Many sections of the Attorney General’s Office exist to help state offices and agencies by representing them in legal matters, offering expert advice and guidance, and providing additional services. Those sections:
- Civil Rights represents the Ohio Civil Rights Commission in its mission to protect equal opportunity and eliminate unlawful discrimination.
- Collections Enforcement collects outstanding debt owed to state agencies, institutions, boards, commissions, public universities and hospitals, and local governmental entities.
- Constitutional Offices serves as legal counsel to the Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer and Attorney General, as well as the General Assembly and certain branches of the judiciary.
- Court of Claims Defense defends cases filed against the state in the Ohio Court of Claims and handles appeals of those cases.
- Criminal Justice, through its Corrections Unit, represents the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and Department of Youth Services against lawsuits brought by inmates.
- Education represents Ohio’s 14 universities and 23 two-year community colleges and technical colleges.
- Employment Law provides legal advice and representation regarding an array of employment matters to all state departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions, elected officials and public colleges and universities. The section also represents those entities and others in Workers’ Compensation matters.
- Environmental Enforcement represents Ohio’s Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Natural Resources, and the Department of Agriculture’s Division of Livestock Environmental Permitting and Division of Soil and Water Conservation, among other agencies that safeguard the state’s natural resources.
- Executive Agencies provides counsel to seven cabinet agencies and more than 80 state boards and commissions.
- Health & Human Services represents agencies in the health care, licensing and public benefit areas, such as the Departments of Department of Health, Medicaid and Job and Family Services.
- The Office of the Solicitor General represents Ohio and its agencies on appeals in the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the Ohio Supreme Court and other state and federal courts.
- Public Utilities represents the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio as well as the Power Siting Board, which reviews plans for new energy facilities.
- Taxation represents the Tax Commissioner of Ohio, who is charged with administering and enforcing most of the state income tax, state sales and use taxes, and several business and excise taxes.
- Workers’ Compensation provides legal counsel and advice to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and the Industrial Commission of Ohio.