Case Information
*1 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN
.a GROVER SELLERS ATK)RNII GLNERAL L_-----~’
iionorable J. D. Todd, Jr.
criminal Dfmtrlot Attorney
NueceS countg, Gourtbouse
Corvus Christ:, Teus
Dear Sirr opllaon HO. O-7006
8111 Ho.574, Aots 1945, 49th tare, prwideer
Ii. B. r;o. 574, and 107 Of Ar- sta%utm at Couzt to have gwmrp1 juris4iotlon 5.n tha Counties of Neces, Kleberg, a114 Kenedy, an4 conourrent Juriadfotlon with the 94th and U7th Ju4iolalDl.atriot COulrt6 in the county Of meot)e, UE6 providlag f&at th6 107th iudfcial DiStriOt Court shall have ooaourrent juris4lotfen ulth the 10.03rd rudiolal Diatrlet Oaurt In camema and Yiillac~ CotiiltieSi pntVidtn(s thet ths 107th ‘.
Hon. J. D. Todd, Jr,, page 2
Judloial Diatrlot Court 8nall give ~refwe~noe to orhi- In81 oese8; yrovl4lhg that the 10,3r4 Judialal Dirtriot Court shall have general Jurl8dlotlon in the Countler of cameron an4 Wlllacy, but r&l1 give pmrerenae to olvil 08888 8na ehall not, aroept In oa8e8 or enmrgsnoy, ba required to sapanel Grand Juries; provl4lhg that the County Attorney8 of the Countie8 of Willaoy an4 Caneron, sh8l.l henoeforth mpraesnt the State respectively, in the Distrlot and inferior Court8 lu their ma14 rsapao- tive Counties of Cameron and Vlllaey; providing that in Counties aituated in two or mre judloial 4istriots, en4 in whloh Counties, the County Attorney la oelle4 on to perform the duties ordharily parformed by Dlrtrlot At- torneya, and where the offioe of Dltitrict Attorney Criminal Dietriot Attorney in euoh Counties has been abolished rlnoc the enaotsieat Of Motion 13 of Artiolo 3912e, Xevioed civil st8tutera of Texas, Aotl 1939, Spsoial laae, ga.(je 608, motion Fortpairth Lq,lrhture, 1, that the Comularioners Caurt,ln such Countlea, 18 authorlzed and empOwera to petf to 8uoh Oountx Attornoga 80 p8rrorming the duties of ruch District Attorney8 an additiunal 8~ not to orare Twelve Eundrad Dollar8 8814 8~6 to be pi4 in twolvo (12) (fjl200) par year, equal monthly in8talmente; providing azi efisotlve date; prorihing a oon8titutlonal olaulre; an4 deolarlng ah emsrgency.
"St I? &NAC'IEiD BY THE LXGISLATU~ 6F THE .Sl’ATE OE' TEX.Wr
"S0otlon 1. Anmid seotion8 28, 103, an4 lg OS Ar- tiole 199 of thb mvlre4 Girl1 statute8 of Texa@and all anen&unte thereto, 80 a8 to renumber the 8aroe and here- altar read a8 follows~ the tlret day of January; A. D.
-'That from~und afta or Tozae ehall be 0onr- ttice 38th Judiolal Sirtrlot posed of the Countias of iWoee8, Kenedy, tieberg, an4 shalI be a Court of geheral jurlsdiotion, with the jurla- &lotion conferred upon District Courts by th6 constitution and laws of the state of Taxas; and in tha County Of NuaoeB, it shall have conourwnt'juria4iotion with the 94th an4 117th Dietriot Court.8.
**i)n the effective bate ct thlo kot, the Grinins i)ietrict Court of hueoea, Kleberg, Kenedy, tilllaoy end CaLcrercm (;ocntiee still beoor&e a Court kwoml juris- %:ctim, with the jurisdiction provided by the COnatitU- tion abid Law of the state OS Texa8 for Dl8trict Courta, *3 EOG. J. 3. i’odd, Jr., pu&e 3 .i
I.UL~ ahall be ~cmpcmed of the Couotiea .e& ;iillaoy Canrrron, and thenaeforth be known ea the.lO7th Judlolal Dlrtrict of Texasi and ehall have aonaurrent jurlrdlo- tlon with lG3rd Judieiel Dlatrlct Court within eaid two Countiak3; provided that the 107th Diatriot Court shall. ~;ive ;rer6renoe to ofinlnal oenea, The 103rd. Court shall be CL Court of cenerej.
