OFFICE OF THE ATrORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

rtatutory f8ss 

and nima *asnquosting an 

rtmtod thsroln 

%n the muq 

r 

OSflo lo l8 to o b - 

ublio and to takr 

tr aa suoh, aa rmll 

moh ozfio~rr a0 

a Oounty Clsrki 

8aor * Coll*otor~ 

praatloklly all 

sionr aa lfoteriem hbl.io, and 

otlor ha8 beon indulged in 

y Co unt7 Attorney who l rved 

J within w knrrrlodue. rru 

aas~r iintemam8y alnd h0m0row hovarer, the 

quartion wme ni8od b7 a Xenilla oltlxon the 

othar day nlatlvo to 8aking of au l oknou~adgament by our Gotant Clerk •~) auoh Notary Publio 

ta a dead, hanoa the Importmoo. The siattsr 

hos tharcrrora beoome lnportant to eeoh ruoh offloar, ae tie11 a8 lx3 ryorlf, as County &torney, 
_. 

and thi City AftoraeJ, w l otiw UB Uuoh :.oCw)’ 

:ubllo. 

-The party a0 oallln(L ny atteatloa to ttris 

inooaputlblllty uam l deputy fma ths hunty 

Clork*s offi at Korrvllla, ay frland, i’r. 

r*rtmlln. iia sktod that a Xer+l* lawyer, 

VII:” nam ha asntloned but whloh J do not ro- 

. , rcclsed tljo quaatlon in paeeb upon a 

title, und that as a oonwquonoe, the County 

.,ttorney of Xorr c;Cunty wrote ior an opldon 

from the kttorwy Ocueral, who bald tbsttho 

fhmty Clerk was 4isquallfltd rr00 acting 6s 

.Xotary Pub110 aa6 ohrrgiw th crr tor l s mob. 

,s 

. . . 

-. 

.# ._ 

6JtJd tbo mtter relatirm to my oontinulng to 

hold ths Offi Of cOUBtJ ?WJtJO rOila\riJg w 

sloatioo a6 Wtnty Attorney rod rvrigned a8 6uoh 

truntw prior ta quallfyiqg l 8 County Mtorxwy 

beowm of the rwulta of u then iniestltmtion 

and sy oonolumlon that thm 6ttleo oi Cowi 

I hd own iG2. 

. n~rwantln6 M.00 

per 0wtlzq. 

-I eoasldsr the tatter of bolOlng but one 

0sri00 of profit a sattled 000; houomr, I M 

In doubt 81 to the quwtloa of wbrtbor or (rot 

the ear-J out Of taklw Oi JflidJVitJ JJd 

~OkWJhdgJJJJtJ U7 b eOWid8nb Btlff~OiWtl~ 

JUbJtWltiJl to hold the oifioo Of MOkry X%bllo 

to be one of profit. 1 8860 l rJir JJJ?Oh Of 

tho 6UthOTitiJJ relative to the Offi of COUnty 

Truotse, noall that ltwa~ hold that one might 

l Jrw Jo Truetoo or an Independent ;:ohool Dintriot (whwo ao Jdury or per diu WUJ Qdd or 

ollorrJ6 by law') rt time ot holding uaotbar ofrloa or &milt, but 1 do not noall l y authorit1sm diJOUSJiw the qU.JtiOll or the 0wgro earningr, WJ ‘&tory Publlo. 

*MO all or auab heroln noatiozaad County 

end city 0rrloarJ eirquallflaa rm uotfzig aa 

c 
:lota&a Zub1la 4114 ohrrglw: the Jtatutory f0sJ 

thteeror? lf not, whloh of their. bra oo alrqudiri6a, it l a w 

“IJ thJ cOUnty AttOrfIJY 6iJQUJlified fmJ 

t&fly JJkJOWb~~Ol8tJ urd JfiidJtitJ 68 J 

Notary Pub110 iu tho prootloo or 01d.l low whore 

ho ads08 no ohargo 8borofor’: 

“IJ tho City Att0rn.y dlJgUJllfl~d Irma 

fdCit?& WknOWlOdSOmOnt~ &ad JmdJVitJ JJ J 

tlotary I’ublio in tho pr8otloo Oi 01~11 law whom 

ha 6mk.J no ohu~. tharofor?’ 

It 1. stotod In TOxaS slulop?udonoo, VolUlx! 31, 

puge old, %a4or the oorutltutloaal Inhlbltioo againat tbr 

holding of tro lmmqmtiblo 0ffiO.J b7 000 &wlp.on, a 

:ICZ~~~ 18 dlJqtIJiifiOd UpOn JOOOptb& tb JmOO Or UUUJty 

clerk, tithott~& It bse boon hold thJt J oounty attorney ray 

be 0 nOt6X-y dJO.* 

On 4ril 87, lPJ1, tbiJ 68pJrtsont bold, in l n 

opinioa by kaorrtio EVerott 0. fOhnJOn, AJJiOtAJt Attorney 

Gtnrrcll, that thq offioo of oouaty olork 1~ tioaapatibla with 

th0 Or r iO Or nOuTY p Ub iil 0 6 the l jWJOI& h&i&$ thJ 

orrloo of oounty olork ooulA not at the 8~8 tlw bole tho 

orrio 0s l notmy publio. ;soe tho 0~00 or x0fb0otm Y. 

hrkor, 27 Tax. US8.1 

'Phi8 d~parkant hold la O~lnlon No. 043l4 -. . . 

it is thJ opinion of thlJ 68pJrtmM thJt tho otilooJ of 

deputy oounty alark aad notor p ub 1 1 0 lro lnoompotlblo. 

