_ ‘_ 

CA *’ 

, 

JIM MATTOX 

Attorney General 

Supreme Court Building 

P. 0. Box 12546 

hlh. TX. 76711. 2546 

512l475.2501 

‘Telex 910/67*.1287 

t eiecopier 5121475am 

714 Jackson. Suite 700 

Dallas. TX. 75202-4506 

2141742-8944 

4624 Alberta Ave.. Suits 160 

El Paso, TX. 769052793 

91515333404 

lW1 Texas. Suite 700 

Houston. TX. 77002.3111 

7131222-5855 

806 Broadway, Suite 312 

Lubbock. TX. 7S4OM479 

8061747.5236 

4303 N. ienlh. Suite S 

McAllen. TX. 76501-1665 

51216624547 

200 Main Plaza. Suite 400 

San Antonio, TX. 762052797 

51212254191 

q . ‘L ;..c : 

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. 

.~. . - 

Jhe Attorney General of Texas 

0':lrober 1.1985'. ' 

Honorable Tim Curry '~:~. .% s opinion wo.m-358 

Criminal District Attorney ..Li’ ;.:I’ ~, i? - ..:~.. .~ .~. 1 

200 West Belknap Smeet 1 ;.:':I: .Re: -. Whether a separate docket 

Port Worth, Texas .76196 -' .- .'~- sheet la required for the criminal 

_. :, .'I 3:.. docket kept by district clerks 

: r:.% I 

Dear Hr. C&y: -i .~: j-. ...', 7 :: :. 

You inquire- whether a d2stric; clerk's duty' to keep a criminal 

docket requires (I, clerk to maintain a separate docket sheet in 

criminal cases if xhe information is also kept 011 the file jacket. 

You advise us that, during the pendeucy of criminal cases, your 

district clerk recmxcds on the preprinted file jacket of each case all 

pertinent informstim regarding, the style and file number, names of 

counsel, nature of the case, and subsequent actions and, on the 

disposition of tLz case, the InformatIon from the preprinted file 

jacket is typed on s separate docket sheet which is placed inside the 

jacket. In addition. all entries on the file jacket are being 

microfilmed to inswe their preservation. 

You inquire about the docket described by article 33.07 of the 

Code of Criminal Pmcedure. It provides: 

Each clerk of a court of record having criminal 

- juriadic!:!ion shall keep a docket in which shall be 

set don1 the style and file number of each 

criminal action, the nature of the offense, the 

names of counsel, the proceedings had therein, and 

the date of each proceeding. 

See also Code Grim, Proc. art. 33.08 (courts control their dockets for 

. _ . ..I 

An Equal OpportunityI setting or crm1na.L cases). 

Ailirmalire Aclion Employer .. 

The word "dockmet" has mme.rous mea&s. It may be an index of 

all cases filed in numerical and ~alphabetical order, a list or 

calendar of pending judicial ,aatters that are set for specific action. 

end a record or history of all proceedings and actions taken in a 

particular matter or ease. See Ballentine's Lav Dictionary 366 (3rd 

ed. 1?69). 

- 

p!. 1636 
Bonorablc Tim Curry - Page 2 (JM-358) 

For civil cases, the Texas Bules of Civil Procedure require the 

district clerks to keep a file docket "in convenient form,” showing 

the number of the suit. ormar of attorneys and parties to the suit, 

the nature of the suit. thlt officer'r return 00 the process. aud all 

subsequant proceedings in tlhc care. Rule 25. The clerks must also 

keep "a court docket in a well bound book" that includes the pleas-. 

motions, and rulings of the court in each action. Rule 26. 

' The Code of Criminal I'xocedure specifies only the information to 

be kept for the docket that is mandated by article 33.07, which is, in 

our opinion, a docket indwiug all csaea. not a file docket. consequently, it has no bearing ou the manner in vhich the file docket is 

to be kept. We conclude tlat a clerk who msintaius a criminal docket 

on a case file jacket in a s,afe and efficient manner complies with the 

statutory requirement and tbat your clerk may use the preprinted file 

jacket aa tbe record of the :necessary information. 

A district clerk msy use the case file jacket 

to maintain a file. docket without maintaining the 

sane information on a sepsrata sheet inside the 

jacket. 

‘JIbt MATTOX 

. 

Attorney General of Texas 

TON CREBN 

First Assistant Attorney Geneera 

DAVID R. RICHARDS 

Executive Assistant Attorneg General 

ROBERT GRAY 

Syeci~l Assistant Attorney Iteneral 

RICE GILPIN 

Chairman, Opinion Committee 

Prepared by Nancy Sutton ani 

Sarah Woelk 

Assistant Attorneys General 

. 

p. 1637 

, 
Honorable Tim Curry - Page 3 ml-358) 

APPROVED: 

OPINION COHHITTEE 

Rick Gilpin. Chairman 

Susan Garrison 

Jim Moellinger 

Jennifer Riggs 

Nancy Sutton 

Sarah Woelk 

Bruce Youngblood 

p. 1638