‘f-236 

h 

I 4 

OFFICE OF THE AmORNEY GENERAL OF - 

AUSTIN T 

Eoncma~l~ 8. L. Arms$ro~ 

county mlltor ',' 

Ton Green. County 

San Angelo, Texns 

Dear Slrr * 

1 “The officl&s partioularly in rind ora the 

County and LIistriat Clerks md tfo Juatioeo or the 

I‘anaa of the ~srious Praalnots of tha County. All 
or theso orrloials in Tom.Grasn Oounty are on a 

Some of there offloialr maintain 

pot10 la a aoparate aooouat. Othiwo depoelt thea 

Sam day to day in their personal aooounta. 

"1 rind no atatutorp provision expressly zwgT 

ulatlng the depooit or thaao feuds, .ualeae Saotioii ': 

11 of Artiole 25584 r0rfpaf to tho Couatf.:ds;d 

Xatriot Uorka’ trust Ikids, LQht b* oomtruod 

to require the 03i+l clerks to de.nGsft 3uoh fuzds; 

in the c0unty ilsgoaftory ror trufit rms, tatbouf,h,, 

heretorora, t!itro bepo3Itories !mva boon used onJ.y., 

ror fiuerdiannhip, .probate, and othor 1ik-1 depooito 

peudln& dicipooitlqn &J- court order . 

~":m,oord:oti ytJ&$ ,I -my&g&&li& 00.718 .ufmn: 

,~uft+d i~30~ kh wiit~;c0rridi4a3 0r 'h+du~~3gii 

,el+ve-mentfdnbd,. @&da,.: wlW 'you kindly odv$no..gq 

.0n,th3 i,roll~~~,~~.~u88.~0n~I~ .,.,.. :, ., ,., .~ 

"1. Is the .Jwtioe ~af.%he Poaoe rsqulrod to 

maintain a depositor7 or rund ror the 

0r rees 0r 0rri00 wa a.0 doporito~.~on ',Q 

a$Qamte wd ap$?$ .,gro$l.ab:~ z*ra@~ 

".& ,zs,the &untf*c~&&k &qair& ti,,ti--<& 

a"&oiilttiry or fund ror the aaSaX6epiw; oti: feqm:~, 

or offloe and the depoaltr, on oourt Oost'O; '&arat& 

fuxl apart Sror hii .personal Surid? ._,'. 

“3. 1s the Distri@f~ Clark r&&i& t& :m&“” 

tain a dep'ositor)i'oi $wid~',fo.r'~~ths %tiok&pQq or 

fees 0r -0rrioa ~~nlia the :d,a?ooLts dli’ oourt"O~ets~, 

6e:parete qnd ,apwt :&WII hia personal Nnd? 

-b. 1; the ribove &iolalb or anp 0r thw 

are not required to maintain a .sayorato fund-for 

ouoh teen and oourt costs damsite, .afo ouah~,ofiflafaln reqlred to’mafntafn at all tloae d ,balaaoe 

In tholr poTsma aOOOMt ~urrlctont tb .O.O~W the 

mount or all"roes .and dopoolta ooll6ated but .qreported to th6, Sounty? 

“5. :;ould an ofslaial who c3min&~ ~Oouutiy 

runds with his ,peraonal iundo be liabls on I&I 

. . 
Honorable R. L. Amstrong, Page 3 

orrloial bend if hl8 peraaanal aOOowt falled t0 

show a balanoo aufflolent to ooyer all OoWy 

runda 6nd unabaorbod deposits in his hood6 at 

any given t&m? 

*. . . . 

