. .

**OFFICE OF**  **THE ATTORNEY**  **GENERAL OF**  **TEXAS**
**AUETIN**

. c Honorable Joe C. Gladnay Criminal Dirtriot Attorney Eenclerstin, Texao

nvictea of !dsae6 provhted In Artla micls 794, coas 

### 1 Pf'00Oau0, 0n aaa, brldg26 and 110work8 **of** the narslstsa quest i0m

**wrb** of the County, would it be necessary for the County to establish b County fara or a County mrt’ house?

“2, If the Comtissioners Cmrt, by proper oraer’, ussa such labor then would it be.

Ho,!xorable roe c. 

### c3Laan9y, Pa@ 3 

### 2S5

namlatory on the Court to pay to the Officers the fees amprovided in Art lCl5 C.C.P., since all **Orticers** in **Rusk** County era cozpen~ated on a salary, eDar&at 

### yrsvioion is mle for the **~apien*** by the Court of the fine? m3. Rusk County 

### !ms a population of 51,008. Howover) lt is zy uodsrstatiding that * all the etatutm Providin:! for paying oixvicte 

### whowork in ais0hargO of their fires have bceu hold unaon:~:titutlonal whore It has bean atteznpted to allow thez less than $3.00 a Oay. AZ I rlcht in this snd is &.oC a day the least amountttit oould be allowed ouch ldor? -4. Ii the fine an6 coat assessed ie less than $30.00 an6the 

### &.G-azaa,:t i:zrks Sum6out, 

### kq0da ix hare tt Yci1’~ten daga?

‘Ati 794, 

### Cd.P., pXOVia35 th!It 3c&~SiOner8 Court n;ap 

### provide for a

### w0rk house ma the astabllshxent of a Couhty fvrm in connection therewith. aeetfon s 

### 0r~said A* provide8 Wiey shall be put to labor upon pablio roads, bridges ana other publio worko OSthe County &en their labor oannot be utilized in the County v-or’shouse

or County famP. The oonetmotior the writer places on,that statute i8 that bQiore OoCVittts oan be 

### 2bOOa upon Public 

### roads, brtages or other publie norire uf the Courty there must be in exlstanoe a County 

### workhouse and County ra+ and, ther*fo.;.(:, ,%hefirst quostioc should be answered in %henegative. *In answer to question Number3 it is the opinloci c:’ the wltsr that since all 3ilflosr6 in RUSKCounty are $ialaa salary that it would not be r;eoassary for the County to :ay the fees alloweC by law tc the various officers as it v:ould -erely be transferrIng the JZCG~ircm oneIIocorablQ Joe C; Gladney, Page 3

fund to another. Art 1055 C.0.p :‘rovldes theTV the County shall te liable fii o&Q-haIf of the feea of the Ofricers of the couhty vihe .-.the defandant falls to pay his fine or $0~8 it out in @$I Orworks it out but makes no ~rovislor. for the ;oyz+nt of the Sine. Therefcre, it S8the oglnlon of this writer +.!I&$thr, CCU&~ **??cUll** rot be liable for the f.i?Q :ihcre it hed utilized the labor cf a p3rso:! cwlnz the oc.r:e. *Ir. artwar to qmstlon &unbar 3it ie zy opinion t&t Art 793 O.C.?,, controlls and that $3.00 a Uayis t.hecno*untto be al1med.e Artlclm773 and 7.24, Vernonls .Lmot&sd Code of Grinlaal ?roQQdu-“Q, read PSfc?llows:

. “Art. 793. Pher AUefoudant is aonviot**ed** cd a rds4ereertr F+nsl 3s ;usls.hmnt 1s asseaeed at e -peccslary fine, if he is uaabls to pay tke rlne 

### endCosta edjudged a&net hl?n, hs mayfor such tlnQ es all.1 satisfy the judgzent bQgut tc work in the workhouse, or on the county farx, or :iubllc tiproveEeant8 of the oounty, a3 provided in the sucoeediry article, or if theve hono suoh v~orkhouse, fann or tapm3xs~~ k.3nh~.:J.be lmprlscncd in jail for asu?flci& Icagth of time to disaharge t.he 1~12 erou.?t of fi;.Q aridcosts adjudged q,aSnrt tici; rstlrf fiucb labor or ~f.rv.~rlaonment tt t thme dzll-.vr for esch day thereof.

