Opinions
The primary mission of the Opinions Bureau is to provide legal advice to the Attorney General's statutory advisees through written opinions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Can Request an Opinion from the Attorney General?
As the chief legal officer of the State, the Attorney General is authorized to advise Illinois state officers, state agencies, and State's Attorneys on matters related to their official duties. The Statement of Policy of the Attorney General Relating to Furnishing Written Opinions (link below) provides additional information concerning persons to whom opinions will be issued, the form in which opinion requests should be made, and the situations in which no opinion will be issued.
Can the Attorney General Advise Private Citizens or Local Government Officials?
The Attorney General is not authorized to provide legal advice to private persons or entities, or the various public corporations, municipal corporations, townships, or other political subdivisions of the State. The Opinions Bureau can provide copies of previously issued opinions upon request.
How Can I Obtain a Copy of a Previously Issued Opinion?
This website allows access to the Official Opinions of the Illinois Attorney General from 1971 until the present. Official opinions issued before 1971 and unpublished opinions (opinion numbers with the letters "NP" or "I") are available from the Opinions Bureau.
