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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May 18, 2026
LANSING – Jason Kushmaul, 50, of Oakdale, Louisiana, was sentenced on May 15 by Judge Amy Clapp of the 49th Circuit Court in Osceola County to 12-25 years’ incarceration after pleading no contest to three counts of First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Kushmaul sexually assaulted three minors under the age of 13 from approximately 2002-2008 while living in Osceola County.
Kushmaul was initially charged in 2016 by the Osceola County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office after the victims reported the assaults, by which time he had already left Michigan. In February, Kushmaul was extradited to Osceola County and arraigned as part of Operation Survivor Justice.
“Fugitives who attempt to evade accountability not only delay closure for survivors, but they make communities less safe,” said Attorney General Nessel at the time the defendant pled. “I am proud of the work of prosecutors in my office and our Operation Survivor Justice partners who worked to bring justice to the victims in this case.”
A victim in this matter provided to the Court a victim impact statement that read, in part, “Accountability matters not only for what happened to me and the other victims, but also for the safety of others... It is my hope that this helps protect other young girls from having to live with the same experiences I have carried. For many years I carried this quietly. Today I speak for the child I once was, for the healing I have fought for, and for the hope that no other child will have to carry the same lifelong burden.”
A separate victim provided a victim impact statement that read, in part, “What makes me the angriest is knowing that I have carried the consequences of his actions for years while he still got to continue living his life. I was the child, yet I was the one left dealing with fear, anxiety, trust issues, and trauma that followed me into adulthood. I am speaking today because what happened to me mattered. The damage was real, and it was lifelong. I refuse to let this happen to other young girls.”
Operation Survivor Justice is a partnership between the Michigan Department of Attorney General, local county prosecutors, and the U.S. Marshals Service to locate, apprehend, and return to Michigan fugitive offenders with outstanding sexual assault warrants.
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