of relief from unlawful imprisonment on the basisofeven momeataryinabilitytopayafilingfeewouldconflictwiththepurposeof habeas corpus and the central importance of personal freedom in the United States and the State of Texas. The e&ctiveness of habeas corpus would be compromised if rule 142 were wnstrued as applying to the writ. We therefore conclude that rule 142 does not apply to a preindictment habeas proceeding.r7
SUMMARY
The district clerk tiling fees provided for in section 5 1.3 17 of the Government Code do not apply to the Sling of an application for a preindictment writ of habeas corpus, but a district clerk may charge a "reasonable" 6ling fa for services rendered in a habeas wrpus proceeding pursuant to section 51.319 of the Government Code. The clerk may not refuse to issue the writ for nonpayment of such a fee, however, because Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 142 does not apply to a preindictment habeas proceeding.
DAN MORALES Attorney General of Texas
'7Normaya~orconrtaberrfusetoservctbewritmerrly~~tbcsrviccfteharaot hccn psld io sdvmce. The skiff, see Local Gov'tcode 5 85.021, or the umstable, we id. 8 86.021, Merritt v. Hmis County, 775 S.W.Zd 17, 23 (Tea. App.-Hcuston [14th Dist.] 1989, tit denied), gcmmlly most execute all process directedto him or her hy legal authority. Texas Rule of Cii FVec&ue 126 providesthat a sheriffor amstable "shall [not]be mmpelled to executeany p- in civil cPscscomingfromatlycountyotberthantbconeinwhichbcisanofficn,unlessthefeesallowedhimby lawfortbcscrviceofsuchp-shallbepaidinadvance;cxccptwhenaffidaviisfileQasprovidedby lawortksemka." ThisnrlShowcvcr,expresslyrrfeato"civilcases"withoutspecifyinghabeaswrpls m. Bcfausethiglulewouldcompromisctbecffeaivmescofthcwritifitwereconstruedac ppplyingtotbcwrit,wcklicvctbatitdoesmcapplytoahabeasm~pmc&ding.
p. 1580 Honorable John Vance - Page 14 (DM-295)
JORGE VEGA FiiAssiamtAttomeyoeneral
DREWDURHAM Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice
WILL PRYOR specialcd
RENEAHIcKs State Solicitor
SARAH J. SHIRLEY Chair, Opiion Committee
PrepadbyJamesB.Pinson Assistant Attomeyoeneral
p. 1581