Hon. John Stapleton

County **Attornoy** Flgd County Floyd&e, Tasw **OFFICE OF**  **THE ATTORNEY**  **GENERAL OF**  **TEXAS**
**AUSTIN**

ty shall not be 1iaBl.e to the 

### msto ia a .ptebspkaner wau **pays** hi* tfne en%,

oWt6. :Th6 be liabh **fw** onlg on8-bdf re the %efsn%aathas $een trlrb, and

**,** 

### aoqulttetl, **or found**  **epilty up&**  **the 4eae**  **appealedf and**  to pay **8a4h lulf**  **Of SMB**  legal oost* a# kay have **bean** a~ **tated,** aot includingooadaeiona,~ths County Judgr.shill **iseue his**  **warrant upon**  the **County** Treasurer in rav0r or the **prayer** party, aa the afune shall be paid ont or the Oenerd 2brkU orHon. John Stapleton, April 6, 1959, Page 2

other funds not otherwIr4appropriated. Ho cost5 eholl he oolleotedby auoh orfloor v~k.es the aas~ Is dlsu.Iseed.*
vI5 suah order **talld?~** This order of the Commlselonere' Court I4 el8oat Identlaal

with the amendmentto krtl4le lOJ5, Code or CrIminalP~~o4dure,a5 8kw was emendedby Chepter 422 of the Generaland SpeoialLaws of the 45th Legislature,sac16

being Douse Bill Ro. 127 or the Regular Seasion of the Texas l&gIelature. Art1414 1065 Or the Cod4 or CriminalPr8mdum a5 the 8ame ~8s amended as above<stated, **reads** aa follw8:

.-. CPhe oouuty ahalln4t be liable to the orilaer and rItne88 having oostr Ia **a** ml* demeanoroaee where defendantpays hle fine and aoete. The oounty shall be liable ror only one-half thereorrhsn defendanthas been tried **and** ootitted, aoquitded,or rclrrnd guiltyand the 0454 appealed$and to pay euah half of euoh le hare been no taxed, not f2 costs as may ludlng 4omnIeeIone, the County Judge shall ieeu4 his warrant upon the Cauuty Treae,tarer In favor or the properparty, and the e&m shallbe pqid out or the Road end Bridga Lund 4r otlidr fund4 not otheruleaappropriated. Ho ooate’ shall be 4olleotedby euoh ofilcer or wit1~488 when the 4688 la dl8culeeed.4
You uIl1 note that the order of the U4mi88Ionera* Court and the abave amerided artiole are almost ldentloal. The dlfferenoes appear to be that In the artlolb the witue5a is given the 8-e prIvIlegeeand bene9itsae the oriicer. The emended artialeprovld8a ior paymnt out of the Road and BTidg8 **FUB&** or other fund5 not otherwise appropriated

while the order of the Conmis5ioners* Court provide5ror peyntent out or the General **Fund** or other funds not otherwiseappropriated.

On January 11, 1959 this Depart84ntheld, in 5 oonferenoeopinion,that the above quoted tWIeBdalsRt to Artlole 1055 or the Oode of CriminalProcedurewas void as uuuonntitutiohal. 1u thie opinion thI5 Departam&Eon. Sohu Stapleton,April 0, lQS9, Page 3

furtherheld that Article 1055, Code or Cr3.mInalProoeaura, 1925, nut hevlngbeen repealed aud the-amendatory act Peinp unconstitutional and entirelyvoid, that sald **Artiole** 1055, Code of CriminalProoedure,1925, is et111 the law and all rae oYYfusr8are eubjeotto Its prowlelous. Article 1055, Code or crfdnsl Prooeauro;292s, uhIoh is the law at present,reads as follows:

v.dr aosts paid orriuere. YChe oouuty shall bs lfable to eaah offi**o8r** and witness having ooetn In a misdemeanor ease for only one-haltthereof+hsre the defendant haa satiariea the iin0 and eomt5 aajuag~a sgslnsthim In rull by labor in the workhouse, on the county ram, bn the publia roads or upon any public **worka** of the ootmty;~and to pay euoh hair or euoh lags1 oost as aay have been so taxed,not **lnaluding** ~ommfsslons, the county judge shall Issue his warrant **upon** the CouhtyTreasurer In 

### favor ot th4 properparty, and the same shall be paia.ottt 0r the road sna 1 bridge fund or other tan&@ not othsrwleouppropriated."

Ion 130. Oeneral tiona$, .l+ia

enoloseheretitha copy of eonferenoeoplnO-83, whiah holds Bowe B-1 Ro.%W, Chapter 4W, and SpeofalLews, 45th Leglelature,uuoonetituurhlah opinion is **here** rererredto for all purpos48. The ComaIssIoners* Court I.5

au adailnlstratlre

. and quasi-judicial body. The Commleafonersf Court IO not
**a law-aaklng**  body and does not hare the power to legIslat4.

You a% respeatfully advised that it is 'the opluion of **this** Departmentthat the order of the CmmaIssionera' Court as above quoted in this letter Is lnralld. Very trulyyours

. **ATT-** G- ?B T%XAS

By @jfkctxg isslstant **Wil-F:AW** TED: ?z+-Q--*- **ATTORREY**

GEWRRAL **OF** TEXAS