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) reviews cases where someone is saying they did not commit the crime(s) of which they were convicted. There must be new evidence that shows they did not commit the crime. This new evidence must rise to the legal standard of "clear and convincing" evidence of innocence.
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 removes a conviction from public view. Most employers, landlords, and background checks will not see it. Law enforcement and some licensing agencies may still access it. This page will help explain who qualifies, how the process works, and where to get help.
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
Search is currently unavailable. Please try again later.
The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer.
August 31, 2026
LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is congratulating outstanding Department of Attorney General staff recently recognized for their contributions to the State of Michigan.
“I am incredibly proud of these dedicated and talented attorneys,” said Attorney General Nessel. “They are deeply committed to serving the people of Michigan, and these recognitions highlight the real impact of their work.”
Assistant Attorneys General Daniel Ping and Kirsten J. Silwanowicz and Assistant Solicitor General Kyla Barranco were selected as 2026 Fellows of the Michigan State Bar Foundation. Established in 1984, the Fellows Program recognizes Michigan attorneys for their professional excellence and service to the community. The Fellows are leaders who embody the highest traditions of the legal profession and are committed to advancing access to justice throughout the state. The Fellows Program supports the Michigan State Bar Foundation’s mission to improve the administration of justice and expand the delivery of civil legal services to vulnerable populations in Michigan. Each year, a select group of attorneys and judges are invited to join the Fellows Program following a peer nomination and selection process. There are more than 1,500 active Fellows statewide.
Donald McGehee, Division Chief of the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division, also recently received the 2026 Michigan Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking (MCRUD) State Champion of the Year Award. MCRUD is an alcohol policy organization that advocates to reduce underage drinking and other alcohol related health and safety concerns. This award is given to a person who is committed to preventing/reducing underage drinking and other alcohol related problems and has done outstanding work at the state level. This award recognizes McGehee's commitment and contributions to preventing underage drinking and other alcohol related problems and creating a healthier Michigan.
Assistant Attorney General Jenna Astolfi was also the recipient of the Detroit Bar Association’s Barristers President's Awards as part of its 2026 Young Lawyer Awards. This award recognizes a young attorney whose early career has exhibited high standards of service to the profession, his or her clients, and the public.
Jenna Astolfi
Astolfi is an Assistant Attorney General with the Assistance with Convictions & Expungements Division. Prior to joining the Department in 2024, she served as a staff attorney at the William Booth Legal Aid Clinic, where she advocated for indigent clients in a variety of matters, and co-taught University of Detroit Mercy Law School's Family Law Clinic. Prior to that, she clerked for the Honorable Carla Testani in the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County. Astolfi is active with the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan and the Detroit Bar Association. She earned her J.D. and B.A. from Wayne State University.
Barranco joined the Department in 2016 as an Assistant Attorney General in the State Operations Division and was appointed as an Assistant Solicitor General in 2024. Her practice with the Department has encompassed reproductive rights litigation, civil rights litigation, employment law, tort defense, and other special projects. She has briefed and argued cases in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court, and the Michigan Court of Appeals, as well as co-drafted briefs filed in the U.S. Supreme Court. She was a co-recipient of the WMU-Cooley Law Review’s Distinguished Brief Award for Rouch World, LLC v. Department of Civil Rights. Barranco serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore and is a member of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan. Barranco earned her J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law in 2016 and her B.A. from Loyola University Chicago in 2013.
McGehee is the Division Chief of the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division, which provides general legal counsel to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, Bureau of State Lottery, Michigan Gaming Control Board, Michigan Sheriffs’ Coordinating and Training Counsel, Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The division also provides legal counsel on all firearms issues and investigates and handles complaints filed by citizens concerning Michigan’s bottle deposit law.
McGehee was first appointed as an Assistant Attorney General in 1985 by former Attorney General Frank J. Kelley and has served under five Attorneys General. He is a recognized expert in alcohol and gaming law. He co-authored various legislative amendments to the Liquor Control Code and Michigan Gaming laws and their Administrative Rules. He was one of the principal attorneys for Michigan on the landmark Supreme Court decision in Heald v Granholm and the Sixth Circuit decision in Lebamoff v Whitmer & Gagliardi (direct shipping cases involving the interplay between the Dormant Commerce Clause and the 21st Amendment).
Daniel Ping
Ping joined the Department in 2018 and was appointed as an Appellate Specialist in 2024. His diverse practice with the Department has included criminal appeals, consumer protection, constitutional litigation, and special projects. A member of the State Bar’s U.S. Courts Committee and a councilmember of the State Bar’s Appellate Practice Section, Ping previously clerked at the Michigan Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Before that, he provided legal aid to residents of New York City’s adult homes. Ping graduated magna cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School in 2011.
Silwanowicz currently serves as an Assistant Attorney General in the Health, Education, and Family Services Division of the Michigan Department of Attorney General, where she represents state agencies dedicated to improving the health, education, and well-being of Michigan residents. In this role, she provides strategic legal counsel on complex governmental matters while advancing the Department’s mission of protecting the public interest. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, where she prepares future lawyers for the realities of modern in-house practice through practical, skills-based instruction.
Silwanowicz is deeply involved in both the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan (WLAM) and the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL). She currently serves as President of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, where she leads statewide initiatives focused on leadership development, mentorship, belonging, and advancing women in the legal profession. She is also a past President of the WLAM Wayne Region and an active leader within the NAWL. Silwanowicz earned her J.D. from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and her B.A. in Spanish from Michigan State University.
###
Media Contact:
Court grants Michigan and 24 states emergency relief just 36 hours after case was filed.
Lawsuit Seeks to Block Unconstitutional USPS Rule that Directs States to Overhaul Vote-by-Mail Procedures on an Impossible Timeline and Risks Disenfranchising Eligible Voters
Attorney General to host press conference later today.