solicitor general

noun

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of solicitor general

plural solicitors general

: a law officer appointed primarily to assist an attorney general

See solicitor general defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of solicitor general from the Web

Winsor was appointed in February 2016 by Scott to the 1st District Court of Appeal after a nearly three-year stint as state solicitor general in Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office.

— jim saunders, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Trump nominates 2 for federal judgeships in Florida," 10 Apr. 2018
The filing was written by four Justice Department attorneys, including Michael Dreeben, who has argued more than 100 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court as deputy solicitor general.

— david voreacos, Bloomberg.com, "Mueller Releases Secret Memo Underpinning Manafort Probe," 3 Apr. 2018
Joshua Klein, a deputy solicitor general, said the clinics are required to provide the notices in 13 languages.

— david g. savage, latimes.com, "California disclosure law for pregnancy centers faces skeptical questions in Supreme Court," 20 Mar. 2018
Wolf’s legal team adds Neal Katyal, a former acting U.S. solicitor general who has argued multiple cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

— jonathan lai, Philly.com, "Pennsylvania, gerrymandered: A guide to Pa.'s congressional map redistricting fight," 8 Mar. 2018
The president's solicitor general told the courts the program was abandoned because it could not be defended in court and some states, like Texas, had moved to challenge it.

— jack holmes, Esquire, "The Supreme Court Just Boosted Dreamers with a Blow to Trump," 26 Feb. 2018
Theodore Olson, a Republican former solicitor general, declined to join Trump's legal team in the Russia matter.

— philip rucker and robert costa, chicagotribune.com, "'Tired of the wait game': White House stabilizers gone, Trump calling his own shots," 1 Apr. 2018
This week, Theodore Olson, who served as U.S. solicitor general under President George W. Bush and is one of Washington's most respected litigators, declined an offer to join Trump's team, according to a source with knowledge of the exchange.

— chris megerian, latimes.com, "Trump personal attorney John Dowd resigns in shake-up of president's legal team," 22 Mar. 2018
Federal appointments followed, including solicitor general of the United States, judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and governor-general of the Philippines.

— gerard helferich, WSJ, "‘William Howard Taft’ Review: Taking the Bully Out of the Pulpit," 19 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'solicitor general.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of solicitor general

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SOLICITOR GENERAL Defined for English Language Learners

solicitor general

noun

Definition of solicitor general for English Language Learners

: a law officer who assists an attorney general and is just below the attorney general in rank

Law Dictionary

solicitor general

noun

legal Definition of solicitor general

plural solicitors general

: a law officer appointed primarily to assist an attorney general; also : a federal law officer responsible for representing the government in court and especially the U.S. Supreme Court

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about solicitor general

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