The Attorney General is the lawyer for the State of Texas. In addition, the Office of the Attorney General is the state agency charged with collecting court-ordered child support and administering the Texas Crime Victims' Compensation Fund.
The Lawyer for the State of Texas
Clients of the agency's legal services include, among others, state agencies and their general counsels, opinion requestors authorized by statute, governmental entities that seek rulings under the Texas Public Information Act, bond counsel, and prosecutors who request the Attorney General's assistance in trying cases.
The Office of the Attorney General promotes the highest ethical and professional standards applicable to all the lawyers who practice here, and is committed to the highest standards of customer service. Assistant Attorneys General employ all appropriate means to protect and advance the legitimate rights, claims, and objectives of their client agencies. The conduct of agency lawyers is characterized at all times by honesty, candor, and fairness. Assistant Attorneys General subscribe to the Texas Lawyers Creed, as promulgated by the Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Response times for many legal services, including the issuance of Attorney General Opinions, Open Records Decisions and letters, and bond review, are set by statute. The Office of the Attorney General and all of its legal staff timely comply with all statutory deadlines and exercise thoroughness and diligence in all investigations, prosecutions, litigation and other legal services.
Child Support Agency for the State of Texas
The Attorney General's Child Support Division is committed to helping Texas parents provide the financial, medical and emotional support their children need to succeed in life. We will achieve this by focusing on children, collections, and customer service.
Your case is important to employees of the Attorney General's Child Support Division. To serve you better, we will:
- Provide prompt and courteous customer service
- Treat you fairly and with respect
- Answer your questions and recognize your concerns
- Never forget the children and families we are helping
If you have a concern or a suggestion, you can:
- Discuss the concern or suggestion with the person who served you.
- Speak to the unit manager or ombudsman
- Send an inquiry to the Child Support Interactive Page.
- Use Complaint Form 1600, which is available electronically and at all child support offices.
If after consulting the local and regional ombudsman you are still not satisfied, your complaint will be forwarded to the State Office Ombudsman.
Crime Victim Services
The Crime Victim Services Division - strives to serve victims of violent crime in Texas and those who assist them. A respect for victims underlies the division's guiding principles:
- Conduct all services in a compassionate, efficient, and fair manner.
- Serve the state's victim service providers through training and technical assistance.
- Communicate the purposes and services of the programs to all citizens of Texas.
The mission of the Crime Victims' Compensation Program is to assist victims of violent crime and their families with out-of-pocket, medical, mental health, and funeral expenses not covered by insurance or other sources. Program staff are committed to ensuring that eligible victims are afforded all benefits for which they qualify in the most compassionate, equitable, and efficient manner possible. Victims denied benefits from the Crime Victims' Compensation Program are provided with a brochure describing their right to appeal the decision.
The Crime Victim Services Division offers training to ensure that crime victims are informed about benefits available through the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund, and to ensure that they receive any assistance they might need during the application process.
The Sexual Assault Prevention and Crisis Services Program administers grants to support sexual assault programs across the state. Program staff provide technical assistance to service providers on a wide variety of topics. The Program also certifies Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) to promote both the sensitive and compassionate treatment of sexual assault survivors and the effective prosecution of offenders.
The Crime Victim Services Division widely distributes publications and makes presentations at local, state, and national conferences. The Division maintains an internet mailbox for questions and comments. All managers are directed to have their staff provide a prompt response when a request or complaint is received by e-mail, fax, or telephone. The Division has a Victim Assistance and Communications Director who serves as an ombudsman and a Victim Assistance Coordinator who provides information to victims involved with special prosecution and Capital appeal cases.
It is a major objective of the Crime Victim Services Division that victims and those who work with them -- including service providers, health care professionals, criminal justice professionals, and the judiciary -- are aware of the rights afforded to victims under Texas law. The Office of the Attorney General will make every effort to promote the rights of victims of both juvenile and adult offenders.