OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 
r00d and a ep00irio amount for guarding prIaimuar 

or, la it nao~aaaiy that the aotual aoata of keeping the Jail bo tumed in as an upenae or otiioa 

and paid mt or the orri00r8 salary runtI.* 

saotion is or hrti0i0 4918a, VU~OII*S AMowed 

TONS Clyll Statutoa, rude as iollowa: 

-300. 'is. The 0omlaaIonera~ a0Prt in oowtlea 

having a population or twenty thousand (80,000) ~JXhabitanta or mora and .laes than 0110 hundred and 

ninety tihouaand (~00,000) Inhabitanta aooomllng to 

the la+ praoedIn& Federal Oenaus,~Is hereby authorized and it hall ba Its duty to fir the eala~f~f;~oi 

au the r0ilorirrg 8buk0d orrioem, to-tit: 

aaaoeaor and aolleotor 0r taxes, oounty juaaa, 00&y 

attornop, inoludllrg OrImlnal &latrIot attonaa~r and 

oounty attomoya who perform the duties of dlatriot 

attorneys, dlatrlat olsrk, oounty olerk, treaaurar, 

hide end a-1 lnepeotcir, Eath or said 0rri0er8 

shall bo pald in money an aprrW1 salary In twelye 

(18) equal iMtallalenta'ot not~leaa than the total 

mna eern~~~aa~o~pon&atlon'by hl~~ ln hIa offlola 

aapaoity ror the ri6Ni year 1955 antj not more than 

the maximum amount allowed ~auoh o@oer undar law@ 

l ristlnlg on Ala&uat 84, 19ss* * . . . 

law in tome on August u, 19S5, and ncrd8 as roiiw8; 

5eotion 1 or Art1010 385s. v. A. T. a. 6., was tha 

. %roept as otherwlaa pro~ltlsb in this Aot, t& 

annual iwa that may be retained by prvoinot, oounty 

and ai8triat~0rri.o0r8 mdntiand in thie Artlois 8h8u 

be a# rollowa: 

"1. In 00tmia6 0m~ining twenty rive (25,000) 

thousand or lees, lnhabltanta: County Judge, ~latrlot 

or Crrrainal DietrIot A$tornoy, Sheriff, County 01-k. 

County Attorney, Diatrfot Clerk, Tax GoUsetor, Tax 

Assessor, or the Aaaaaaor and Qolleotor ,ot Taxes, 

lkmnty-roar IRmdrod (&4Q~.oO) Dollars eaah* Juatlas 

of the Paaor and Conatablo, Twelve Hun&e6 ($11200.00) 

bollara ea0h.l. 

Article 3891, V. ~A. T. C, EL, wee the law fn tOroe 

on Aluglet 84, 1935. We quote from aald artlalo a6 r0ii0r8: 
Honorable Jaok Borden, Pago 8 

aoh orriou asmad in this Ghaptu shell flrst 5.i 

out or the ourront rM8 Or his errloe wy or be pefd 

tha amount allowed him under the provIsIons of ArtloX 

5885, together with the ralarlea of his l a a Ia ta nta 

and deputies, and authorlrml arpenaw under Artlals 

3899, and tha amount nooeef~ry to owu ooata of premium on whatever surety bon4 may be roqulrd by law. 

If the ourrent r0a8 0r auah orriae oollected In any 

year to be more than the eaount needed to pay tbe 

amounta above specified, aaaa shall be deemed l xaeaa 

reds, and shall be dlaporod of in tha aanner hereInarter provided. 

“In 00untie0 00ntazDing twenty-rir0 thousand 

(83 000) or lees inhabitants, Diet&at and County 

0rfioers na3ned.hereIe shall retein one-third 0r 8uoh 

exoeaa~reea,uatIl suoh, one-third, tmther with the 

amountm 8 

Thoiasend go 

eclf’led In Art$als 5888, aakounts to Thrao 

llera ($S,OOQ),. . . .* 

0plnIon 810. 0409 (oonrerenaa opinion Ho. SOs2s) or 

this depertsent holds that the Caaraieslonera* Oour+ln flxlng 

the aInla= aalarloa of oounty at~orneya under the otlIoora* 

ralery bill should oonalasr r8ea %arnedn by the Orfloer# la 

lOi55 rathar than frea *aolleotodW In that year; 