1( 

ktlale 

tlons 4.~5 and 6(b 3 

9120 or our Rorised Ol~il Etatutor, se4+ 

, $8 a8 follower 

"SQO. 4. In all oountleo of this stats eont&king a populatfon or lea6 than mm huwlrod ana 

aioetq thousmd (190,000) :nhr.bitants aooordinq, to 

the last prsoodlng Federal Conous whomin the oounty or prooinot orrioers are oorqmnatod on a,onlary ‘basis under the provlslcno.oC t!& dot,, tlnro:: 

shall ,bo orsoted a fund to ,bo )cnomm~‘co thd !ti~Yiosrs~ 

Salary ~m!ld~ of ~’ County;~ :TQXQS,! .:.,, ,‘;u~h fund 

S&u ,,bo iCOat 6eptU6te,6sld, ap6r&~:.f'l'ozt tiLikher 

ooonty funde;ianil choll' bo hold~.omLditiburrod.:for 

the:purpose 0fpa3rinC; the salarica'os~ofrioer3 ard 

tho'ealarioa or deputies, aeetotanto and olorka or 

OrriOOT6 ntw are drawirq tk 6alary rr0a nald fund 

under tho provI6Ions or tbla Aot, and to pay the 

aufbor~zoC orpzisoo of their; of$ioecw~3ioh:i*- 

6ha3.1 be daposltod in, the'.bou?ltt.depodit;'org.i:sqd."~ 

ohqU,.be grotootfd.to ,thq.,a~.:,,extant‘~~~~~~o~~e~c; ooun-: 

ty fund& ,;:, '. ~,,. :*'.':, ,,.,, .::~,,. 

“.,. 

"Se0. 5; It 6h611 ba thd'iuiy or ill OkOer6 

ta aha?ao and oolleot In the cannor autharzzad by 

law all .rCO6 and comrsisalona rhloh am. pormittod.~~. a 

by l$?~.to ~~e.666eoeod'end. oollootsd~r~ 6ll offI-"E 

ol6l~sorvioe parrormd by'thom, ,J.n an&when suoh 

taos .ars oollaotod they ehall .be dopocrited In tho 

orri0ersl Salary Fund, or fluida provided In t&is 

All%. In event the Cor23leslonor6*'Gourt Sindo thnt 

the ralluro to oollaot nny foo OP oomiooion wan 

due ta nsfleat oa tha part of tho offioer oharged 

with tho rsspousIbIlIty of oollsatlnc, scms thb 

amount of ouch foe or oozzioaion chrtll bo Aoductod 

fmm the a3lat-y of such cfrf00r.. Zoforo any.ziiah 

deduotion liwde, tho CoEni6nlor10~~* court ok~rl). 

Surnlah woh oS:'foer with M itui?hoU ot .tof:mt 0: 

t.hO unoolloatocl fees with vhieh his nocount it? to 

bo oharGod, cnU ehlhRl,L n.ctiCy nob aPfiaar 0: tt.0 
. 

Xonarable R. L. Armstrong, Pagr 4 

Artlolo 1347 is as r0ibm 

"The alar% .&.il pay to the, oW~t# tr6aS~Oa' ‘. 

crll ~jury~reoa cIna~rines roooiroli by hin’to the ,WIO 

0r the 00unty.=. “., 

Artiole 1617 is a8 iollowsr 

“ilaoh dintrlot oierk, oounty clerk oounty 

judge, county troasurcr, rdxd.M, tliotrlat. ana 
. - 

Honorable 8. L. bmstro4h he 5 

who ai’ 

oount attorney, oonatable aad justio4 OS the p4ao4, 

all oolloot or handk any inoney for the ~04 

or the oountp, ahall make a full report to tho oommlrdoners oourt, at euoh regular term thereor, 

0r ali sin027 biip084a aa 00iitrot4a 0na 4u judgu45t4 

rcndored ana oollooted ror the use of the oounty, 

end nil jury. foon oollooted la tholr rerrpwtiv4 

oourta~in raoor or, or for th4 ua4 or th4 aounty; 

ml at t+ saso tins preoont their reoalpts and 

,~ 

vouoherr olradag what ai4po8itlOn ba4 beon ml4 of 

thOahOra~ 0~ii40t4a. iin06 bpt3a ao~ jrxasnentfi 

. dald 00urt ahall 0fi=ruw ex4dne 44ia - 

roport8,*rcoeIpte and ooudhors 4rdir f0uaa o0rr4ot, 

shall oausa tho clerk to ontm tlw sfma on the fLam00 i0a or, 

4uam0a 40 ti a 

m, ir r0ua to b0 lroorreot 4hai 

orrioer befor thon,.cna lrao4 tb0 8454 

oorreo.te& ,.:. ada ropWts,,~:robeIpts aad voUohor5~;~ 

,,ahal~~,~b~~,, riled ,In.,the::oount~~hJ;lorkIs ~offl~o.~“:- 

dibiti 1622 $S ci rolioti+ : 

