The Michigan Department of Attorney General (DAG) works tirelessly to protect and serve the people of Michigan. The DAG handles a wide range of legal matters from civil and criminal cases, to providing legal counsel to state agencies and officers, to advocating for crime victims.
The Michigan Department of Attorney General utilizes the services of Special Assistant Attorneys General from time to time when the unique circumstances of a particular case create the need for specialized services not currently available within the department.
The Michigan Attorney General has determined that a full and complete investigation of what happened within the Catholic Church is required. This investigation is and will continue to be independent, thorough, transparent, and prompt. My department and this investigation will find out who knew what, and when.
The Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) investigates claims of innocence to determine whether there is clear and convincing new evidence that the convicted defendant was not the person who committed the offense.
In Michigan, a victim is an individual who suffers direct or threatened physical, financial, or emotional harm as a result of the commission of a crime.
Elder abuse happens when someone hurts, ignores, or takes advantage of an older adult. This may be someone who is of advanced age or is vulnerable and unable to protect themselves due to a mental or physical issues.
An expungement is a way to remove past offenses from your public record. Expansions under the “Clean Slate” laws include eligibility for up to three felonies and unlimited misdemeanors, excluding certain assault or weapons offenses and felonies that carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
To investigate and prosecute hate crimes by following up on every credible tip and offer departmental resources to assist local and federal law enforcement partners in this effort.
The Michigan Attorney General is leading the fight against this horrific crime by prosecuting the state's first-ever criminal cases under state law banning human trafficking in Michigan. Victims of human trafficking are in bondage through force, fraud or coercion, for the purpose of sex or labor exploitation.
Knowing how to guard your personal information is your first line of defense against identity theft.
Michigan workers enjoy a wide variety of legal protections regarding issues at work. There are a number of state and federal statutes that protect their wages, safety, and well-being.
Opioid addiction knows no social or economic barriers; it doesn’t care about race or gender. It claims young and old alike. The Michigan Department of Attorney General is committed to fighting this crisis.
Michigan Attorney General's robocall initiative is leading several efforts to protect Michigan residents from the billion plus robocalls made to them every year.
Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq, provides that requesters can receive copies or make inspections of most public records of public bodies upon written request.
The Open Meetings Act (OMA) took effect January 1, 1977. In enacting the OMA, the Legislature promoted a new era in governmental accountability and fostered openness in government to enhance responsible decision making.1 Nothing in the OMA prohibits a public body from adopting an ordinance, resolution, rule, or charter provision that requires a greater degree of openness relative to public body meetings than the standards provided for in the OMA. 2
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October 03, 2025
LANSING – The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan has dismissed a lawsuit (PDF) filed by anti-abortion plaintiffs, including Right to Life of Michigan, which sought to strike down the right to reproductive freedom under multiple provisions of the U.S. Constitution. The Department of Attorney General filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in January 2024 on behalf of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
“Medical decisions belong to individuals and their doctors, not politicians and special interest groups,” Nessel said. “This ruling is a reminder that our Constitution and the will of Michigan voters cannot be struck down because anti-abortion individuals don’t like the outcome. My office will continue to defend Michiganders against attempts to roll back their rights and protect bodily autonomy.”
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the authority to regulate abortion was left to individual states, triggering a patchwork of highly restrictive laws across the country. In Michigan, this ruling immediately threatened to revive an extreme, decades-old statute that criminalized all abortions except those performed to preserve the life of the pregnant individual. To definitively resolve the issue and safeguard reproductive rights within this state, Michigan voters passed Proposal 3, amending the state Constitution to enshrine a right to reproductive freedom.
In November 2023, Right to Life of Michigan, along with Republican lawmakers and others opposed to Michiganders’ right to reproductive freedom, filed a federal lawsuit seeking to invalidate and enjoin Article 1, Section 28 of the Michigan Constitution, which became the law following the passage of Proposal 3. The lawsuit named Attorney General Nessel, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson as defendants and sought to overturn the will of the People of Michigan.
The Attorney General, along with the other state Defendants, filed a motion to dismiss in late January 2024. In response, Plaintiffs amended their complaint. In April 2024, the Department filed a reply in support of the Defendants’ motion to dismiss, arguing that Plaintiffs’ amended complaint remained fundamentally flawed and meritless.
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan sided with Defendants, holding that each of the 15 Plaintiffs lacked standing to maintain their claims and dismissing all claims against Defendants.
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