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:Mr &or&~P.~Killim, Jr, .~ ., :... 

Couuf@-Attorney 

scufiy coutlty 

Snyder, Texas Re: 

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Whether or hbt,.uuder '. :' 

Article 802e, V,P.C.; minors“.' " ~_. 

can be incarcerhea panabig : .’ 

~trlalupon fa.wre or:t!le i

minor~$o makebox& . ..:: " 

who b&s passed her 14th b&hairs; but has not reached her. 

18th birthday, and who drives or operates.an autcnsobile or

cin;v other motor.irehi& on any public .roaa.or highway Inn: .. 

this state or upon any itreet qr alley vfthln thelllm+~ :' ... 

i. bf any.cityi toun orivillage, Or:Fpon aiy.beaeh as,deftid 

In chapter 430, Acts of the. 5lst.Leglslattie, 1949; while- : 

under'the'lnfluence 0f.intoxicating liq)ldr,.& who drives 

or operate? an automobile or any other motor vehicle in 

mch‘vay as to riolate'any traffic lav of this state, 

.I’ hall be guilty of a misdemeanor and~still'bi.~~shed by 

a flne,of not more than One ~Hundrecl Dol.+3 ($109.00) . . '.* 

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. . . ..’ Wection 2. No such minor, after convic$&n or.plea 

of guilty and imposition of fine, shall be committed to any : 

jail in default of payment of the fine Imposed, but,the 

court imposing such fine shall have pover.to stispind and 

$tike'poasession of euch minor's driving license and retain 

,++a 6ame until such fine has been paid:" 

"Section 4. The offensea.created under this Act, 

&all be under the jurisdiction of the.cqurts reguly4 ., 

~caqpoVaredtotrynUsdemeauore car.&ug the pena?ty 

heawn affixed, aud shall not be under the jurladi&+o& : 

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put BE follcjws: 

Artirl6~ 8028 of,vernonls Penal Co(lc'of Texas provSdee'in 

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"Any male minor vho has passed his 14th birthday'but 

hai not reached.~is 17th birthday, ‘and any female minor. 

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Mr. Oeorge P. Klll.am,~.Jr., Page 2~ (W@+i’) 

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of the Juvenile Courts; but nothing contad ia ihis .. ,~ 

:. Act &all. be construed to othervise repeal or affect the 

itatutqs &ulating.the povsrs,and dutiee of J’uvenlle 

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CQU&S; lw.pmvlei~ne~~r thls.Act shall be.cumuJatiti. 

. * . . of allother laws on this sribject.” . . : 

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. The question you presented concern6 the &ar&‘at& of 

a minor peudlng trial. The,clvll etatute authority governliw j\ivenilcs 

. . ‘is.fouud in Vernon’s Civil Statutes of T-8, Article 23’338-1. ‘Article 

2338-l :~~a comprehenai~‘+atuti vhlch substitutes ,Iuvenile‘~urts 

‘. for tddnai court8 to4ealwith any chXl.d 0f.a dealgnate~aga who vi04 

: ,lates8nYlmrorq rdlnance oi is otherwise vlthin the proVialo2l8 07the . . 

: statute.. ~W; it is'pertlnent to observe at thie+oi.pthat' 

&ij~-&a, pAC;; createa an antIrely nev offense. Prior to iti ": ' 

,- par@ga;ml~ juvenl.len.undar aevmiteen~sofage fmdiclpah JwenUes 

w +gkteen -0% age yare qot.mibjectto.punishWnt far cr3sea. 

. . but n~~‘.mb$ecf wly to the:protieiq,or Article 2338~l,..V.C.S., which 

. .: ,:., . atabllshea~$fw8nlU oourt8 snd provides the omcsdurs for tri8le ,for 

.: -~.j~~dqUiique$~~..~ pxtidn Ii? of~thatt:titute speclflo+y -6’ 

:’ that: : . . . 

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Mr. George P. KIlla& Jr.,,Page 3. (WU-547) 

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a&ii&&l pr&dtie.ln the.&ture oi a'dr&&&adl~n i@~tist sucli " 

.minor. .:: : ..; 

: Therefore,.it'li thi oplnios~Of this o&ce~%A&t &nce 

.~tiicle 8020, Vernon's &~~lCode,,cr&at& an.eut$re& n&i offehse and 

'f-her provldcs that the juvenile court.shal& not have jurisdiction .~. " 

over.the minor, then such minor who falls to.make bond pending trial. 

till be traated as adults and may be couflned ln jail. 

SuNudRY 

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Juveniles being charged under 

Article *2e, Verrmn'a Penal Code, are 

subject to the ssme 3.a~~ anbonds as 

adults aud qy be .lncarcMtad~ upon '. 

faibreto~mahebond. .,.. 

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._ ~APPRgaDz 

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.oPINmi’cQNuIlTB;E: ., ,~ 

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GeocP~.Bla&m~,Chairmau ' ; 

Harlettr K&rigor-Payne 

Netmy &Bpmrell 

Jack Goodman 

ByronFullerton 

L.. P., Low 

l7~tiPoRTHEmoRNEY~ 

BY:. 

UC V. *@pert 

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