Steve Marshall

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Steve Marshall
BornSteven Troy Marshall
26 10, 1964
BirthplaceAtmore, Alabama, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationLawyer, politician
TitleAttorney General of Alabama
Known for48th Attorney General of Alabama
EducationUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA)
University of Alabama School of Law (JD)
Children4

Steven Troy Marshall (born October 26, 1964) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 48th Attorney General of Alabama. Appointed to the position in February 2017 by Governor Robert Bentley following the elevation of Luther Strange to the United States Senate, Marshall has since won election to the office in his own right in 2018 and secured re-election in 2022. Before becoming attorney general, he served for sixteen years as the district attorney of Marshall County, Alabama. A former member of the Democratic Party, Marshall switched his affiliation to the Republican Party in 2011. Throughout his tenure as attorney general, he has been involved in numerous high-profile legal actions and policy positions at both the state and national level, including joining multistate litigation on immigration policy and consumer protection matters. In May 2025, Marshall announced his candidacy for the United States Senate in the 2026 election, seeking to replace retiring Senator Tommy Tuberville.[1]

Early Life

Steven Troy Marshall was born on October 26, 1964, in Atmore, Alabama, a small city in Escambia County in the southern part of the state.[2] Marshall grew up in Alabama and pursued his education within the southeastern United States. Details about his parents and childhood upbringing are limited in publicly available records, though his career trajectory from a small Alabama city to a prominent state legal office followed a path through both undergraduate and legal education at major Southern universities.

Education

Marshall attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.[3] He subsequently enrolled at the University of Alabama School of Law, where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree.[3] His legal education at the University of Alabama prepared him for a career in prosecution and public service within the Alabama legal system.

Career

District Attorney of Marshall County

Marshall began his career in prosecution and rose to the position of district attorney for Marshall County, a position he assumed in 2001.[4] He served in this role for approximately sixteen years, overseeing criminal prosecutions across the county. His predecessor as district attorney was Ronald Thompson, and upon Marshall's departure in February 2017, Everette Johnson succeeded him in the role.

During his lengthy tenure as district attorney, Marshall established a record as a prosecutor in north Alabama. His service in Marshall County provided him with extensive courtroom experience and a foundation in criminal law that would later inform his work as the state's chief legal officer.

In December 2011, while still serving as district attorney, Marshall switched his party affiliation from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.[5] The party switch reflected a broader trend among conservative Southern Democrats who realigned with the Republican Party in the early 21st century, particularly in Alabama where the Democratic Party's influence had been declining in statewide and local offices.

Appointment as Attorney General

On February 10, 2017, Governor Robert Bentley appointed Marshall to serve as the 48th Attorney General of Alabama.[6][4] The appointment came to fill the vacancy created when the previous attorney general, Luther Strange, was appointed to the United States Senate by Bentley to fill the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions, who had been confirmed as United States Attorney General. Marshall was relatively unknown on the statewide political stage at the time of his appointment, having served primarily in the local prosecutorial role in Marshall County.[2]

Marshall took office on February 10, 2017, and immediately assumed responsibility for the state's legal apparatus, including oversight of criminal appeals, consumer protection, and the defense of state laws in court.[4]

Tenure as Attorney General

Immigration and DACA

In his first year as attorney general, Marshall became involved in national immigration policy debates. In June 2017, he was among a group of state attorneys general who urged President Donald Trump to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which had been established under the Obama administration to provide temporary protection from deportation for undocumented immigrants who had been brought to the United States as children.[7] The letter, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, threatened legal action if the Trump administration did not rescind the program by September 5, 2017.[8] The Southern Poverty Law Center publicly criticized the attorneys general, including Marshall, characterizing the effort as "cruel and heartless."[9]

Confederate Monuments

Marshall took legal action related to the preservation of Confederate monuments in Alabama. He filed a lawsuit against the city of Birmingham and its mayor over the covering of a Confederate monument in the city.[10] The legal dispute centered on the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act, a state law that restricted the removal or alteration of historical monuments. Marshall also addressed the removal of the Admiral Raphael Semmes statue in Mobile, Alabama, asking the city to explain its actions regarding the statue's removal.[11]

Cannabis Banking Reform

In a departure from some of his more conservative policy positions, Marshall joined attorneys general from 33 states in urging Congress to enact banking reform for the cannabis industry.[12] The bipartisan effort sought to address the difficulties faced by legal cannabis businesses in accessing banking services due to the federal prohibition on marijuana, which created safety and regulatory concerns as many businesses were forced to operate on a cash-only basis.