“Art. w?a, vhere tbQ punishment aseeesQd lr, a convlotioa for ~lede:~Qanor 1s confinev~ent in jail for -core than mQ 3ay, or where in euob ao~vlct~ioo the ~uhleb~nentis assessed srly zt a .>9oziaq fine and the serty so convicted 16 umble to r\eythe fine and acsts adjudged a.@nst hla, those so oonvicted shall hore~;;_ulrsUtc Ur;ts;~unl labor in azoordsnoc ..4th the ?rovislsns of this artiale under the fallowing r”-.-

-7>arxd rspl? tions;

### 2sw

Honorable Joe C. Glatiep, Page 4

“1. ;Sachaomis8ioner.s court mayprovide for the erection of a workhou’+e znd the astablis;lmedt of a county far3 lc connection thare- :rlth for the gurqoss of utillzin+s the labor of said part&e q oonvloted. UZ. 9uoh ;cmaa andworkhouses shall be under .the control and .-.anagzent of the oomalsslonsrs cmrt, :indsaid aourt tiy adopt suoh rules and rogulstloor rot lnaonaistsnt with the laws as they deemnecessary for the auccsestul .zzna~enent **and** operation of **said** lnstitutlcns and for effeotlvely utilizing said 'lobor.

“3. Suahove~rseers and Zc:rds mepbe employed under the authority cf tke oomaissicnera court aa my be neceeaary to prevent escapes and-to enforce smh labor, snd they shall bs paid cut of the county treesury such co~~enas

### tiG& a8 s&ibid

court my prescribe. W. l’kose so aorvlcted shall be SOgxsrdsdwhile at work es to prevent escepa. G. They shall be gut to labor upon the public roads, **Cridgam** or other publio works of t!m county w3sntheir labor cannot be utilized in the county workhouaa or county farm. 93. Theyshall be required to labor not l&e than o%gbt got zero :hnn taz houra each day, Sundays exoapted

. Noperson shall fiver be rep;ircd to

### work for zore than one par,

“7. Cnewhorefuses to lebor or is otherwise refraotory 

### orineu3ordlnate Amybe pmlshed by solitary oonflra%ert OIL bread end water or In euch other ‘:&nner ~8the coznissl::~neru c2urt my direct.

“8. ;~~a~root -.t lti;3or they :zaybe confined in jail or t:le wor?house, nomy be most OOCvenient, or .:‘atha :-:3&attorua of thn ComilSsic-cers court xay preeoribe,.

### 2S8

Honorable SOSC. Cladmy, Papat;@ 3

"9. A fezale shall in nz aase be required to do -?@nual labor exaept in the workhouee.

“10. Ons..ha from a:e disease, or other physical or zmta& dlsabilltg is unable to do manual labor shnll not bs req~lred to work, ::ut shall rmain Injail until hls tern of iz- ?risoment is ended, or until the fine end costs adjudged a<;ainst himare disahargod accordlnc to law. I?!ieinability to domumal labor lcaybe detamined **by** a phpoicfan appointed for. that purpose by ths county udcq or the ccmm~ssicnsrs court, whoshall be paidfor suoh asrvios suah coqmsatlon as **said** oourt nayallow.

“11. Cm oonvlc+ **ed** of a zlsdemamr whose :m&mnt either in whole **vr** in part is ls- @son;;ent in jail my. avoid roamal lcbor by gapant into the county treasury of one dollar for esah day of the tern of his imprisonn--nt, and the rocei;t of the oounty treasurer to that efreot shall be sufficient autboritg for the sheriff to detain himin jail without labor.” Sktion 3 of Article 39120 reads as followst

“IO all oa.888where the Comlseionays* court shall have detamined that county ofiihers 

### orpreolnot orricers in suoh oouaty shall **be** oom~nnsoted for their servlom by the payment of an annual sslmy, neither the State at Texas nor any county shall be oherged with or pay to any of the offloera so compensated, any fee or oo.mnlsslon <or the performncs of any or all of the duties oi their offices but muchoftlcer# shall reoslvs said salary in lieu of all other f444, 

### oommissioners or oorapenentlon whloh they would ot.hezwise be authorized to retain; provided, however, that the assessor :!ndcollector of taxes shall oontlnue to colleot cd retain for the benefit of the Officera* Salary Fund or fundshereinafter provided for 011 fees

