The Supreme Court of Tennessee chose Slatery to succeed Robert E. Cooper Jr. as attorney general on September 15, 2014.
[4] In April 2016, Slatery argued that an anti-transgender discrimination bill would cost the state of Tennessee millions in federal funding.
[5] However, in May 2016, he said Tennessee would cover the legal costs incurred by lawsuits should specific schools in the state choose not to follow federal non-discrimination policies towards transgender students.
[7] In June 2017, Slatery joined with Republican Attorneys General from nine other states, plus Idaho Governor Butch Otter, in threatening the Donald Trump administration that they would litigate if the president did not terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy that had been put into place by President Barack Obama.
On August 31, Slatery reversed his position, withdrew his support of the proposed lawsuit, and urged passage of the DREAM Act.