-6311 my ofricor com3cts xmey bcloqiq to, 

Artlole 1900~l8 as roli0t70: 

*On the last d4y of oaoh tom or the aawt, 

the olork. r&oU mke a written ctatomnt mhoraf&q 

~11 moneys rocelvoa by hLm ror jury feoo and rin44,. 

with th4 none 0r euoh party rro3-i whop roo4ivoa. up 

t0 the aats or.auoh 4tate~nt, mi! slaoa hlo, pmvious statemntt ard ala0 the ~nau4 of.awh juror ~ 

nho has 8ervoa at suohtot?;l, the numbor or days 

lgymad, anil the amount duo him SOT suob aorv- 

“uofl statement shall bc OZ%~FOQ, OOrToOted, 

appr&ei, and si,+wa by the p~osidlr@ judg&,, ..uoh 

etatonont, when so nppro?od snb~signod chall be 

rcosrdea in the minutes or the cOmt.* 
. . 

tmorebk R. Le Armrtrou8; Paw 6 
Artlole 2079 of the Revirod Oivil StatUtde is acl 

follorsc . 

“The olerko 0r all oourta ~~bvi 

2 

offlom roporter@ ehall tax a~ moetr in oaah 0 vi1 omm where 

an anwer i8 riled, 0x00 t auitr to oolleot delli&eat taxes, a rrtenograp i 0~~8 tee or Qroo dollars, 

whioh ohall be paid,ar other oostr in the ease 

.,and paid by aa~d,olorlc, when oollootsd, into th. 

~, ” ,~~a~al.Tundp of tho oounty in -ioh raid oourt 

l î ~í 

k ud r d. u6 of the Rulos of Preotloc, and ?rooddure 

ln aid Aotlons ia a6 r0u0m 

?I&liou or-e bon& ,ror ooats the party fb: 

.,qulred to’ (4~: the. mme niaf depotilt,,,.wfth the’.olerk ’ 

of.;six~&~o~ ~~,,,,)usti~e’-of;‘tb~ :jxiaoo’ suoh~‘sti’:as 

~th~~~OO~t’ or !J.llstioo ~xriui”*iLw to : tine may dOfJi&. 

het3 da hrri0i6tfit to pay ‘the idcmod oosts.: 

Under the above statutes, tP0 Justioe '0s l&o Pef~oe, 

:,Lstrlot Clerk and Countf Clerk arwrcqtirod to !oribti the 

r0u0hg dutm: .: 

,” ‘.poy “*to .’ the .i,omoe*Ip .=zilar$. ~d+.ili, ‘$S@# &Cd oo*, 

mlsqti& .yll&Oted. ior:,oiliolal~~~~~~~Sv~~ Ypeirf&j&~ $$ ‘t&$;~a~ 

ond,~ ~whiaig oollootpd?~ .th~~~oountp .olerlci: on .ttie ~Ust”4ay .b2 ea@i 

term of oounty’ court to zr~ko a mitten stntwmat showlri~ all 

nonoys'reosived by hiu for jury teas and Sines einoo hio laat 

atatemnt, ana pay 8am3 to the tiounty trea3uror; make a rull 

report to the connlssionerr oourt, at eaoh rerJular ,$ep thsreor, 0f all rint39, j-t8 aa jur0 ifee~ 00iirat0d by the. 

