OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

.Jwqorable RahLph 

County httornsy 

kbbook Cwsty 

Lubbook, %aae 

Dear Sirs 

AUSTIN 

Brook 

OQlnian no. 

A.: 0811 the 

rhleh I ham rondared 

to the Couut ve to a mtter, 

like to here your 

my muOh ror yvu 

1 rqlort et the aounty 

a110 ana1oa.d. It 

thlr OVUPt dloQosed 

w in addition to'thia 

one hundnd and 

afternoon. 

II the mornlw 

look in the 

has lnoraawd the salaries ef all sooretarlal tilp, and the 

help in hla vrrioo cmd 1~ my ~ftioa is not sear&aria1 in 

every ~~88, ror in vrdax to keep hillr, the COUW hl#~*, 
Honorable Ralph Brook, page 2 

f'roe having to ollmb the stairs to the Clerk's office 

from ten to flftaen times a day to sign birth oertiflaata 

matters, this book of th4 Probate mfnutss is belw kept 

by his secretary in his offloe, which is, as you see, 

oleriaal work. Then in addition to that, as you know, 

under the statute, he Is required, as I, to 1n4ke monthly 

reports, end with the volum4 that is passing through the 

two offloes, mine and his It la entirely impossible to 

44oure help theft Is effioient at the 8100,OO figure whloh 

the county has heretofore been able to secure. 

Win keeping the birth oertlfloate records as they 

er4 kspt the County Judge's ofsloe Is savlnq, the employment 

of on4 additional asalatant oounty olerk, and on aooount 

of congasted oondltlons in this part, the secretary to th4 

County Judge ls olerking the County Court, sixi the Clsrk 

would not bs able, u&der the prosent s4t-up to lmrr aa I8 

r4qoIrsd by law a alerk to attend this Court, and with th4 

amount of,buaIness that is bblng'oonduoted In the County 

Court, it would bs n4044~ry that the County Clsrk employ 

a full-tla4 as,sIetant ol4rk totak4 oar4 of this buslneaa. 

*As Is Sndioated in thr 14tt4r to the Commlssionoreg 

+.: :,, ..% _ :. :~ Burt; ~-it Ia,:njl::~opIut4n-that .era-,salari4s~~.oollld be, raIa4d. 

and these employ4ea Gould be dssIgnat4d-as clerk& In this' 

cowmotion let m4 say_that you know full well that s4or4- 

tarial or clerioal help does not depend upon just bavlng 

someone around. You have to have someone that understands 

what It is all about. I .do test you all1 give mo an lmmsdlate 

opinion on this rnatWr.* 

~‘&,tr opinion addreaa4d to the Honorable Commlaalon4ra* 

Court of Lubbock Wunty, Texan, on ths.abovs stat6d question roada 

as f0l.l0ws: 

*You have queetlowd ma relative to rohather or not the 

County CommIsalon4ra~ Court oan authorize'the payment of a 

salary In 4x04~4 of $100.00 per month to an office eaalatant 

of the,County Judge and the aecre$ary of the County Attorney!s 

0fri ~8. 

“Artiole 3902 of the Revised Civil Statutes provides 

a4 follows: 
Ronorable Ralph Brook, page S 

WIWhoneoer any district, county or prscbot ofri04r~ 

shall require the s43~lo48 of deputies, aselstantr~ or 

olsrks in the p4rform4noe of his duties he aball apply to 

the County Commlssloners* Court of his county for authority 

to appoint such deputies, assIstanta or olerks, ,etatIng by 

sworn appliaatlon the number needed, the position to be 

fill46 and the amount to be ~16. Said appllcetion shall 

be acoompanied by a statamant showing the probable reoeipts 

from fees, ooadssionr and compensationto be collected by 

said offloe during the rlsoal year and the probable dlabursements which shall Inolude all ealarles and expenses 

of said offloe; land said oourt shall make its order authorlelag the appointment OS suoh deputies, aslslstantand olerkr 

and fix the compensation to ba paid them wlthln the llmltatlona herein prasorlbad and determine the number to be appointed as In the disoretion of eald court may M,properl' 

proridod that In no oaas shall tha Commlsslonera~ Oourt or 

any manber thenof attempt to lnflu4uo4 thr appolntwnt 

of any person an deputy, aadmtant~or alerk fn any affloe. 