Public Integrity Prosecutions

As attorney general, Marshall has pursued public corruption and public integrity cases. In November 2025, his office announced the conviction of an Eleventh Judicial Circuit judge for abuse of public office.[13] In February 2026, his office announced the arrest of a former Tuscaloosa nursing home financial officer on felony theft charges for allegedly stealing money from nursing home residents.[14]

Consumer Protection

Marshall has used the attorney general's office to pursue consumer protection actions. In November 2025, his office filed suit against a Cullman IV infusion clinic for allegedly administering dangerous, unapproved weight loss drugs to patients. Marshall stated that "patients who relied on this clinic were unknowingly injected with substances labeled strictly for research use."[15]

Capital Punishment

Marshall has been a proponent of capital punishment enforcement in Alabama. In October 2025, he issued a public statement following the execution of convicted murderer Anthony Todd Boyd, affirming the state's pursuit of the death penalty in capital cases.[16]

January 6 Capitol Events

In January 2021, reporting revealed that Marshall had served in a leadership role with the Rule of Law Defense Fund, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Republican Attorneys General Association, which helped organize communications related to the rally in Washington, D.C., that preceded the January 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol.[17] The Rule of Law Defense Fund had sent robocalls encouraging people to march to the Capitol.[18] The revelation drew scrutiny and criticism from political opponents and some media outlets.

2020 Presidential Election

Marshall's position regarding the 2020 United States presidential election drew media attention. In a 2022 interview, he declined to state that Joe Biden had been duly elected as president, a stance that attracted coverage from national news outlets.[19]

Elections

2018 Election

Marshall ran for a full term as attorney general in the 2018 Republican primary. During the campaign, his runoff opponent Troy King accused Marshall of campaign finance violations.[20] Marshall won the Republican primary and subsequently won the general election, securing a full four-year term as attorney general.

2022 Re-election

Marshall ran for re-election in 2022 and won, continuing his service as Alabama's attorney general.

2026 U.S. Senate Campaign

In May 2025, Marshall announced his candidacy for the United States Senate seat being vacated by Senator Tommy Tuberville, who announced he would run for governor of Alabama rather than seek re-election in 2026.[21] Marshall entered a competitive Republican primary field. As of February 2026, polling suggested that nearly half of Alabama Republican voters remained undecided in the Senate race, with five Republican candidates actively competing for the nomination.[22]

In January 2026, after President Trump endorsed a rival Republican candidate, Marshall publicly stated that his plan to win the race and "fight for President Trump's agenda" was unchanged by the endorsement, positioning himself as a frontrunner in the race despite the endorsement going to another candidate.[23]

Personal Life

Marshall has four children. His first wife, Bridgette Marshall, died by suicide, a fact that Marshall publicly confirmed in June 2018.[24] In a June 2018 interview with NPR, Marshall spoke publicly about his late wife's struggles with mental health and substance dependence, offering a candid account that was unusual for a public official in Alabama.[25] Marshall's willingness to discuss the circumstances of his wife's death in the context of mental health awareness was noted by media outlets at the time.

Marshall has since remarried.

