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Montana Attorney General's Office records

 Collection
Identifier: RS-76

Scope and Contents

Records consist of general correspondence (1905-1920); subject files (1901-1962, includes name index 1947-1962); informal opinions (1897-1915); docket registers (1893-1963); dockets (1912-1966); land dockets (1902-1912); undocketed cases (1903-1968); financial ledgers (1905-1969); and an land abstract register (1921-1941).

Dates

  • Creation: 1893-1969

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

Collection open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Biographical / Historical

The Montana Attorney General was originally authorized under the Organic Act of 1864 which established Montana as a territory. The 1889 Constitution established the office as an elective executive office. The duties of the Attorney General included prosecuting and defending all cases to which the State or any county was a party; enforcing judgements reached in such cases; supervising county attorneys; giving opinions on legal issues to state agencies, the legislature, and county officials; to bid on property in the name of the state; and to serve ex officio on a variety of boards and commissions including the Board of Examiners, the Board of Land Commissioners, the Board of Education, the Board of Equalization, the Board of State Prison Commissioners, the Board of Pardons, and others. While the specifics of the duties have changed over the years, the general principal that the Attorney General is the attorney for the state, has remained constant. As the complexities of state government have increased the Attorney General has acquired a staff of Assistant Attorneys General to handle most of the work. Many of these are assigned to specific agencies. Among the Attorneys General during the period of these records were Albert J. Galen (1905-1913), S.C. Ford (1917-1921), L.A. Foot (1924-1933), Harrison J. Freeborn (1937-1941), R.V. Bottomly (1942-1949), Arnold Olsen (1949-1957), and Forrest Anderson (1957- ).

Extent

199 linear feet

Additional Description

Abstract

These records of the Montana Attorney General's Office consist of general correspondence (1905-1920); subject files (1900-1962); informal opinions (1897-1915); docket registers (1893-1963); docketed and undocketed case files (1902-1968); financial ledgers (1905-1969); and an abstract register (1921-1941). (RESTRICTION: Permission of State Archivist is required for use of folder 41 in Box 96)

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by series.

Physical Location

19:2-6

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Acquisition information is available upon request.

Subjects

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Guide to the Montana Attorney General's Office records, 1893-1969
Author
Finding aid prepared by MHS Staff
Date
2004
Description rules
Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Montana Historical Society, Research Center Archives Repository

https://mhs.mt.gov/research
Contact:
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT 59620-1201 United States
406-444-2681
406-444-2696 (Fax)

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