1 Opinion No. O-7* 0r this department holds that ln 

dstem&iIng *the total sun earnod as oompmaatlon for the year 

1935”, for the purpose or arrlvln(( at the aiInlaua’aalary to be 

paid the. county attorney, that the Oauslaslonere~ Court should 

dsduot fro0 the total ooapeneatlon earnod, oollootrd and uno~flmotml, the oxpenner for the offlae tar the yaar 1955, *hIoh 

w&e legally allowed by the Oomm.iaaionera~ Court lor that yeer. 

We quote rr0pr said opinion aa ronoffs: 

-hire wae no provlofon of the statute guara&ee1~ the offlaer he should rlret rrarlve the amount 

allowed under the prorlalons of artlale 3883, so the 

ortloer bed to pay authorized expenditures out er 

the runas, coring Into hlr bands, Imapeotloe or 

whethor.t&e unount msatlonsd fn the artlola was earnad 

.or oolleoted, Theref’ore, the *total a= earnrd as 

arJtllpenaatIon by him* wee the net total earned after 

payment or hia axorieed expenneei. The Leglaleture 

did not l tl.pllate *earned by the office* but rather 

gearned~ by him. ** 
Bonorabla~Jdok Borden, Page 4 

On Deoember 3, 19S7, this depaz$ment held In an opInlon-wrltteq .by ,Eouorable James W. Isrfti, Aealatant Attorney . 

0enera1, addreseed to Mr. IFa. J. y&aIng, dounty Attorney, 

Hopklna County, Texas, that lh arriving rt the.oorreot a1nlmu111 

salary to be paid oounty orflasra uador the ofiioar8* salary 

bill that the O~l8dOner8' Court should oonaldsr the amount 

of rem3 earnad and unoolleotea, ao well as to08 aolleat6d ror 

wlbaYeer 10SS. This opinion rurther held that an ex-orrIaLo 

ry paid to an orrlaer for the fear 1493 should b a cons~er64 I n arrivinn et the %meOt aPlnImula to be paid such ofiloar. 

We qUofe trOm the oaae Of Haoogdocbea COUnty '1. '#Inder, (Beaumont Court of Civil Appeals) 140 S. W.'(Rd) 97R (wrIt 

refused), aa r0iiw0:. 

wi0.rou0wing iaota are without dlaputer 

Appellea, Winder, waa the duly elect@, qualified 

and l oting County Clerk or Xaoogdoohea County during the yeare 1937 and 1935. l?aoogdoohea County was 

under the salary aot law, Artlole S@lRe, aeotlan lS, 

Vernon*e Ann. Clrll Btatutea, end Art1010 3SQl, R.C.S., 

Vernon*8 Ann. CIT. 8t. art. S89l. Under theaa statuary 13, 1996, at a regular aeaelon or the CoamIaaIonera' Cart, an order was entere4 by aald oourt rlxlng 

appelles*s eelery at $3,%36;16, the amaunt earned aa 

mlary by the county judge or aala county in 1OSS. 

Later la said month, January dlst, at a called senelon Or said court, hla ealary.xea fixed at )a,550 

per year. On January 11, 1937, the uotmIs~ionere* 

court in regular aeaslon rlxed his salary at $3s,000, 

for that year, and on January 10, 19-, aald oourt 

fired hle salary at $3,000 for aald ye&r. Thlu was 

leaa than tha alnIa~tm nlary rar 1933, and 

80 leas than the lulary as rlred by the order ot 

January bl, lQS8, Appa&lee ptiyed judgment ror 

#57e.se, the dlf'ferenoe betwee@ the $8 000 per peer 

ror 1937 and 1988, a&d tha mInimum of f3,l?S6.16 as 

rise4 by the order or January la, 1936. or &n the 

l ltvnatlre, ror judmnt r0r $700. or the order or 

January 51, 1936 peesod at the celled aoaslox~ be 

round proper. T&e Jud@ieat was iOr 8S7R.58. 
Honorable Ja& Borden, PIlee 9 

*W. think thm order riX%IIg ~ppOllOO*fi! 8atiry 

made 8.t the re@ar t&m of Jmuiary 13,,lQS6, wa8 

In a,oaordanoe with the lar;and that the amoUnt then 

rlxed as the annual sala- of appmllw, #S,s!36.16, 

under the fa~ots and the law *aa pro 

trollinn here. Artlale SQl2e. f 

er, und 1s oonon 1S. 