Upon the entry + suoh order the offloere applying for saoh 

,a~esfptants deputies or alark t&all be authoilzoa to.appoint, 

.th&; p&bad that saltI compensation shall not eroead tha 

maxluuu5'aWunt her4lnafter aet out. ." :,,. : Th4 oompansatlon whioh 

~. tiI .M~aU.woa :~to +iha 4oputi4r i asriatanta~. .or...*larkm ~~awro.,~ Pi 

named for th9Ir~@ervfosr ahall be a reasonable ona, ntit fo 

iroeed tag r~omwtng ~ourlta: In oouutler havhig P pupulktion of thfrty-maven thousand five hund d and one (57,501) 

and not mra thaa sixty~thoueand (60,000 7 @habitants, 

fldt arr$istant or ohioi daputy not to @roeed Twaaty-ona 

Hunbed (#?lOO.OO) Dollars.per annum; other assistants 

'deprrCtLns oroltika~not to exoeoa ltl&htaan Hundred (~l&.OO) 

.Dollar~ per anna eaoll. 

shall be oonstrued as ra 

Provided that nothing in this dot 

ealfng or airacting Baotion S af 

R. B. PIo. 694;~Chaptq.r S P 5, Acts 19S5, Forty-fourth LagIalatun, 7M.' 

TJnder t&Is artlola it ~os?ms alaar that the County 

Commissl,owr8* C6urt shall have the power to authorica 

tha ippolntmant.of suoh deputies, araiatanta and alarke 

that may ba needed by th4 Oouuty Judge atw!l/Or the County 

Attorney In tha parformanos of thslr dutias and to Six 

their oompansatlon wIthin the llmltatlona prescribed In 

SwtI6R~S of Article 3908, oinse Lubbock County 00mn within 

thetpopulatlon braoket.~ Under Section 3 the CommIssIoners! 

*~ ~Court Gould be authorized .to appoint a Clerk to the County 

.,;;'Judge*s ?ffIq6 to s47i+e inthe~ County ;T~dge~s office~at~a 

,~ salary of not 'to eroeed $1800.00 per yeear. Likewise, the 

‘~~Commlssionera* Court may authorize the appointment of a 

Clerk in the County Attorney's off&a8 et a salary not to, 

~exceed 461000.00 #4r year, 
.' Honorable R&h Bfock, a&s 4 

*Section 13 of krtlale 3912 ,provides 'as follqwa: 

-'The Commhdoneks~ Court inoouatles having a 

population of twenty thousand (80,000) inhabi.tante or 

more, and leas then one hundred end ninety thousand 

(190,OOO) inhabitants according to the lest preoediug 

FWl0rtal ‘hnaus, ia hsiaby Qilthorizsd ends It shall be its 

duty to fir~the rala;rlss or ~11 the following named 

.0rrici~, totit: 5herifr, asseesor,end collector or 

taxes county Judge. county sttorney, includi?le 'crluinal 

dlstrjot attorneys end county ettorney, Including criminal 

distrf& attorney5 end count7 attorneys who .parfqp the 

duties of dietriot sttorneye, distriot alerk, county clerk, 

treaaurar;hide and animal lnspeotox.: ICech of said oiiioere 

shell be paid in,mooey. and annual salary in twelve (UT) aqua1 

lnatall3nent5 oft not l&s than the total SUDS earned 8~ oompe?~eQ$ibn by big in his 0rrii0ipl cep@ty'ror:t*e rl5oal 

par 1935, end~nfl mom thdn ths,meximum ameugt,a&lowed 

such bff'fher under'lewca~ ed5tI.W on,August~.24,,~1?3F~; 

.~ prbylded thet .in oouutle5 having a population-of.twenty 

~thourand (~SO,OOO) 5nd loss #an thirty45veri thouland five 

hUndrtWJ (37,500) E'XJOi+iiQf3 ,to.the '&%et; pr49?ding .Federal 

Ahulsus, end having en eeeeaeed 9el~~ion'id,6~O~?s at 

:;;i:g+ ~(~~ : :~:~,'~.:: .b,:;~ .:: yiftaan M~lllon (~@S 000 OOO)~ OolXara;,aa?oxd$ag;to the 

a :::i! 5::: 'id& ,app*sa _ :pr~ee~~j~~.&x .;mll Of .:.a,e~~, ~o&nt* %?a~ Ba*m : 

amunt~al~lowad ~auoh &fioers es eelerios map ‘be .%n@reeeed 

daq(l$) lper oent ror ;&eoh One tailllon~(~1)OOO;@O.OO) 

Dollare valuation or rrectionel pert thetieor, in sroeie 

~ or said Flrtaan Hill.ion ($16,000,000.OO) Dollar5 valuation 

over ends above-ths~sa&.~ amount allored suob offioers 

under laws existing on~August 24, 1935; and~&kOoided that 

in oountiee h&ring a pohletiqn br tblrtf+rvon thousend 

riro hundred '(~s?,fOO) aqd ,iees :than ~aiFW'thoUs+ ,(80,000) 

aooort?l&~te the last ~preoeding Fed&e1 CWMLUB, end hering 

an esmesaed oaluetlon:$n l xa,eee of Twenty.iiilPiq (Q%O,OOO,OOO

Dollere, eacording to.the laet preaeding app~#d tax roll 0f 

suoh county, the ~xlxagm amount alloubil such otfiaara as. 

eeleriea may be increeeed oae (1$) Peru aentior seoh one 

tillion f#i,OOO,~,OOO.QO) Dollere veluetion or freOtiOna1 pert 

theredt,~ in exoeas.of aQi& Twenty hPillloh ($ZO,OOO,OOO.OO) 

Dollar5 valuation over end above the marifaum emouut allowed 

suoh orfloer under lnua existing on Auguet 24, 1933. 

