TheXonorableTmHanna 

Criminal District Attorney 

Jefferson County 

P. 0. Box 2553 

ma-t, !mias 77704 

l%eEIo~ableHankAnderson 

Bunty At-=%' 

WichikaCbunty 

Wichita Falls, '&xas 76301 

opinicm No. H-756 

Fe: col.rtcosts~ohcanbe 

collededatthe time a suit 

or instnment is filed for 

service by constables or sheriffs. 

(1) Are sheriffs entitled to fees under article 

3933a, V.T.C.S., formsucxessfulatt6qtsto 

ca@et+service of process? 

(2) May County and District Clerks assess and 

collect service fees at the timeof filing of 

suits or hsats which require service? 

(3) May ComtyandDistrict Clerks collect a 

deposit at the time of filing in order to secure 

service fees? 

p. 3196 
IheExmrsblelbnIianna 

lheBmorableHankAndersm- page 2 W-756) 

l%s Honorable Jce Rzsweber 

Prior to its 1975 mt, article 3933a, V.T.C.S., authorized 

fees when servics "is perfonmzd or attenpted and return is made." 

(imphasis added). lkwever, article 3933a presently authorizes such fees 

&YwfEn service "is parfomrd and return made." Acts 1975, 64th Leg., 

ch. 480, p. 1297. Inouropinion, theclear iqortof the1975ankxKbnt 

to article 3933a is that sheriffs may no longer collect a fee for service 

of prccess orsmsother instrwnttiess such service is successfully 

performed. hxmdingly, we anmer the first question in the negative. 

Thesecond~questi~arewfietheraCounty.orDistrictClerkmay 

wllect fees for service at the tim of filing andwhether sewrity for 

such feesmaybe requird atthattims. 

Sinceasheriffismtentitledtoafeeforserviceofpr0cessor 

~meotherinstrunentunlesssuchsenriceissuccessful,~beli~it 

clearthat~feesmayIkotbetaxedascosts~tilthesenriceis 

anpleted. Thus, aComtyor District Cl&has 1~) autbrity to cqllect 

aswurtcc6ts a fee forserviceofpmcesspriorto theactual service 

and retwm of pmcess. See Rule 17, T.R.C.P. - 

While ths clerkmaymtwllecta fee for serviceofpmcessbefore 

senriceismade,thequesticnofrequiringsecurityatthetimethe 

petition is filed for eventual payment of that fee is governedby Rule 

142, T.R.C.P., whichprovides: 

'Ibeclerkmayreqdre frantheplaintiffsecurity 

NJ attorn& or othr officer of the court shall be 

suretyinanyoause~inthewurt,except 

underspecialleaveofwurt. (misadded). 

III addition, Rule146 provides: 

Inlieuofalxxdforwsts,thepartyre&red 

togive the sammydepositwiththeclerkof 

wurtorthejusticeofthepeacesuchs~asthe 

wurtorjusticefrantimetot.hsmay&signate 

as sufficienttopaythe accruedwsts. 

p. 3197 
lhe Howrable Ttm Hanna 

IheI33mrableRankAndersw- page 3 (H-756) 

TheHorxxableJoe Resdxr 

See also FUle 145, regarding affidavits of inability to pay costs. -- 

Oxpare Rule 143, concerning otter wsts. In interpreting Fade 142, 

Attornqy General Opinion S-42 (1953) indicated: 

Ittillthusbsseenthattheanmtyor 

district clerk shall file the petition in every 

casewhenitispresentedtohbn,butheisnot 

~toissueanyprucessthereonwithout 

securityforwstsinsaidcause,ordessa 

sunofnrxeyis depositedwith the clerk sufficient 

tosecuretbsestirnatedwsts,orunlessthsplaintiff 

shall file a paupers affidavit in lieu of the bond 

or deposit. 

l?ui, at the timsapetitionis filed, aclerkmayrefuse to issue 

process prior to the receipt of security for costs orzmaffidavitof 

inability topaywsts. Acwrdi@y,ws answer ttE-qlleStiOllh 

theneyativeandthe thirdinths affirmative. While a clerkn~ynot 

assess fees forserviceas wstspriorti the succWSful.Psturnthereof, 

he may require security or an affidavit of inability to pay wsts prior 

to issuing any process for service. 

SUMMARY 

Under article 3933a, a sheriff is not 

mtitledtia fee for an nsuccessfulattenpt 

tOserVeprocesS. 

Acountyor District Clerkxraynot assess 

fees for service as costs prior to the successful 

pE%fozmanceofselxice. Atthetheapetition 

is filed, a clerkrnay require security for such 

fees or an affidavit of hability tipsy a&s 

prior to issuing any process. 

p. 3198 
lheE%nmrable~Ranna 

The Bmrable Hank Anderson - page 4 (H-756) 

l%eEkmorableJoeFk?.sweber 

opinion cumlittee 

j* 

p. 3199