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OFFlC= OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTiN

zhaareble ikn V. Jeokaon Mrtrlct Attamoy iiouston, Tsxe8 Attention:. Hr. Y., K. Rickdsoa CeQrilr: -.. :,-

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irtlcle I, Texas Constitution;. thati 011‘sltaeere8 must.take wi oath CPafflrmet~on to teerify **to** the truth$ thet %he,p&n8 end panelties 0r ~mj~~y me tuo t0 **ten** years in thb.penltent;ary; chat ocw Zelinquent child lau is xmta:crlml~l. 1+10n but rether a proaeduxe 3a rmtiure.oS @.mrCianahLp and 1s an exolus1vc procedure a3 fer 48. juvenilee ocmlng withbinits scoce- are cmccrned; that .luveniloa *uudcr aur c?slinquenr chi~ld law are not **sui;je;t** to crlmlnal Frosecutlon; therefore, Is n jwenll3 0 competent witncasliionorable CanW. .Jecrson. gage 2

It La true **that** under our present delinquent child lau, vhlch is the sole procedure to **be** appllod to juveniles comlzg ulthln its purvlcv, that such a **juvenile** is not tried in a ar&laal **proceeding** but in e proceeding in nature of Euardianshlp end Is not subject to crislnal prosecution. Ye do not think tbls method of hendUn& juvenSbs can be said to immunethen from the pins end penalties of perjury. Uequote la **pert** from our dellnqdeat child law:

n

. . . . I i The term *2ellnquent child’ meansany fenale’p&on over the ago of ten (IO) years ati * under the age of eighteen (18) years and angzale psrson over the a e of 

### tonc13) pars nndunder the cge of seventeen 

### 'i17)

### ycnrsr

“(a) whoviolates any penal law of this state OSthe pgac?eOSfelony; II

. . . . ”

. and lf the Judge or jury rlnda that the child ~s*dellnquent, or othervlse withi~nthe provl3lons of this Act, the court maybuyorder duly entered proceed as follows:

“(1) place the child oa probation or under supervlsion in hia ovn homeor in the custody of **a** relative ov other fit person, upan such **tsrns es**  the court shall determlne;

‘(2) commit the child to a suitable public institution or **agency,** or to a aultable Frivato lnati**tutlon** or agency authorized to care fop ohlldren; or to place themln auiteble family homes or parental homes for an indeterminate Feriod of tme, not

- extending beyond the time the chf.13 shall reach the age of tucnry-one (21) rears;

“(3) mt%esuch further dl~posltion **33 t.ha**  court ray deemto 3:eror the beat lnterasi uf :he child, eacegc e.s herebt atherulas provided. ,I 11

. . . .Honorable SanU. Jackson, **page** 

### 3

it is q*tiLc coldent that **a** child whocommits the offense of perjury, which is 4 felony, 1s subject to the pains **and** penalties thewefor ln the nature of bclng trlcd ac e dellnquent child and if adjudged as such, to be kmdlcd In the mannercc above metforth Lnour quotation from the dcllnquent child lau. IOother words, **a** juvenile within the scope of the C~lilrpuent child 14~ is subject to the palna andpcncltica of perjury, no&In the 8cmc of being **tried and**  punichcd a8 a orimina3, hut,la the ~ensc of belna tried end handled a8 8 dcllnqusnt child. If ajuvenile did perjure ‘as avitnccs. the facts ccucing his tcsclmony to be an act of pcrju?? are tha acme.which **would** conatltute an act of perj*ury on the part of an adult. Thepresent dcllkaquent child lau cmely changed the modeol **trial and**  manner0-C**puniahmmt** so far **as** a juwcnilo is conccrncC utiocoml:s an offense agalnct the law of the land.

2his i~~cntloal qucsfiza wasr4fsed IJ the **case** of Vllliams v. State, 

### 2253. v. 173, under our old 2el:aqucct child lav vhcrebp It was ogtionel vlth the juvc;llla uhetimr he vould bc tried 88 a &alinquent child OPfor the crime ltself. Ihe contention ~4 s ncde that slnoc a child could choocc betvccn be- ,tried as **a** deliqqueat ohlld cr for the offense cocmitted, and he chose the forac~, he, not belng subject to tho paina andpenaltfec, wea not a conpctent vltzoss. The court ensvercd thlo as follow:

n This vonld not rallcvc **-~osccutrlx** of contr&l&‘for perjury undc~ ah Indiatvent charging that offence, unless rhc did in w-mei;l~nuc~claim the exemption under the delinquent child **act.** If that **uas** aet up, thea **the** court 

### vould**dlsmi~a** thu cam of perjury and try her under the Act8 of the Fourth Called 3cssloi~ of tha Leglalsture, cupra. It vould be as mucha violation of the law In ohc 

### case88 ln the other. Thefacts vould be chc smc 4zd the perjury the same, but under the CclUIQucnt child act she would be cntltlcd to be scnL to the rrfornatory instead of the penitentAmy. It change6 the icanner of enfsrcbg the lnv, but does not chahgc the wine ncr the necessary facts. IL ctanges the mn.mr of trying rt cud the mnmr of cha?gihg it, but ,f.o offcam? uoulc?bo the salx! 32 :‘~ores Glo CCC of chc child in tcstlfying ~13 concerned. It d3es not rtl-:cve ter of ?unlah.vent, but;chan~ea t.he;Gaco Of ’;unlciumnt anr!the rzodaof trlnl.

. . .n. ,

Honorable DanW.Jaokeon, page 4

**It** Is therefore the opinltm of this department that

‘ii the prerequisitea are metwhich qualify ajuventle 88 **a** competent vitness, the faot he Is vlthln the purvleu of the delinquent child lawwill not cause his disqualiiioation ae 8 QOlSpOteAt liitAe88. Very **truly** pours ATTORRRX

-L OFTEXU By /&&7bRobert 0. Pooh

Assistant