OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY CENERAL OF TEXAS

**AUSTIN**



### l ntl y r ee o i r o d

a 44mplalnt **urabae4d on4**  **44rd 4f**  **w4M**
**or d4lirorillg**  **00 tPh4**  **ml**
**r a**  quanMty **ol ,wwttl**  **whioh** hr **bolng on.**  **oord and**  **eoll~6~ f4r**  **444 t**  the grioowhloh had **boon** qwted.

"In the 15&S of the S~OVO rxplanatlon, rhould a ooznplaint

be filmd umlarArtiole1087 for rol.lii+g 1~3s~ than the quantity

r4 **totit: ~3od**  **j Snd**  

### ii **80, wi**  rosontsd 

### 0r a oommodlty, 11 you pleasepropare XorBeprt3nQnt 

### or Agrioulture,Page %

this Dqwtment the pro~or form complaint ta be f&l&? *Ii the oomplalnt

shouldbe file4 uuiler ~0 other statute, pleme adriu ana alro turnirh w with the properf~xm oomplalnt under that 8tatute.*
**Artiolo** 102!7,

Vernon*8

Annotated

Pen61 do&e, reaQs u f4&wO:Tal8e weight8anb rnea~ure~~ - llny perron **rho, by**  **hlmseif** or by his urvaat or a ent ai anothot

pe~on, shalloffer or oxpoee# or mle, eefl,we, or rotainin hia poarw8ion ury rel*e wet f" tr or rmwurea, or w4ighing or meuuri~ de7 ous. $31

the **buying** es arUin@ of any eammalty’or thingor in oalouLat2ng or mrasuri~ 8ervi44 or in the 64t4rainati4iI or weightor meuure when a oharge la m84e fsr ruoh detenaiaati~a, or rho rhau ul8pom Of any oondmaned mmlea, *i(Fhtr, m4wurem or w4ighiag or mmmring awi0r 44atrm-y to lawl or MIO #hail rel,ll 6r offer tw exgoaefor skl4 leas then the quantityhe rrprwento af say omai~~ity,

thing or 8oflLoe.

or s&&12 take or attemptto take more thrn the quaatity hs reprountr 4i any aommo41tys

thingor r)ervie*,

when, a*,

th* buyeror weigherof MY oomamdity, he furnl#he8 the weight.

nmaa~ura,

or weigliiag

or **mwauring** &avioe by meana of w&Rlfoh the awunt o? any o@mmadity, trhlng,

or eervieris determinotlj or who rhall SP:,: ~11 4r b)ff#m

ror aale, or tm or kwe in hir posaeulon for the purpose of relling

or wsing,any dolor or Iniatruwntto be orrsd to or ealoulat6d

t4 talnifpand weight or wesuTej @hallbe ul2fy ot a ralsdeineanm,

and shall be puniahsd **by** a "i ne OS not lem than $%O or ame than $100, upon the iiclrtoaariotlonin any oourtof oomp*tent juriOai0ti44:

444 trpoa & seoondor Bubsequet oowlotion in ssy oourt of owpetent juristllotien he mha3.1

be ponle,hwl

by a fine of not lorm than #I50 OT more than #%08,* Artiols103'?(e),

VormzI'4

Ann&~tOd Penal Godr,prorides thatr

'Dsiinitiona.-. The anrtl *person*

as we4 in this Aot shall be **aonstrued** to importthe pluralDepartment of Agrloulture,Page %

and singular,

a8 the ease demands, and ehalL ln**elude oorgoratione,**  oompaniss,societies,an& aaaooietlons. The uorde 'weighta, measures or (and) weighing

and nearrurlng

devises' as us& in this Act, shall be oonstru$d to include all weights, 8cdlea, beams, measures of every kinU, instruments 

