Opinion ID: 1759068
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Commissioners Courts' Authority

Text: A commissioners court's primary function is to administer its county's business affairs. Avery v. Midland County, 406 S.W.2d 422, 426 (Tex.1966), vacated on other grounds, 390 U.S. 474, 485-86, 88 S.Ct. 1114, 20 L.Ed.2d 45 (1968). Though they are creatures of the Texas Constitution, counties and commissioners courts are subject to the Legislature's regulation. Orndorff v. State ex rel. McGill, 108 S.W.2d 206, 210 (Tex.Civ.App.-El Paso 1937, writ ref'd). The powers the Legislature confers on counties and commissioners courts are duties rather than privileges. Id. at 209. Thus, a commissioners court may exercise only those powers expressly given by either the Texas Constitution or the Legislature. Canales v. Laughlin, 147 Tex. 169, 214 S.W.2d 451, 453 (1948). When the Constitution or Legislature imposes an obligation on a commissioners court, that commissioners court also has the implied authority to exercise the power necessary to accomplish its assigned duty. Anderson v. Wood, 137 Tex. 201, 152 S.W.2d 1084, 1085 (1941). Turning now to the parties' contentions, we must determine whether the Legislature, in giving commissioners courts general control over the roads, expressly or impliedly conferred the authority to petition a city to annex portions of county roads.