### 259

Hozorablc Sac C. "Jladney, Pa&e6

cad cozzlssiocorc which he is authorized under lau to oolloct; ::ndit afisll be hlc Zuty to ccooiint for azd to pay all suoh :3onlce received by hi= into fhe fend created and prmld.zd fdr ;i&%;* the ;:rovisSoac of tile A0

t; proviSed further, that the srovleioas of this %tjoti~.r *hall not afPbct the ~syia:sntof cos.te in sivl.1 oases by t.hc State 5;)t al.1 suoh costs 8.3pld shall be acco*uutc@ fcr by the ~Xlcers oolleoting the-.caxc, es they arc required under i&c **~rOVision8 of**  **thi6 hit**  **t0 aa~OIlIIt**  **ior f4b6,**  com5lcstcnsrs end ccsts ocllrotcd front private ,pM&35.* 3c Taxao C3urt c~?Crl~innl Agpcals hzs lmrntoforce hrld that Artiolca ?Q3, -?Q*, 794a, !zQhb, 7Q40, **end** 7944, tarncn's Annotateli Pod4 of Crlmlr;al 3rooaPuru, were ~~no~:nstlt~uti3n91f.3r **2 ‘** **58** reason0 Set forth lz Evte Fergucon, 132 S. W. (26) 4CR. ceri-4 wit:: thrw Y:~tutss. TheroIoru, xi) ar9 not conFowovor, the original Article 7Y5, Code of Cridne?. **3moedu4,** guotd E.~OYLI,was u2hald iii :hz **nbova** mctioncd aces.

It uli? be roted that Seotion 1 of &ticle 794, Cods of CrimicaX Proecdure, m;sr+ly 

### proviSes*SW> Comicsiui6rs' Ccurt 532vor07100 for t!i.s creation of 3ror!shouse andtha emiishzht of Eoouaty far% in conneotion thcrcwlth for the Quc~osc of utilizing tha labor of said -x&ice so oonvloted.” 3eotlon !i of said &%icle prorillss; Thsy chall bs 9?tt to Lo.borupoil zhe :utlla roads, brld~cc or other p&lie workc of %h:i,SsUty **-&an** their labor oanzot; be utilized in the oo,mZy workiiouoe or county fsrm.* Baotlcn 1, above quoted, La mt aaadatory, e.Ldit is rltL;r~ the disomtior. of the Comlcsioners* Court whether or Got they ~!rCwid@ for th6 6r4CtiCU of a workhouse ccd the csti~blich.~.ont of c oaunty fcrm. SeozLoa 5 ;;rorldcc t&t whenthe labor of the county convicts ozniist be UtiLiZed 1,~::hc county workhouse or aounty farm, the:7still be >ut to labor u>m the public XWIS, bridges 02 ether public aoris ir, :ne co-ar.ty. It. is also to be ilotyd tbt A~I-ti~l4753, Cr?de of Crlt.Lmi ;.roc:cdurc, S~SC~- fichily ;]~ovideg t:t*t v.licz Y-dniendant is convicted of a ~mis'd.asaazos acd 21.8pWis~ie;:t~ is assevaed Lt 8 ::eounicryHonorable Joe C. Gladney, Fags 7

fina if he.le unable to say the fine and costs adjudged c;tiJnet hi? he %ayfor suoh tIma **as** will satiefy the judfss cant be put to work In the workbouae, or the county farq or (1.publlo imprcvozent of ths aounty 58 provided in the auoooadlng zrtiolbs; tThersforo, your firat quuestion ie respeotfullp anewsrod in ths nagativs.

-krtIcla 1055, Code of Ctriml~al Prooedure, **reads** as lolloweq*The oounty shall r;ct be llahlr to the officsr andwitness having oostr in a misdemoanor oaao ti14re defandant gay8 hi8 fine and costs. The county ehall be liable for onehalf of the ieee of the officers 0f the Court, when the defendant fails to pay hle fine and b3ya hi.9 fine out in the county Jo11 or **discharges** the tmfi4 by means of working suth fiza Gut on t.& county roads or onany county ;roJeotr ha to 

### :;apsuch kalf of oosts, the county Clark shall issus hi.8warrant ori the county Treasurer In favor or such offfcer tc bs pcld out zf tha Road andZrldga Fundor othaz funds not othorwias approprfatod.”