+ 

MiiclLs SBQS, VWmuP8 Aunotated Foxam a1vi1 atat- 

'utes, r&a40 as r0li0rr8: 

: 

“The Qtmmlssdonar~* Oowt 18 heroby debarred 

frgn atlowlaa oamuwatloa r0r 02.0rfiof0 86rvlaoe 

to oounty OrfiOi616 rhdn the oomponeation an4 exoew 

..feea whloh ther are allowetd to~rataln @ha12 reaob 

: the mxlmw provided for in this @taptar. In aasoi 

rhnro the oanpumation and ‘exaos8 faw rhleh the o+ 

floerm ,are 8llomd to re!taln rhall ,aot. xeaoh thk mubum prwlded for In this ohaptar, the aoimlsdbnarr~ 

a ur l th p 3.l 8um ooap0n8atlon ror OX 0rri0io mmlees whoa,, in tiulr judgment, cuoh oon&mmatfon 18 

noamiary~ prorldad, 8uoh o~ponsatlon ror ax ofriafo 

renloes ellowad anll not inoreaeo the oampqnutlon 

0r the 0fmiai b0 and 

and sxaeis8 reou a J 

the maximum 0r oompcrnsatlon 

owed to be retained by hlm under 

this chapter. Prorl4od, however, the OX offiolo herein authorized shall bo allowed only attsr an opportunlty for a publfo hearing aad only upon the 4hrrwtk 

tlvr rote or at.Leest three members oFthe commleaionora' aout.* 

Optnlon Ho., O-S%96 of th$a d@partmsnt aoataina a partinant di$ouslrleu 0r ox orri0i0 salaries ap lloable.to oountiee 

having a population or 1.e~ than I)S,OOQ kaktaata. we quota ' 

rro5 8ald opiulon a6 r0ii0w02 
H&orable Jaok Borden, Page 6 

"In answer to your inquiry, you are a4rlsed 

that It 18 th!, opinion of this department that the 

ox-otfiolo oompensatSon or the oounty olerk must bo 

oonsldereti and aeoounted for in arriving at the maxlmum annual acmpensatlon of said clerk. The clerk 

8h8n riret out or the aumtnt rees of his orrlas 

pay or bs pal4 the amount 8110wed Na under the provialona or Artlals 319W5, togethar with the salaries 

of his a8818tants and deputies, and authorized expon8es under Artlole SE399 and the amouut aeae8sary 

to ooter the o,ort or pro&m on wbaterei surety bond 

imf be required by law. It the ourrent res8 Or OUO~ 

oflioo aollaoted In any year be more than the amount 

neodrd to paf the amounts above speolfled the sama 

ahall be 4e~n.d l xoa88 iass and the olork lrr palmitt~d 

to rstafn one-thir4 or suah excess rsee until 'such 

one-third, together with the amounts spdialrled In 

Art1010 38fSsI amount8 to $S,OOO.OO. In other word8, 

the county o&k fs entitled to retain ail the aompansation allowed by Artlole 3883 together with the 

ona-third ax0088 rm8 allowad:by ktlole 8891 until1 

8uch One-thlrci, togother'wlth the amount spedrIo 

la Artlole sW3S, amount8 to ~,000.00 par annum. fr 

tha coapenaation allowed uadar Artlols S&S and the 

l xoe88 fwr allowed under Artlole &?Qr 40 not roaoh 

the M- Or #S&NO.OO per annu8, the Oommls8loa8~* 

Court Is euthorirmd to per the aletk an ex-afflaio 

ocmpenmtlon, prorl484 8uoh ocaipentitlon, together 

with the reoa retain.4 by Na un4er APt 01.n sms 

aa4 3891, 4oe8 not amount to more than t 8,OOO.OO. 

