OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TRXAS 

AUSTIN 

Xonorable B. L. klllolit 

county Attorney 

Ste_ahenr Qounty 

Brookenrldge , Toxaa 

Dear Slrr 

oh eai#eI thero. 

hae baea the graatioe. lri retoral oouotlen to try 

tirrrt otter&era on Beb~ohesL* of lerm tbaa 88.00 

in the jutMoe oourtr. Xr this true? 

*I would appreoiatr your adtfee on the matter, 

and if It Ir permirribla ts try au& a aam in th@ 

jutxtioe court would Uke to know St.? 
Eon. R. L. Elliott, page R 

Seation 4 of hrticle 587b, Vernon* e Annotated Penal 

Code, (a portion of the law oonewmly known aa the *hot shook 

law”) reeds aa foll0waI 

“Sec. 4. i%r the iiret conriotlcn for e 

violation of eections 1, t, or 3 OS this Aot, in 

the evant the chook, draft, or order given on any 

bank, parson, firm, or corporation, is Five Dollar8 

($5) or less, the punlmhment shell be by imprlaonmsnt ia the oounty jell not exoeeding two 7eare, 

or by a fine not araeodlc~ Two Rundrad Dollare 

ttiiao). Fcr the first conviction for a violation 

of sections 1, 3, or 9 of this Aat, in the event 

the cheek, draft, or order giver! on any bsnk, person, firui or corporation, 1.8 in exaeas of Pit0 

Dollars ($5) , but leas thaa Hrtp Dollare, (baa) ,, 

punlehment shall be by imprisonment in the oouuty 

jell not eroeedlng two years, or by a fiue hot exceeding Pive tiundrad Dollars ($300). 

. 

“If it be shown oa the trial of a ease lnvolvlng a violation of seotlaas 1, 8, or 5 OS thtr 

Aat in which the aheck, draft, or order given on 

any bank, permon, firm or corporation, Is leas 

than rirty Dollars (&Sol, that the aeenam has 

been onea before conviatsd of the came offmae, he 

shall, on his seoond oonvlotian, be puh%ehed by 

aonrinenemt in the oounty jail for not leer than 

thirty (30) days nor mDre than two (E) warm. 

“If it be ahowh upon the trim1 of a 6a8e lnvalving a violation 0r eentione 1 2, or !I of t&i8 

Act that the defendant has two (5! or zaore time 

before baen OOAViOted of the sap’.8 offOnS0, re$ardlaes or the amouat of the oheak, draft or ordox 

involved in the tirst two (E) oonvietlone, upoq 

the third or any subsequent oonviotlon, the puntrhmot shall ba by oohf!.neamt in the peenitentia 

for not lass than two (8) nor more thsn ten (10 7 

years. 

“For the first wnviotion for a violation of 

reations 1, 8, or 3 of this kot, in the erect the 

oheok, araft or order given upon sny bank, per0on. 

~firfm or wrporetion, is in the amouat of Fifty 

Dollars ($50) or more, punishmeat shall be by aonrinement in the paltentlery for not lose then two 

(2) years nor xaora thsn tm (10) years.” 
Bon. R. L. Ullott, page 3 

Article 00, Yarnon' annotated Texar Code of Orlminal 

i+oceaure, reeds as Pollc~rs: 

“Zustiasa of tha peaoe shall have jurladiotion 

In orileinel casas mhere the fine to be i,mpo8eU by 

law msp not exoeed two hundred dollars." 

JQ-tlale 56, V%rnon*c ¬ated Taxes Code of CrImInal 

Prooadure, reads as follows: 

"The oounty oourt8 rhallhave origfnal jurlrdlotlon of all mIsdemeanora of which exoluoive 

orQIna1 jurisdiction ia not given to the jastioe 

court, and tian the fine to be Imposed shell eroeed 

two hundred dcllers.” 

The mesa cjf Saieddlck vs. Etate, 4 Cr. 8. Me, hold8 that 

oounty aourte have jurlsdlotlon a? risdemeanoru wh8re 8 S8rt of 

the punimhmant presoribed Is Imprironment in the eoaatf jail. 

The aourte have repeatedly held that jnetloe ooutt8 

have no jurloiliotlon to rPn8xiy determine eny eriaiaal 8etloa 

*en any portion of the punirhmeut pre8arIbed by l.sni ir IWWIronment ior say length of time. ike the tollowin&oarerl 

Tuttle VII. &ate, 1 Cr. B. 304; 

BIllIngaley vm. State, 5 Cr. E.~'bWbi 

Vecker f8. 5tate, 4 Or, h. '5541~ 

Iaoob8 08. State, 55 Dr. R. 41Oi. 

Ex Perte EaGrew, 40 F. 478; 

&ate vs. &whous, 41 T. lG5; 

Xx I’rrte Fhilllps, Eli S. u. ai%. 

You am, therefore, rerpeotfully advi88d t&et lb 18 th8 

opinion of thlr Department that ths jusbfaa bourt has no jtUi8- 

diction of'the offenaar inquired about. M.sdemeanor "hot ohaok” 

oars%8 should be tried In the county court. Felony "hot oheok” 

oa8e8 8hould be triad in the dI8trIot oourt. 

V6rg truly yours 

ATTOWm GghERAL OF %X.!L.S