American Samoa Office of the Attorney General
AS AG
Summary
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The Attorney General is American Samoa's chief law enforcement officer under A.S.C.A. § 41.0207, with broad authority to prosecute criminal offenses committed by any person including law enforcement officers. The Criminal Division co-investigates with DPS on serious criminal matters and receives mandatory 72-hour reports from officers on domestic violence responses (A.S.C.A. § 47.0602).
The AG can also trigger appointment of an independent prosecutor for conflicts of interest (A.S.C.A. § 4.0802). The AG has no formal civilian composition requirement and no binding discipline authority over officers — discipline remains internal to DPS — but serves as the primary external check on officer criminal conduct through prosecution.
Independence Scorecard
| Appointment | Executive appointment |
|---|---|
| Term length | 4 years |
| Removal standard | At will (weak protection) |
| Budget independence | Executive discretion |
| Subpoena power | Yes |
| Compel testimony | Yes |
| Records access | Full access |
| Public reports required | No |
| Pre-publication review | None — reports published directly |
Statute
- Name
- American Samoa Code Annotated — Department of Legal Affairs
- Citation
- A.S.C.A. § 41.0207
- Full text
- Full text of law →
Jurisdiction scope
All territorial law enforcement and government agencies