In Brazil the Attorney-General is the head of the federal prosecution office, called "Ministério Público Federal", an autonomous agency in charge of criminal prosecution, the defense of minorities' interests, the environment, and the protection of constitutional principles and rules. The Attorney-General heads a group of independent magistrates who work to investigate and prosecute criminal and civil offenses committed against society and, specially, against racial, sexual, religious and political minorities or the environment.

Since 1993, the Attorney-General's Office is no longer in charge of the legal advising and representation of the Executive Branch before court, which has been ascribed to the Brazilian Solicitor-General. In addition, the Minister of Justice, as a cabinet member, completes the Brazilian law enforcement structure by being in charge of the Federal Police Department, amongst other duties. Please see discussion tab *** The Office of the Advocate-General is the Brazilian institution which, directly or indirectly, represents the federal government either in judicial or non-judicial instances, being also in charge of legal advising for the governments administration. ...

Federal police investigating activities are overseen by federal prosecutors (Procuradores da República) at the Attorney-General's office. Since Brazil is a Federation, every state has its local prosecution office, the State Attorney-General, with the same attributions, at a local level, of the federal office. A State prosecutor is called Promotor de Justiça. Both federal and state prosecutors are public officials who start in their jobs only after approval in public examinations.

See also

• Attorney General

In most common law jurisdictions, the Attorney General is the main legal adviser to the government, and in some jurisdictions may in addition have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions. ...

External links

• Official website of the Brazilian Attorney-General´s Office