Spanish Attorney General Explained

Post:	Attorney General of the State
Insignia:	Spanish Judiciary Badge-Public Prosecutor.svg
Insigniasize:	120px
Department:	Public Prosecution Ministry
Incumbent:	Álvaro García Ortiz
Incumbentsince:	2 August 2022
Acting:	no
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
Termlength:	4 years
First:	Juan Manuel Fanjul Sedeño
Constituting Instrument:	Spanish Constitution
Formation:	1978
Deputy:	Lieutenant Attorney of the Supreme Court
Salary:	€ 132,235 per year (2023)

The Attorney General of the State (), or also, Prosecutor General, is the head of the Public Prosecutor's Office (Ministerio Fiscal), the independent body within the Judiciary, 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.

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.

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).

Functions

According to the law of the Public Prosecutor's Office:The funcions of the Public Prosecutor (Attorney General) include:

• 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

See 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.

• 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

Status

Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office
	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^[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^[2] ^[3]		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 (1948 -)	18 November 2017	11 December 2017
	Julián Sánchez Melgar (1955 - -)	11 December 2017	22 June 2018
	Luis Navajas Ramos (1948 -)	22 June 2018	29 June 2018
	María José Segarra (1963 -)	29 June 2018	15 January 2020		Pedro Sánchez
	Luis Navajas Ramos (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

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

References

Notes

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.
3. Web site: Leopoldo Garrido Cavero: socialista conquense y fiscal de la República. Mancha. periodicoclm.es Periódico de Castilla-La. periodicoclm.es Periódico de Castilla-La Mancha. es-ES. 2018-09-13.

Bibliography

• 50/1981 . Public Prosecution Act . 30 December 1981 . 5 June 2024 . Organic Law. es. Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado. .
• Web site: Types of legal professions-Spain. European e-Justice Portal. 31 May 2024. European Commission. .