Con4idOring Artiols 1055, supra and i%otIon 3 of Article 391&b, eupra, the CommLssIoncrs~ 6ourt is ilot authorized to pay the oiflosra whoare cozpensetad onan annual salcry baeie the cozpensstlon provided bJrArticle lb55. There Is nc provision whatever authorizlr@ the county to pay *ho fine of a fi.e,tandan$whoaatioiiss the fine azd costs asasased against him ‘zyworking in the.workbouae 

### orOSthe county farm or pub110 ingrovaments or thu aounty or where the defendant ie imprisoned Injail for a sufficient langth of tI-,o to disoharga the full amount of the fine and costs sdjudcfed agaInat htm.

In an8we.rto your third question, it is Ouropinion that Utfols 793, Cod4 of Criminal Prooedure, controls and that $3.00 per day is the amountto be allowed.

With reterencs to g2ur fourth question, ~4 Call ycur attention to the aase 9.xcarts Young, 135 9. V. ted) 863. R4f4rring to ArtIole 795, Code or CrIfiIcal Procedure, the court saldrHonorable Joe C. Gladnoy, Pago 8

**TV4** are Impressed with ths Ids& that such article is a general **0114,** andapplies

‘to cny ahdall miiisderreanoragensrally, un**lass** there should oppaer in such Code Emro OFuCifiC on4 dealing with some subjsot thereIn. In our ssa'rch tharsfor wecam In contact vrith Art. 920, C. C. P., under tha heading of ‘Judzent & Juetlo t Ccurt, *hiah is263 aa tallows; *vi derenlont plaoed In jail on aooount of iallure to pay ths tine and ooats coil be diachirgsd, on habeae **aOrFU0** by ehowIngr

“‘1. Thiit ho Is too poor to pay the **fise** and oosta, and

“‘2, Th?t ha has r4maIned In Jail G 

### 4urricmt 14nGth or -Sin4to 

### 44tft3ry t39 fin4 sAd c5sts, at. the rzte cf thres dollero fcr sach Cay.

“‘Put th4 defendant shall, In no cass undor thlz erticle, be diachargsd until he ha8 boon imprisoned at loa6t ten days1 4nd a Justioe of the pooce l~ilgdIsohar5e th4 dufandent upon his showing ths samecause, by aPplIoetian to such **jU4t84O;** andwhensuch application Is Grr_nted, the Justice shall noto th4 nam on l-do docket..*

“It la our holding that Artlele QEO, oupre, prevents tha dlsaharge of any person by maans or awrit of habeas oorpus whoIs compelled to lay out his fine end oosts In **jnil,** which wasli-vied in.a justice ar,uxt, until **he haa**  rrerveCat least tnn days in jail. At such tlms he is entitled to the writ of habaan oorpus, rnh shall be allowed the sum of three dollars per Unyfor each day he cozaimd in Jail, and If suoh amountwould have dloohsrgtd th4 fics and costs, he vsuld **54** ontitled to hie dIechar&e **05** a habaae oor?us ~;esring~ sx part4 Yol;lughlIn, 124 vex. Cr. 3. 40, 50 5. :;‘

. 2d 705; XXcarteHonorable Joe C. Dladney, Page 9

Fsrnandez 122 Tex. Cr. R. 641, 37 3. 3’

. 26 578.' Fhiie this holding mayoperate as a see~mlhginjustice to the reletor herein, oompelllng h&to serve ten days in jail for a ;'14 fine, its c$vreotion la a matter for the legielature rather than this court. The datuts is plain and wemust follow it. '578thsrefore hold Iierein that relator woul!ehave to either ;sy his fine snd oosts in the justloe court, or serve at least ten days in jail before being entitled to his disoharge herein by means of awrit of habeas cor;ua.* In view ~of.what has been snid in the above mentioned case, werespectfully ansc’er your fourth qusstion in the afflmative, whenthe oonvlotion Is obtained in ajustios acurt.. However, whenthe conviction; is obtalmid in a county oourt, the question is answared in the negative.

Trusting thet the foregoing fully mowers your inquiry, weare Tours very truly



### ATT;)c:PIZY

GENERAL Ar&ell lilliams Assistant