October 17, 1951 

,- 

Hon. Stewart W. Hellman Opinion No. v-1320 

Criminal District Attorney 

Fort Worth, Texas Re: Present maximum compensation of county 

officials in Tarrant 

Dear Sir: County 

You have requested an opinion on the maximum compensation of the county judge, sheriff, criminal district attorney, district clerk, county clerk, 

assessor-collector of taxes, county treasurer, and 

judge of the county court at law of Tarrant County. 

Tarrant County has a population, according 

to the 1950 Federal Census, of 361,253 inhabitants. 

Therefore, the compensation of the county judge, 

sheriff, criminal district attorney, district clerk, 

county clerk, and assessor-collector of taxes is 

governed by the provisions of Articles 3912e-11 and 

3912g, V.C.S. 

Section 2 of Article 3912e-11 provides in 

part: 

"The County Judge, Sheriff, District Attorney, Criminal District Attorney, District 

Clerk, County Clerk, and the Assessor-Collector of Taxes of such counties shall each receive a salary of Seven ThousandA Seven Hundred Dollars ($7,701)) per annum. 

Under the above quoted provision, the 

county judge, sheriff, criminal district attorney, 

district clerk, county clerk, and assessor-collector 

of taxes are entitled to a base compensation of 

$7,700 per annum. 

Section 1 of Article 3912g authorizes an 

additional increase not to exceed 25% of the sum 

allowed under the law for the fiscal year of 1948. 

Since Tarrant County had a population of 225,521 inhabitants according to the 1940 Federal Census, the 

compensat!on of the county judge, sheriff, criminal 
Hon. Stewart W. Hellman, page 2 (V-1320) 

district attorney, district clerk, county clerk, and 

assessor-collector of taxes was governed by Article 

3883g which provides: 

"Section 2. The County Judge, Sheriff, 

District Attorney, or Criminal District Attorney, as the case may be, District Clerk, 

County Clerk, and Assessor and Collector of 

Taxes shall receive a salary of not less 

than Seven Thousand, Four Hundred Dollars 

($7,400) per annum from,,the Officers Salary 

Fund, in such counties. 

Therefore, under Article 3912g, the comissioners' court was authorized to grant an increase not 

to exceed $I.,850 (25% of $7,400). You are therefore 

advised that the maximum compensation which may be paid 

the county judge, sheriff, criminal district attorney, 

district clerk, and county clerk of Tarrant County 

is $9,550 ($7,700 plus $1,850). The maximum compensation for the assessor-collector of taxes is $9,550 

($7,700 plus $1,850) plus the compensation provided 

for in Section 57 of Article 1436-1, V.P.C., as amended 

by Senate Bill 271, Acts 52nd Le ., 1951, ch. 368, p. 

520. See Att'y Gen. Op. V-1294 "i 1951). 

Compensation of the county treasurer of 

Tarrant County is governed by the provisions of Section 5 of House Bill 265, Acts 52nd Leg., R.S, 1951,. 

ch. 391, p. 675, which provides as follows: 

"In each county in the State of Texas 

having a population of at least three hundred thousand and one (300,001) inhabitants, 

or more, according to the last preceding 

Federal Census, the Commissioners' Court 

shall fix the salary of the county treasurer at any reasonable sum providing such 

salary is not less than Forty-eight Hundred 

Dollars ($4800)." 

The commissioners' court of Tarrant County 

may therefore set the salary of the county treasurer 

at any reasonable sum provided such salary shall not 

be less than $4,800 per annum. Att'y Gen. Op. V-1216 

(1951). 

Compensation of the judge of the county court 

at law of Tarrant County is governed by the provisions 

of Articles 1970-336 and 3912g, V.C.S. Under Article 

1970-336, the judge of the county court at law Of 
Hon. Stewart W. Hellman, page 3 (V-1320) 

Tarrant County is entitled to the base compensation 

of $7,400 per annum. Section 1 of Article 3912g 

authorizes the additional increase not to exceed 25s 

of the sum allowed under the law during the fiscal 

year of 1948. The judge of the county court at law 

of Tarrant County was entitled to the maximum compensation in 1948 of $6,000 per annum. Article 3912e-1. 

Under Article 3912g, the judge ofthe county court at 

law of Tarrant County is entitled to an increase not 

to exceed $1,500 (258 of $6,000). You are therefore 

advised that the maximum compensation of the 'udge of 

the county court at law of Tarrant County is 

($7,400 plus $1,500). 

4 8,900 

SUMMARY 

The maximum compensation which may be 

paid the county judge, sheriff, criminal 

district attorney, district clerk, and 

county clerk of Tarrant County is $9,550. 

Arts. 3883g and 3912g, V.C.S. The maximum 

compensation which may be paid the assessorcollector of taxes is $9,550 ($7,700 plus 

$1,850) plus the compensation provided for 

in Section 57 of Article 1435-1, V.P.C. 

The maximum compensation which may be 

paid the judge of the county court at law 

of Tarrant County is $8,900. Arts. 1970-336 

and 3912g, V.C.S. 

The commissioners' court of Tarrant 

County may set the salary of the county 

treasurer at any reasonable sum providing 

such salary shall not be less than $4,800 

per arm-m. H. B. 265, Acts 52nd Leg., R.S. 

1951, ch. 391, P. 675. 

APPROVED: Yours very truly, 

J. C. Davis, Jr. PRICE DARIEL 

County Affairs Division Attorney General 

Jesse P1 Luton, Jr: 

Reviewing Asdistant 

BY 

Everett Hutchinson Fk John Reeves 

Executive Assistant Assistant 

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