-*(a) The CommL5eionars* Court mey euthorlza~the employment of a stenogrepher by the oounty judge,.enU pey for such 

ssrvloe6 out of the (general fun& of th5 orrunty to ed amount 

not to rxceed Twel9e Ebndred (12OO.00) .Dollera per year+ 
Honorable Ralph Brook, pge 3 

‘7fOU will notiac the provision in this Article which 

authorlres the employmat of a aeoretery to the County 

Judge et a salary of not excaeding $l200.00 per year, 

however, the seoretary to'the County Judge of Lubbock 

County has greeter duties and greater responsibilftleo 

than ordf.nary secretarial work end the work that ehe 

nuet~do inthe oirioe oFthe Gounty Judge oannot be 

properly desoribsd as secrsterial work. In other words, 

her duties go beyondthose of the ordinary aeoretery. 

She rifle out birth oertificatee for the oounty, keeps 

the books of' the County Judge(s office and perrorms 

numerous other duties outside the general aaope of eitoretar$al work. It is therefore my opinion that she should 

properly be designated aa a olerk to the County Judge 

and pursuant to 8uah Ueaignatlon by the Comuiseioneret 

Court, the Commissioners* court would be authorizeC to 

f$x her salary at a sum within the limtte prescribed, 

abo9e. It le therefore my oplnlon that the Commissioners* 

Court of Lubboak.County, Texas would be within their legal 

rights fn euthorleing the appo&ment of a clerk to the 

County Judge and CL Clerk~to the County’Attol%ey at e salary 

in eeoh instance. of not to exoeod gl800.00 per annum.9 ' 

This. Dsge~~ent ~haa.hereeoforo, on ~se9eral oooaeL,ona, 

':':I~,'.'::nritt~~';"oplnions' on pra~t%Dally~ the eeme~ question or, queetiona 

lnrolred in your inquiry. 

le direct your attention to ODInion Do. O-1620 holding 

in erract thatthere is no authority ror a County Attorney to 

,employ e atanographer. 

We uall your attention to our Opinion Ko. 04874 whiah 

holds that when a County Attorney oompllos with the termta or 

Artlole 5908,~ Vernon's Annotated Civil Statutea, e olerk may be 

appointed by the County Attorneyti 

83th referen& to that part of your quezMon regarding 

the euthori'tj or the~Comaiselonors 9 Court authoriefng the eppointment of an oftice assistant for the County Judge end the paymnnt 

or e aelary in excess ot One Hundred ;($lOO.OO) Dollars per month 

to such essistant, It Is our .optnion that 8 County COmmiseionsr8t 

Court la not authoriied under Artiole 3902, Vernonts Annotated 

Civil Statutes, In the absenae of the specific grant of power, 

to pay any salary Eor an essiatant for the County Judge, an4 that 

in view oi' the provlalona of 36ctlon 13(e) or krtlcle 3912e, 

Vernonttt Annotated Civil Statutea, ap lyi~ng to COunt%es 91th e 

population o!' twenty thousand (20,000 7 lnhabltants or more, and 

less than one hundred ninety thoueend (190,OOOj Inhabitants, the 

County Judge in such oountles can only employ a stenogragher with 

the approval of the Co.misslonera* Court at a s&sry not to excee8 

Twelve Aundred (312O(i.@C) Dollars p.r yesr. Our conaluslon thus 

stated with reference to the first part of the question quoted 

abose is eupported by our Opioloa MO.. O-1449. 
Honorable Ralph Brock, page 6 

In your opinion addreese to the Flonorsble CormIssionera* COUrt Of Lubbook County, Texm, YOU atate ill dreOt 

that the Conmiiet#lonm?~* Court or said oounty would be within 

its legal right in authorfzlng the appointment 0f a clerk by 

an4 for the County Attorney at a salery not to exueed Eighteen 

Hundred (#.6OO.O0) Dollare per annum. We think that this is 

a oornot statement with reference to a olark for the County 

Attorney and the salary to be pal4 rauoh olerk by ~lrtue ai 

Artiole 3903, 6upm. However, ae above lndloated we 40 not 

agree with that portion of your opinion with reference to a 

olerk ror the county Judge. 

In eupport of the ~oregolng we oito you the r0iutw~~ 

opinion4 end enoloss a oopy or -oh ror your oonvenlenos. 

opinions here rererred to are Bos. O-383, O-3146, O-1449, O-8342, 

O-65, O-1649, O-1874, O-3743, O-1950, o-1097, an4 0-1630. 

we trust that the toragoing Sully answers your inquiry. 

Your8 Avery truly 

AWROVZD M&R. 18, 1943 ATTORHFiY GEUEUL OF TWXAi 

m :.: 

?IIIsT ASSI8TAliT 

/@, . ..._.::. :,:.- 

ATToIllnry G%!?=L 

AR/PO 

AtiROVXD OFINIOiP COh&IT+EE BY.B.W.B. CEAI=