### 6na meohemlu~ 

### dsvi01~ for weighing and meeourin and any applia~&~ and aooessorlem eonneat& wit

it any OF all euoh~tnatrumants. The word *self* or *sale'as used in this Act, shall be construed to lnoluds barter and exohange. The term *false wel.ght

or measure, or weighing arid measuring derioeel 1' shall be oonatruedto mean any walght or mamaure whloh doea not oonfow to the UnfteQ States Btandaxds of weight of measure or any wslghiag or **meaanrlng** devleewhloh close not gira uorreot**re** eulte or immanipu3.ated to give lnoornot remits in tsnnrs

of'Qnltad St&w Standardsof weight or meatsure.* Artiole lO4%, Vernon’s Annotated Penal Code, reads as rollow~:

TBailure

te regardunit ot mmfmmo - w&4- ever in buyingany oaneodity or artiolsof ptaperty, merohandlso

or prWluee, the standardw&&t taf v&hfeh per ,bushel

or bamfel,or divisiblemerohantable t\utpaat~i~ 7 of a busthel or **barrel, or**  by the 44rU qr ton or ou la pgxd, has been rid by ths lam of this State, ehall take any greater number of poondr thereof to the bushel, barrel or cubic yard, or 6ivisiblo merohanteblequantity **Oi buehel,**  barrel,eubi0 yard or linsal yard, or in selling rtny or the same, shall give any less number of pounds thsreor to the bushel,

barrel, oubic or lineal yard, or dlvioible merohantablcquantity of bushel, barrel, **oubio or**  linealyard than la allowed **by** the laws ot thia Stats, with intent to gain an advantage thereby, rhall **be** fined not less than twenty nor more than two hundrlsd dollars.* Artiole 1037, **aupra, mike6**  **it** an 

### orrense for any peraon,who, by himself or hte em@oysa or agent, or as the employer or agent of snother, shall use in the buying or selling of any commodity or rstain in his possession a falseI ’

Wqartment of d&culture, Foga 4

**weight or**  **meaauxe, or**  **weighing or**  **measuring instrument.**  This **statute** further makes It an ol'fsnso for any personto use OF he70 in hla p~sswa,ion r0r the purpose

of selling or using,any

ilevioa or inrtrument

to ba used.or oalaulatad to, fnlsify

any weight or **measurea** Olaarly under ths faots sat out, there Is no rlolatlon ol Artlale1057. There ara no hota under the abovemantfoned situation

mhewlngthat talaeweight8or nmamtrw wer6 weu in the **buying or**  adlfng of any oalPrradity,

neither

were falseweight.8

or measures wed or had In the pos8#alon ot tha **party** l.n question

far the puxgoseof sellingor wing any devloeur in8trumsnt to be used to, or oaloulateQ to, **Salalfy** any wal.ght or meas- %s in part thatr Artiole5954,T8rnon*a Annstated UitilStatutes,proVhenevar any oonmoditp la #old by the oord, it shallmaan 128 **oubio** tee&.**or** the aontento of a rpaoe 8 feet lmg, 4 feet wltb, and 4 teat hi& $+jg *aI

We quoteirum Tear furiaprubenoe, Volume 44, pagr 516, 88 to11uws:

mOe~~ the 8tatote. it hw b4an he&a that a oord 1~ a~%simmre oi *ood **bontalnlng** 1868 **aabio feet**  **e** ora etherwI8o

expr~~8e&, %t is a pile ot woo4 B is& long, 4 feet tide, and 4 feet high, However,tha law &a8 not rfnquire

thrt, In order h0 a8eurtain that a quantity

Of wood 8@1d 18 a OBrd, OX any multiple thereof, it Shall be pleoed in a piI8 Or 8uoh dia6nsfian8) anp other**meemnwnent or**  pile that oontalns a full' oord. 8atfsfies the~8tatut6.RSaoksY. State, 204 9. W. 450.Under the **above** rtatedfacts, ws ar8 OS the opinion that the complaint

oouldnot be filed underArtlole1057, supra,but shouldba flleU underArtlale1042, Vernon'8

Annotated Penal Code.

With rsr8renoe

to a form oomplalnt, wa wuuld **re** speotfully

refer **you to**  **kow No.**  462, page 280, of Wilson's TexasOrimlnal

FormsAnnatat&, whloh formwa believe18 the propsrform for a sonplaint undsr the abuts Ptatibd faate, and Artlole1042, **aupra.**Y 0, R