**JIM MATTOX**  **Attorney**General

**suprems Ccucl** **MIdIn** P.**0. Box** **12540 Austin.** **TX. 79711.** 

**2545 512/47,2591**  **Telex 01011M4-l357**  **TelecQQler**

**51214754m35**

**714 Jackam,** **sun0 790**  **oanu. TX.** **752024505 214n42.9944** 

**4024 Albna**  **K+c.. Suite** **180** ElPmo,lx. 789052792 **915icG34m**
**lcol Texas.** **sune 700**  **nwrtm. TX.** **77002~3111 71Y22%5855** 
**SW Broadway.** **SuNe 312**  **Lubbock,**

**TX. 79401-3479**  **mY747.5239**
**4399 H.** **Tenth. Sulle** **S McAllen,** **TX 79501-1885**  **512sS24547** 

# The Attomy General ofTexas
June 11, 1985

Eonorabla William L. yerguaon County 6District Attorney **Rusk County**  **Courthouse** Benderson. Texas 75652 Opinion lo. m-332 Rc: Circumstances under **which a**  county my dispose of abandoned rights-of-way Dear Hr. Perguaon: You Inform ‘3s that in Rusk County several roads have been abandoned by actico of the cmlssionera court. The county clerk does not have any records as to **hou** the rights-of-way for these roads were acquired or est&lished by the county, but these roads were established manygears ago. In that regard you ask:

Euv can the commissioners court of a count? dispose of abandoned rights;ofray **when there**  **is** 90 recotij shoving the method of acquisition of such ri@ts-of-way? A county comadssioners court has only the pavers conferred either expressly or by at:cessary implication by the constitutfon and statutes of **this state.**  SW Tex. Const. art.

--. V, 118; Canales v. Laughlin, 214 S.W.2d 451, 453 ‘[Tex. 1948). **ThUS,** the cormnissioners court can dispose of abanilctned right-of-way property only **where there**  **Is** statutory or cons!:itutional authorization to do so. Id. - Article 1577, V.T.C.S., prwides a statutory procedure authorizing a county commlssionera court to dispose of real estate. **200 MaIn** **Pbza, Suile** **400 !jan** **Antonio, TX.** **702052797** County roads and l:j.ghts-ofliay are iuterests in land. See Anderson v. **512i225-4181** Tall Timbers Cock, 378 S.W.2d 16 (Tex. 1964). The statute soecif%callv authorizes a **commissioners** court to dispose of abandoned

**“ highway**  right-of

-‘ray property.” V.T.C.S. art. 15j7. It has been AllEqual

**OPpcrtunilYl** held that aconve!frmee or disposition of land owned by the county made **Alflrmallve Action**  **EmPlOYer** in any mode other **,than**prescribed by article 1577. V.T.C.S., is void. See Wilson v. Colzizof Calhoun, 489 S.W.2d 393 (Tex. Civ. App. - Corpus Christi 1972. 

## writ ref ’d n.r.e.). Moreover, a cosmisaioners court has not been given **the** authority to douate **any county-owned**  property to private indivjduals or corporations. See Conley v. Daughtera of **the** :%I! ublic. 156 S.U. 197 (Tex. 1913); Attorney General **Oplnioa** M-62 (1979

. **-+-X100.** owners of lands surrounding a road or right-of-way cannot claim title to them by adverse possession unless **the** road **has** been abandoned in compliance **with** section **2.008** of

p. 1518Eonorable Uilliu L. Terguaao - Page 2 (JX-332)

article 6702-l. V.T.C.8. Cf. V.T.C.8. **art.** 5517; **Attorney** General Opinion B-111 (1973) (di&;~ing predecessor statute V.T.C.S. art. 6703a). . You indicated that thlcre are **no** records shoving the method of acquisition of **the** nou abandoned right-of-way property. The schama outlined in article 157i. V.T.C.S., makes provlslons **for** the disposition of right-of-va:r property even if there are no official records of how the property was acquired. The prerequisite for **the** application of article 1577, V.T.C.S., is **that** the property is owned by the county at **the** time of its disposition. Accordingly, the cqxmissioners court may dispose of the abandoned roads or rights-of-way only in the method outlined in article 1577, V.T.C.S. SUMMARY Once a county bomanissioners court has abandoned a road or right-of-way in compliance with article 6702-l. **section :!.008,**  V.T.C.S., **the court**  is authorized to ili.spose of the roads only in compliance with article 1577, V.T.C.S., regardless of the method of acquisition.

JIM IIATTOX **Attorney** General of Texas TOM GREEN First Assistant Attorney Goneral DAVIDR. **RICEAFDS** Executive **Assistant Attormy**  General ROBERT

GRAY Special Assistant **Attorney** General RICRGILPIR Chairman, Opinion Committe~c Prepared by Tony Guillory Assistant Attorney General

p. 1519-*

. FZ- jt

. - **&morable** William L. Perguam - Page 3 W-332) :,

APPROVRD: OPINIONCCMITPBE Rick Gilpin, Chairman Colin Carl Susan Garrison Tony Guillory JimMoellinger Jeunifer Riggs Nancy Sutton Sarah Woelk

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