References

  1. ↑ "Alabama AG Marshall announces U.S. Senate bid, presents school safety award".WTVM.2026-02-23.https://www.wtvm.com/2026/02/23/alabama-ag-marshall-announces-us-senate-bid-presents-school-safety-award/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Five Things You Need to Know About Steve Marshall".Alabama Today.http://altoday.com/archives/24593-five-things-you-need-to-know-about-steve-marshall-2.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Attorney General Biography".Alabama Attorney General's Office.https://web.archive.org/web/20170323160614/http://ago.state.al.us/page-biography.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Marshall County DA appointed to state Attorney General post".WHNT News 19.2017-02-10.http://whnt.com/2017/02/10/marshall-county-da-appointed-to-state-attorney-general-post/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  5. ↑ "Marshall County District Attorney switches parties".AL.com.2011-12.http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/12/marshall_county_district_attor.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  6. ↑ "Steve Marshall named Alabama Attorney General".AL.com.2017-02-10.http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2017/02/steve_marshall_named_alabama_a.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  7. ↑ "Texas leads 10 states urging Trump to end DACA".The Texas Tribune.2017-06-29.https://www.texastribune.org/2017/06/29/texas-leads-10-states-urging-trump-end-daca/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  8. ↑ "SPLC denounces letter from 10 attorneys general seeking 'cruel and heartless' repeal of DACA".Southern Poverty Law Center.2017-06-30.https://www.splcenter.org/news/2017/06/30/splc-denounces-letter-10-attorneys-general-seeking-%E2%80%98cruel-and-heartless%E2%80%99-repeal-daca.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  9. ↑ "SPLC denounces letter from 10 attorneys general seeking 'cruel and heartless' repeal of DACA".Southern Poverty Law Center.2017-06-30.https://www.splcenter.org/news/2017/06/30/splc-denounces-letter-10-attorneys-general-seeking-%E2%80%98cruel-and-heartless%E2%80%99-repeal-daca.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  10. ↑ "Alabama AG Steve Marshall sues Birmingham mayor for covering Confederate statue".Yellowhammer News.https://web.archive.org/web/20170821175439/http://yellowhammernews.com/faithandculture/alabama-ag-steve-marshall-sues-birmingham-mayor-for-covering-confederate-statue-lhuff/amp/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  11. ↑ "Alabama Attorney General asks Mobile to explain Admiral Semmes statue removal".NBC 15.https://mynbc15.com/news/local/alabama-attorney-general-asks-mobile-to-explain-admiral-semmes-statue-removal.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  12. ↑ "Attorneys general from 33 states urge banking reform for pot industry".PBS NewsHour.https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/attorneys-general-from-33-states-urge-banking-reform-for-pot-industry.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  13. ↑ "Attorney General Steve Marshall Announces the Conviction of Eleventh Judicial Circuit Judge for Abuse of Public Office".Alabama Attorney General's Office.2025-11-07.https://www.alabamaag.gov/attorney-general-steve-marshall-announces-the-conviction-of-eleventh-judicial-circuit-judge-for-abuse-of-public-office/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ "Former Tuscaloosa Nursing Home Financial Officer Arrested on Theft Charges".ABC 33/40.2026-02-23.https://abc3340.com/news/local/alabama-former-tuscaloosa-nursing-home-financial-officer-arrested-on-theft-charges-tameko-h-green-felony-attorney-general-steve-marshall.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  15. ↑ "Attorney General Steve Marshall Files Suit Against Cullman IV Infusion Clinic for Administering Dangerous, Unapproved Weight Loss Drugs".Alabama Attorney General's Office.2025-11-10.https://www.alabamaag.gov/attorney-general-steve-marshall-files-suit-against-cullman-iv-infusion-clinic-for-administering-dangerous-unapproved-weight-loss-drugs/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  16. ↑ "Attorney General Steve Marshall's Statement on the Execution of Convicted Murderer Anthony Todd Boyd".Alabama Attorney General's Office.2025-10-23.https://www.alabamaag.gov/attorney-general-steve-marshalls-statement-on-the-execution-of-convicted-murderer-anthony-todd-boyd/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  17. ↑ "Alabama AG leads nonprofit that helped organize march at Capitol".Alabama Political Reporter.2021-01-07.https://www.alreporter.com/2021/01/07/alabama-ag-leads-nonprofit-that-helped-organize-march-at-capitol/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  18. ↑ "Rule of Law Defense Fund".ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/465130903.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  19. ↑ "Alabama's AG won't say Biden is duly elected president".NBC News.https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/alabamas-ag-not-say-biden-duly-elected-president-rcna21405.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  20. ↑ "Alabama AG Steve Marshall accused of campaign finance violations by runoff opponent Troy King".WHNT News 19.https://whnt.com/news/politics/alabama-ag-steve-marshall-accused-of-campaign-finance-violations-by-runoff-opponent-troy-king/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  21. ↑ "Alabama AG Marshall announces U.S. Senate bid, presents school safety award".WTVM.2026-02-23.https://www.wtvm.com/2026/02/23/alabama-ag-marshall-announces-us-senate-bid-presents-school-safety-award/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  22. ↑ "GOP candidates vie for Alabama U.S. Senate seat as nearly half of voters remain undecided".WTVY.2026-02-19.https://www.wtvy.com/2026/02/19/gop-candidates-vie-alabama-us-senate-seat-nearly-half-voters-remain-undecided/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  23. ↑ "Alabama US Senate frontrunner won't back down after Trump endorses GOP rival".AL.com.2026-01.https://www.al.com/politics/2026/01/alabama-us-senate-frontrunner-wont-back-down-after-trump-endorses-gop-rival.html.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  24. ↑ "Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall confirms wife Bridgette Marshall's death was suicide".Montgomery Advertiser.2018-06-27.https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/27/alabama-attorney-general-steve-marshall-confirms-wife-bridgette-marshalls-death-suicide/739015002/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  25. ↑ "AL Attorney General Opens Up About Late Wife's Mental Health And Dependence Struggles".NPR.2018-06-28.https://www.npr.org/2018/06/28/624233492/al-attorney-general-opens-up-about-late-wifes-mental-health-and-dependence-strug.Retrieved 2026-02-24.

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