Nebraska Attorney General

The Nebraska attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer and lawyer for the U.S. state of Nebraska.

Attorney General of Nebraska
Incumbent Mike Hilgers since January 5, 2023
Type	Chief legal officer
Seat	Lincoln
Term length	4 years
Formation	February 21, 1867
First holder	Champion Chase
Website	Nebraska Attorney General official website

List of attorneys general

Parties

  Republican (26)   Democratic (6)   Fusion (Democratic/Populist) (1)

#	Image	Attorney General	Term	Party
1		Champion S. Chase[a]	1867–1869	Republican
2		Seth Robinson	1869–1871	Republican
3		George H. Roberts	1871–1873	Republican
4		Joseph R. Webster	1873–1875	Republican
–		George H. Roberts	1875–1879	Republican
5		Caleb J. Dilworth[1]	1879–1883	Republican
6		Isaac Powers, Jr.	1883–1885	Republican
7		William Leese	1885–1891	Republican
8		George H. Hastings	1891–1895	Republican
9		Arthur S. Churchill	1895–1897	Republican
10		Constantine J. Smyth	1897–1901	Fusion[b]
11		Frank N. Prout	1901–1905	Republican
12		Norris Brown	1905–1907	Republican
13		William T. Thompson[c]	1907–1910	Republican
14		Arthur F. Mullen[d]	1910–1911	Democratic
15		Grant G. Martin	1911–1915	Republican
16		Willis E. Reed	1915–1919	Democratic
17		Clarence A. Davis	1919–1923	Republican
18		Ora S. Spillman	1923–1929	Republican
19		Christian A. Sorensen	1929–1933	Republican
20		Paul F. Good	1933–1935	Democratic
21		William H. Wright	1935–1937	Democratic
22		Richard C. Hunter	1937–1939	Democratic
23		Walter R. Johnson	1939–1949	Republican
24		James H. Anderson[e]	1949–1950	Republican
25		Clarence S. Beck[f]	1950–1951	Republican
26		Harold P. Caldwell[g]	1951 (one day)	Democratic
–		Clarence S. Beck[h]	1951–1961	Republican
27		Clarence A. H. Meyer	1961–1975	Republican
28		Paul L. Douglas[i]	1975–1984	Republican
29		Robert M. Spire[j]	1985–1991	Republican
30		Don Stenberg	1991–2003	Republican
31		Jon Bruning	2003–2015	Republican
32		Doug Peterson	2015–2023	Republican
33		Mike Hilgers	2023–present	Republican

Notes

1. Term began February 21, 1867.
2. Joint Populist-Democratic ticket.
3. Resigned.
4. Appointed to fill vacancy. In office October 31, 1910, to January 5, 1911.
5. Resigned.
6. Appointed by Governor Val Peterson to fill vacancy on March 1, 1950; elected in November 1950.
7. Caldwell was elected in a special election to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of James H. Anderson. Although the governor had appointed Clarence S. Beck to the post, Caldwell argued that it was still a vacancy to be filled by a special election, since the governor's appointee could only hold office "until the next election."^[2] Since no other candidates filed to run to fill the short-term vacancy, Caldwell was elected, but his election was disputed. Caldwell argued that he should take office immediately upon the vote being certified on November 27, 1950,^[3] whereas Beck argued that Caldwell couldn't take office until the Nebraska Legislature canvassed the result on January 2, 1951.^[4] The Nebraska Supreme Court heard the dispute on December 2, 1950, and sided with Beck that Caldwell could not take office until the Legislature canvassed the vote.^[5] Caldwell became attorney general on January 2, 1951, after the Legislature had canvassed the vote. He only served in office about 31 hours until midnight on January 4, 1951, when Beck was reinstated pursuant to Nebraska Constitution Article XVII, Section 5.^[6][7]
8. Originally appointed in March 1950 and elected to a full term in November 1950, Beck took the office back on January 4, 1951, after Harold P. Caldwell occupied it for roughly 31 hours.^[6][7]
9. Resigned.
10. Appointed by Governor Bob Kerrey to fill vacancy. Sworn in on March 1, 1985; elected in 1986.