7henroru, M O o o uld not l orv0 Js 6epoty county olork on6 

notary public at the l omo tima.* X0 are l nolooing a oopy 

Oi thiJ O~iJiOn fOr JOUr iniO~tiOJ. 

on Yobmmry 1~. 19N, thlr dopartmont hold in 

an opinion writton by iianorabl~ Jw 7. doup aJlot(Ult 

nttormy aanor8l, thot "It lo tho furthor opinion of tho 

writer that tha 0rri00 or notory gubllo arrd kr l WeJ60r 

tnd oollootor are aot laocmprtlblo.~ 

-You l o thomroro l driuod that It 1s optlorul 

with thJ boputios ol tho oollootor end 08808sor to ohera* 

or not to JhJr68 tor notorlslng rJgiJtSJtiOJ lnot:u0ontJ 

providing et the ti#aJ tb8y 60 JO thOy or0 JOtha a8 aOtorie8 

ma not en 0011Jotor8." 

:n uplnlon lie. O-53 thlr 4epartmaat held -. . . 
. . ; 

.: 

:.a quota Irma tht OULL of :?irpma, at al t. stete, 

09 . *-. 41Y, l e follow, 

-*ppoY.lonto o~mploln of the action of tha 

00-t in 06aittlng in widema th0 COPY of the 

60linqueat 8011 rooard. howa* the prlnterr' firfiamit w811 not aado before *)I aSfloor who tan 

a uth o r lee to l Ifalniokrr omtbr La tbo cqmoity 

in whleh hs l ttup 8md te aot, that of notary 

publlo, aaid otilser bring the oouoty atteznoy 

of mid oounty. Yho oontontiotA 16 tkot the oounty at8orno 

OSf10.0, t?i 

&or the low could mt hold ~0 

t o f o o ul tLaAey nty a lna o tJ?a rlQy P 

lie, at the sanm tlmo, an6 hlr l ttr a p tc c l ea t l l2 

notary pub110 of taking the oath at t30 printer 

U(LS or a0 roroe or *ifsot. ::o ore ai tbr opine 

ion tbt thlm OOAtOAtbJA iU AOt AOUAd. -0tiOA 

CO, Or& 16 Or the COAStltUtiOA, prOTide~1 'x0 

2eraon l hol i ho14 or l rorol~a l t tbo ooco tlmo 

ucrm thoa one olril ortlao of ~olumant, l xo0pt 

that o f jur tloo a ? the p o a o ol 0Untr , ocmmiaaloaer, 

notary 

P 

ublio on4 pootaaltor, unlooo otharwior 

ape0101 J provld.4.' ml8 ?rovi~loA doma not 

pAilbit a oounty l tt0rn.J from holaing et th. 

auto tira tho oWlor ct ~obry publio, thmrofors 

the dridavit 2aa ~lagdly od6inl~t~red. Oool (I. 

-:aw~~ead, 91 'hr. 464, 14 ::. ;.. Sbb." 

.-i* quote rrtm tie 00~0 of &al 1. :aww.ma, et 81, 

Eupra, (.-upmE Ccurt of ?bxmo) alo fallor 

IA vim 0f tlw r00t that tb bi0- 

posltk*o; thm 0068 in tb @cur8 bmlow l rd in 

thlo umrt do80 net pr8olude tbo l gyalluit rrom 

brlaglag o no thml ur lt, *IdO o e10 8 p a p eto r a xpreoa aA opi~niolr Ama l BOthOr quOmtlOA dlrowred 

in the briar. Gather l ppmllent raoated h%r offloo or laot br l eooptlnq tha offloa of uyoa 
’ 

: . . 

yal~fo duptndo u:ion tho proper ocxtrucf!m 

section c~C c? urtlola 16 of the prcoent oon8 t::ut ion. at reotloa 1). SY r0iim8: 'so ;:*rson *I:~11 hold or axera?sr et the so:.s tics ~lora 

ttran on4 Oidl OfflO0e fl ROh Jt2MOAO-t, ptha t 

;uotioe 0s the p~ooo, oounty oamnloclonar’, notary 

publlo. cod post 88stor. unlooo othawism rpe- 

~;01ly prodded. * ih8 thb P@aA that aG inowb411t OUY &de aithr Of thS OtfiaW WtiOd, 

