Torres-Dulce
(1950-) | 11 December 2011  | 19 December 2014  |  | Mariano Rajoy
| Consuelo Madrigal
(1956-) | 10 January 2015  | 4 November 2016
| José Manuel Maza
(1951-2017) | 25 November 2016  | 18 November 2017
| Luis Navajas Ramos
Acting Attorney General
(1948-) | 18 November 2017  | 11 December 2017
| Julián Sánchez Melgar
(1955--) | 11 December 2017  | 22 June 2018
| Luis Navajas Ramos
Acting Attorney General
(1948-) | 22 June 2018  | 29 June 2018
| María José Segarra
(1963-) | 29 June 2018  | 15 January 2020  |  | Pedro Sánchez
| Luis Navajas Ramos
Acting Attorney General
(1948-) | 15 January 2020  | 26 February 2020
| Dolores Delgado
(1962-) | 26 February 2020  | 20 July 2022
| María Ángeles Sánchez Conde
(1956-) | 20 July 2022  | 2 August 2022
| Álvaro García Ortiz
(1967-) | 2 August 2022  | Incumbent

## See also

[edit]

* Public Prosecutors Office
* General Council of the Judiciary
* Judiciary of Spain
* Justice ministry
* Minister of Justice
* Public Prosecutor (Autonomous Communities of Spain)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Public Prosecution Act 1981, Articles 1,2.
2. ^ a b European e-Justice Portal.
3. ^ Public Prosecution Act 1981, Articles 29,36.
4. ^ Public Prosecution Act 1981, Article 43,44,46.
5. ^ Mancha, periodicoclm.es | Periódico de Castilla-La. "Leopoldo Garrido Cavero: socialista conquense y fiscal de la República". periodicoclm.es | Periódico de Castilla-La Mancha (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2018-09-13.

### Notes

[edit]

1. ^ He held the position previously, at some point impossible to pinpoint exactly in 1843.
2. ^ It is unknown until what time he held the position. In April 1939, the Franco government approved an order that definitively separated him from the career along with other magistrates.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Public Prosecution Act (Organic Law 50/1981) (in Spanish). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado. 30 December 1981. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
* "Types of legal professions-Spain". European e-Justice Portal. European Commission. Retrieved 31 May 2024.

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