and preeent‘their reoclipts and ‘vouohero ahwirig %&at dlspoeftiOn had bkW DDE Of the RIOnOp OOUSOtOd; rOpOrt t&the OOWJty olsrk the oolleotion of money boloneine to and for tho um 

oi the ovunty, whlah shall be dhar(pd to mah offloet and he 

niey dlsohwae hlooelf thrrofron.by pobuoine, the reoejpt of 

the oonnty tretmm3r ther0ror~ tha ,diotriot olerk, on the last 

day of aaoh Lnrn of oourt, ahall nako a writtou etafoment shmlng dl nvncya reoeived by him for jury. $008 au6 flnoa, whioh ’ 

shall bc rooor&od in the m$nutea a? the oourt v&On approve4 by 

the yro8idlng jidee; oollect anO pay over trial Soon ‘In oriaino1 0~008 in tko aame’nacnar a0 in the 0nuQ of jury feesf pap 

jury fccti. in ori~:~.=inal c08ee wforthorlthR to the county trew3urer~ 
_. . 

-. . 

‘W3 

x~orobl~ R. L. Arnustrong; Page 8.y.q 

pa 

ii h 

ell mme oolleoted upon reoo niwnoes, ball bond8 and 

of OT obli(;a oaa ia, the mae or & 

r0mitpr00, judgtfbm4 and J 

ho St&r md all rima, 

WOV;S~OSO or th0 a060 0r art ‘2 

r0h; oollaotoa uadsr the 

nal Pr0Oeawk =rortbwitha 

b the oounty trsarureq iar0x-a Other perrroai Oi the oolleomm oa demand to the one ea 1 ad t&era&o; 

tioa or -maeye or. reea belonfiz to. thorn anuk~~~~~~~~~,, 

roe8 id0 ths e0~81 rum 0r ths 00unty 

aooept ask depodts on eorrt8 8uoh suma a8 

oolleotea*) 

they ruy~.dorlganto 

T&o 1s no epeolflod t&B was to ‘tah’ed’ &her oiTl-’ 

oialo ror’wti rosa ham been bolleoted by :.the ,Juntioe or, ;’ 

the Peeaa,‘Dlotrlot Clark and Qounty Clark shelk~ G&and and 

reoeivs poynont thoroot, but it wae ovlGoatly .,~teq&od that 

_. /‘~ I6 &culd 5e51n Zrom the provleions oi ‘those stat&s 

that It would not be noosasary iOr raid ofl’loials to malntaln 

a dOp00it03-y or fund r0r th0 sarekeeplnr 0r r008'0r 0rri0e 

end dogoeite on odurt ooeta esparate and apart rim their poreoaal. funds, ,+a oaxe ehould be pronptly paid to the parties 

entitled thereto. In WY went, ,suOh fund5 bbingstrurrt iU@!, 

sala. ~irlolnl~ do not have the right to we sams, ‘or any part 

thereof, for their personal bonelelt; and, ii not pronptly paid 

to those entitled thorsto, auoh fundo ohould be kopt In an aooouat supnmte iron yarsoaal funds. 

. 
Eonorable R. L, Amstron& Page 9 

our statutes, however, do not require Justloen of 

the Peaor, County Clerks and MatrIot Clerk8 to maintain a 

depository or rund ror the saiekeeplag of feea of offloe amI 

uproar on oourt oosts separate and apart fnxn their poreonSuoh 0rri0ia are not required to maintain at all 

times a iolanoe in their personal aOOOUnt6 autlIoIant to oover 

tho amount of all reee and deposits oolleoted but unreported 

b th8 00tmy, 0nd M orrlolal who 00~1nglao 00uty -as 

wlth him pmronal runas would not be liable on hlo orrlolal 

bond ir his personal aooount falls6 to show a balanoo oufrIolent to aover all oounty funds ana unabsorbed doposlte In 

hla henda at uny &ven tlma. Thororore eaoh and all or. the 

quootlone propounded by you are emwereb In tha negative. 

Truatln~ that thla satlaraotcmlly aaawera your inoulry, we are 

very truly yours 

BY & -RR.-c.45 

JcLe, -::‘. Bassett 

a~3sIattmt