Ub at the ram tlpio any other @Trios, or thut 

ha CM only hold ~WJ offloos whoa botn are snong 

thoor l p

ao ii44olymtad~ Llg MO think tho former 

$s tbn proper oonstruotlon, 3x* long0 18 

oo~lWl 6aidy frOR MOtiOA 36 Of -tiOlO 7 Of 

the 00n8tituti0n8 0r lets, 0r 1661, and or imb, 

nhlsh 10 the MUM f.!i l Oob Of thO80 b iSt~M tO, 

nnd nods as followsa ':Io poroon shall hold or 

exerelue et the ouco tlma KOTO than ona oltll 

0fri0e 0r w8oluaent, uroopt that cf justi at 

the ~.&o&.' It is oleor tht under this oootia 8ny jueioe 0r tb ~eooo mist hold another 

0fribo. l%well *. *i1ooA, 16 3x. !50. The oifiati or j\istioo c\i t.hO p0000 u08 me0 (~1~ OSooption to t&s 8mWNl rub, &ad the lntermoe 

tram the use of the sa~o longuoge in the preoent-.aonotitutloa, with the more l dditlon of 

otbsruriosr, 18 stmn(t thot It was mot s.arnt 

in way ~~anaaor to ohmao the ammral rule, but 

rwr; y tc make adeitio~ol l xooptlons. 7210 other 

conattuot;ion would motorlolly 60a;r; tha gmaerel 

l rrO0t 0r ths pr0ai0A. xt *da pnr4m •V~A 

l ~ustlee of tho pwoo froa holding say other 

off100 ex08pt 000 or tb00O 0~0i0lly n~0.3, 0ad 

~010: b0 D radlool departure from t&r prori~~ons 

or sll prsrioua ooaotltutlono on the 8aw oubjsot. Const. 1660, art 3, I 39. If ths lcrn(iruri;o 

of the provision in question hod been *except 

those oi juotloo oi prooo,t &to., there ra; 1~0~s 

beua EONI doubt about the oonotruot:oa; but t%o 

wor60 8rs **xo*pt that,* l to., oa4 they lndlouts 

that it nas lntcrndod that 0 ponon alght lawful:t hOId any OifiOO, Ma in l da itiOA th4IW.O 

dthr 0r the 0rfi0Oa l nua30nttOe. em use of 

?.ho word 'those' ~0~14 haYa swaatsd t1.o OOAstruotloa that on inouuibant 00ula only lawrully 

hold two ofiloas et tha sac:. tlno, w&on both 

tiera ofrloes l peoially XLUBIS~ in cho soot:on. 
. 

If the u11egnt:onr 0: tha potzt1on am true, 

we l M alcsrly OS the oplnloa thmt tha qplhat did not taoato ble oftlar of oaraty oomnim8ioner by 6OQOptlAg that Of amyOr. hoh uo 

undorataad to hare boon the ruling of tnr oourt 

bshu. but, booaooe tna appellant did not mmkr 

all the numbers of the ooaRf~alonrr~* oourt 

p utla to o him l ult, the juttgaeat 18 n?flrm~I." 

LA rlsr OS the r0t3.60ing rutborltler you ara rmc aetluUy advised that it la the o l&on of this depart&ant 

t Em t tha afflo~ ol aounty olork and 3 or daI.uty oount7 olork 

are inacm tlblo with the offloe af aotary pub110 ml that 

0 persna r olalag th orfloo of oouaty olark ml/or dmputx 

oowty olark cannot at tha 8mm t&o hold the offloe of 

nctary publlo. 

Yau a r e rurther l drlaad that tin tu e8a*sooi)- 

oollootor and hla deputies are not pmhibitsd by lam f&~ 

holC:n# the offloe of A0kX-J publio rk$le holding their 

ofiloor or tax ammaor-oollootor or a0 deputler oi 8-h 

0tr:oo. 

1.t 18 our turthrr oplaioa thut tb8 0fri0a oi 

notut publlo 0,~ dl l ountr ~~~~_ trrammY ~. atr mot iaoomDetl~S. 

aad thet the oount7 treamrer is sot rohlblted b law 

iraz holding the ofiloe of notory pub E 10 rhllo ho 1 ding 

the 0sri00 or aouat7 traawror. 

you l -a further l CvlooC at the count7 attorlu7 

and tba olty &torn@7 aro not prohlbitod I7 1~ fraz hoI+ 

lng the olflor mtsry publio *bile b01diag their ofiloor 

Of oounty attorn* aAt? oity 4t orno 

publia and oount7 l ttoraay j I* 

Tb* ofrloo of lwtrr7 

& or o ty attornay uo not laoommtlble. &l of the rboto asat?azo:ob offiold.8 nho am 

d&V qumlffiod aObt’&~~&dib,&iO @a7 1*(lou7 obarga the ieN 

pmvlded b7 lam for ?&air .eW'lla88 a1 m&c!! when &OtiAK la 

the oapaolt7 of a fmtaz-7 publlo. 

lkuAt1.ne thmt 

lnqulry, wo l ro