Judicial ihtrict jurindictiofi, with the juria4iotlon provided by the CoIi8titutio~ -3~4 Lewa Of the Gtate of Texaas, end shell to be conposed of the Counties or ~VlUeoy ~6 conthue Caneron, but 6hall give preference to 01~11 oases end in caee8 of emargenoy, be re~ulred to shall not, except cng%mel Ormd Juries.
“‘Sec. 2. Al.1 oeeee upon the docket of the Orlninal District Court of Kueoee, Kleberg, Kenedy, WlUaoy and in the Countlea of Iiueosa,. m..berg end Caaeron Countlea, date of this A&’ be Bsnedy, shall., on the effective trahaferred by the District Clerks of aeid Co&es to the do&et of the 28th Dietrlot Court, end the JuQo of to whiah said caaea a&all be said 28th Dlatrlot Court trannfarred, ehall thereafter have power, authority, jurlaiiictloc to try suoh oaaea 80 transferrod to and in eddition to approve all suoh ODUrt, Ptateawmtr of Sect, bills of exaeptlon, and to snake and l ll any oraers, deoreee and judgmente proper and neoeerary fn any oaee thematofore tried by the aald Crlainal Dlrtrlot Court above nuned, within nald Cohntieeg provided. that any mah aotlon aatlona be taken within the MAW the that would have governed the Ju4.ge of the Court limlta from whioh aald aause or aeua80 wem trenorerred.
*‘Sea. 3. AIS oaaea upon the doaket of the Crlalml Diatr+at Court of IGueaes, KlebeCg, Kenedy, willaoy cmd Canierori Counties, in Countfea of Carnoron and Xlllaay, shell, on the effeatlve date of this hot, be oon8iderod as OSI file in the 107th Dlatrlot Court, an herein end tha Judge of asi 107th DietriOt Uourt, denominated, ae herein denoninatad shall &eve power, authority, end to try all such oeeee, end ln addition, to jurladlatlon approve all stste;?lanto or fact, bills of enceptlon, ~6 to make any an4 all ord.era, deoroee, and jtidgmnta tried by proper acd neoessery in any oaees theretofore the eeid Crlnliual Dlatribt Court, hereimbove nemed, withFu saLW two Counties; provided, that any such action or aotione be taken within the BBLW tine llraitli that would have governed the 3ud&e OP the Court froia whioh said oauee or oauaea were tramferrud.
Hon. a. 3. Todd, Jr., pwa it
t 4. After tie effective dote of this Aot, the "'380.
i)latrlot Attorney for the Crltinal DIetrIot Court for I~wooa, Eleberg, Kenedy, Tilllacy and Cameron Countlea ah811 nerve the 28th Judicial Xatrict Court aa deel~ated by this hat, and shall thonorJforth be known 88 th6 alstrict Attor- cey for the 28th Judiolal Dietrlct of Toxea, and et tile next Cemral eleatlon such office shall be filled by the eleation of a Metriot Attorney for the 28th Judlolal Iilatrlot of *r'exes for the Counties of Nuecea, Xleberg and Kenedy, eel6 otfloe to be voted upon by the qualified said thr6e named Countlae only. voter8
**The County Attorneys of ~Wllacy and Cameron Couotlee fro= and after the effective shell, reepeatively, date ot this Aat, repreeent the State of Texaa in ell mattera now handled by tho above nentioned Dlatrlot Attorney for the abow mentioned Criminal Diatrlat Court within aald r4ap4otlva Countlsa.
**Sea. 5. L,eoh term of Court within ths 107th Judlolal Dlatrlot shall bogin on th6 first Hondeya of January and July of eaah year, reapeatlvoly, may aontinue until the beginning of the auooeedlng $erm. The Judge of the 107th Judiolal Dlatriot Court, et hle dlsaretion, may hold as mnny aeealona of Court in any term of the Court aa may bo deenwd by him ln either County ln hir dletrlct proper and expedient for the dlapoeltlon of the Courtta end the urora therefor may be sunnonod to ap- bu&maa, pear beforu auoh I) i atHot Court at auoh tiema a8 may ba designated the Judge thereof.