Thore caa bo ao exoesa roe8 until the amouat or $$3,400r 

.OQ 18 reaohos and the 4sduotion8 whloh are allowed 

by law are 8sde. To llluetmte, the oaunty clerk amnot take $1 400.00 a8 re8s under Art&ala W38s an4 thea 

a44 the $l,bOo.oO OX-OrflOiO'~~O~DUR8atl~n to make a 

total or &,lOO.OO an4 th8n pay,all tee8 oomlng into 

the orfloe as are authorize4 by law are axuess tees, 

and that he Is antitled ta one-third or the cam. In 

abort, beiom tha olazk 1s entitled to any exots~ few 

under -Artt6ls MQl he must first resolve as fees the 

amount or #2,400.06 not tnoludlng any pert of the exorrio c 

tion8 aa al =f 

anwtlon af't@? making the legal beduoowed by law and after thi& amount has 

been roached then the alsrk 1s entitled to one-third 

,oi 8Uoh exoo811 tee8 88 provided by Article 9891 an4 

aa above stated If this dosa not reach the total mexis&um Or &3,000.00 per annum, the CoPBiaslouars* OotIrt 

raay in its discretion legally allow an ox ofYlolo OEBpeneation provided such oontptmaation, together with 
Honorable Jiok Borden, Page 7 

the fee8 retained uudsr the abwi mentioned artioler, 

does not 8xoeed #5,000.00 per aunum.* 

me report you l R OlO8ed rhloh you state is a oorreat oopy or then annual tee report filed by the sherirr 0r 

Parker County ror the year 1935, dlscloaa8 that the tot81 r668 

emno by the ,sherlrf (oolleated and uuoolleoted) mounted to 

the sum or @5,227.9& The report iurther ahor OX~MeS or 

OrrIce (wNah we a88un~e were properly authorized) a#wtMd to 

the SUBl.Of 

the SUM Or 0 

5.072.70. The dlrrersnoe between these SUIM 18 

2,166.28, whloh f0 Iella than the $Z,400.00 MXIBUB allowed by Artlole 2588s. supra. Thw we aoe that tha 

8heriff earned ILO *exoeaa rees".under Article SISQl for.tbe 

year 1965. .Tho ~Ommi88iOtl6rS' Oourt h84 authority at that t&m 

to l ll8u the sheriff u-offlcli~ canpetmatlon and did allow hir 

6X-OffiOiO COBpUW4tiOll in the SUII Or ,@t%%k. ~Thi8~4300.00 

ex-orrIo aomp6nsatlOa should be ad404 to the $2,185.28,rclferyh~gatbove in arr+dag at the oorrsat lpinlprum salary of the 

. 

US thW0rOl-0 hold, in an8Wer t0 yOUr ihOt ~U~StiOll 

fhat the 005%e81O&Wl%' COtU% =St SOt th6 88lal.y 6f th& ShSPhf 

0r~Parw County ht not less then $2,4sS.28 and, not mm fhan 

$S;OOO.OO ~ranntm. 

x0'& BOOOn :qU.#t~Oll 1S~llB8W8nd by 0DiniSU 100. 

O-122$ of this department, rhioh hold8 that,in 8?3lery e~~tSe# 

the. amS8i6IiOP8’ aoprt'h88 no ~authorit to oontmot with. wi8 

sheriff as outlined by .AFtiole ,lMO, V. I 

. T. a. C. P.; ald 

allOW him a,Sp6O~ried SUB rO2 thCMrskMpir& r66dhg and 

mlntenanoe or prisonerr and that the Sheriff may only be allowed hi8 aotual upen8ei inoum84 1.n the reding or prlsonors, 

and lf there im. 8ny profit, the Sherfff Should deposit the 88m 

in the 0rri00rd oduy m4. We enole8e herewith a aopy Of 

said oplnloa .r0r your inrornratian. 

very truly PurS 

. APPROVBD WT. 6, 1941 ATTOEZ?ZYOENERAL OPTBXM 

/(I/ OfOVer 8~~0~8 

BY 

FIR!:T ASSXSTAWT APTORWBY OXWERAL /f’/ -0 ";,f"ia 

wJ?:OO