solicitor general

noun

, plural solicitors general.

1. a law officer who maintains the rights of the state in suits affecting the public interest, next in rank to the attorney general.
2. the chief legal officer in some states.
3. (initial capital letters) the law officer of the U.S. government next below the Attorney General, having charge of appeals, as to the Supreme Court.

Solicitor General

noun

1. (in Britain) the law officer of the Crown ranking next to the Attorney General (in Scotland to the Lord Advocate) and acting as his assistant
2. (in New Zealand) the government's chief lawyer: head of the Crown Law Office and prosecutor for the Crown

Word History and Origins

Origin of solicitor general¹

First recorded in 1525–35

Example Sentences

When lower courts ruled in favor of the paper and editors, the solicitor general took the cases to the Supreme Court.

From ProPublica

Roberts’ first question to the solicitor general of Mississippi was about the arbitrariness of viability, citing the revelations of Blackmun’s original views.

From No Straight News

Olson was later successfully nominated for the post of Solicitor General by Bush in 2001.

From The Daily Beast

Justice Elena Kagan was recused from the case because she participated in the suit as solicitor general.

From The Daily Beast

Studies show that, in the past, the solicitor general won approximately 70 percent of its cases in the Supreme Court.

From The Daily Beast

Furthermore, Elena Kagan is sitting this case out because she worked on it as solicitor general.

From The Daily Beast

Kagan had already recused herself from many Supreme Court cases because of her involvement in them as solicitor general.

From The Daily Beast

The following year found Campbell solicitor-general, a knight and member for Dudley, which he represented till 1834.

From Project Gutenberg

Ministers had acted on the opinion of the attorney and solicitor-general, and they now defended that opinion.

From Project Gutenberg

Sir William Follett, the solicitor-general, followed on the same side as the latter.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Perrin was named attorney-general, and Mr. O'Loghlin, solicitor-general.

From Project Gutenberg

Encouraged by hunt of last night turn again upon Solicitor-General.

From Project Gutenberg