**Gea. 6. Nothiq aontained in thin Aot ehall afroot the preasnt terme of the 28th and 103r8 Judlolal Dlatrlot terra #hall oontinue 48 now provided by Court8 but aaid law for seld reapeotlve Court-e. In eny oounty which Ie situated within two
**tiea. .7. (2) Judlclal Diatrlcte end in whioh County Attorney of auoh County le performIn& the dutlan ‘of a,Dlatrlot Attornsy, 44 well ae thoee of 4 COunty Attorney, and fin .tihloh Countlea the office of District Attorney, offloe of Grlninel Xetriot Attorney has been abollahed
oinau the enactment of Seotlon 13 Artlo 39126, RevLead civil Statutea of Texee, AOt8 1934, Forty-elxth Lagisla- tare, Ypeaial Lewe, page 608, aeotion 1, the Comaiaaloners Court of any euoh CoUnty is hereby authorized, at their ~leoretion, to pay to auah CIounty Attorney a0 performfng, such dUtleS of Dlstriet Attorney, ae OWpen44tlOA, over ar.d above the salary whioh auoh County httornay draws 88 county Attorney, e 6uai not to exo4ea th4 aatouut of Twelve *5 J. D. Todd, Jr., page 5 BOA.
IIundmd Dollars (gl200) par annun, euoh additional corn- pe;g;g Cu be paid la twelve (12) equal mnthly in- , *
“L&C. 2. This Act shall take affect md be in optrration on and ljlrter the first day of JAAUary, h. 3.
1947.
*sec. 3. If aAy parapeph, BBA~#AOB, olaum, mo- of this Act *hall be hold to be &ion, or pr5visior iAVE&id Or UAO5A8titUtiOAEi1, the validity Or other portions of this Act shall A0t be slifected thereby, but shall remain in Poroe and effect. *sec. 4. On the errectiv0 date 0r thir Aot, all
/- larr and partr or lawn in 00AruOt herewlth, are hemby repealed, in a0 far aa ruoh OOAilif& is oonoerned. 930. 5. The tact ‘that there is a greet need ror or mueoaa, Kleberg,
&vFog the criminal District Court VJillaoy and CizierOA Gountiel &$~AcPPhl Kwedy, jurirsdio- in the countlea 5r Willacy and Camron, and tion reducing itcs territorial juri8diutlon to said two (2) the rsarran~egmnt the rmmtieo, and the raot t&t courts provided ror IA thir Aot,~aAd the pleoing 0s Dlrtrlot AttOrA0y'a work on oertain COUnty AttQrAeye adds bWdeA6 WI dutler 011 County Attoa’zmys OV8;P aad beyand ivhich they am beiag aompenrated besad duties for OA what is gimwally knowA 118 the *salarie8 Bill %A6Ot- 1%4At,' in whioh their salnriPrr wera rlxed ror pe.rrorraing dutise rolaly an County AttOrAUy, in CowLties in wbioh iOrmerLy azirted, aAd the District httOrA8y5 Ofiiocla crowded 55AditiOA 0r the oblondar, orsate an mum#pnoy and an iaperativs publio naoeasity, dewrnding the ICII- 8d.l blllfd or the COnPtitutiOzti31~ PASiOA BUh lWqUfrt4J to be ,-eed OA three rsrveml dags in each House, and such Constitutional Rule is hereby sunpeAdS6, thie AO~ 8haii tfike erredi and be in rorae rrm mad after ita paaaa(;e, atid it la 80 anaoted.
*'F'aa$eU by tha !iouee, ii&l 23, 19458 Ysae Viled without tke G5VerAOr'a ai&natWe, JUAa k, 1945. n311. 1, 1947.”
wreotiva
H5n. J. D. Todd, Jr., page 6
We note the following language IA the introductory portion or SeOtIOA 1 or said Act;
"Amend Se0ti5AB 28, 103, and 107 of Artlole 199 of the aevised Civil Statutes of Texas and all amend- ment&3 thereto, 80 as to renumber the same and here- after read aa follows:" (~Ader~OOriAg Ours) - The above quoted language la followed the ramaining par- ti5A Of SeOti5A 1 and 8iX other 860ti5Aa (through Sec. 7) eAQlo%ed in quotation marke, which is the f5rm oustomerily f'ollowad IA re- ceatiA& the language of existInS statutes and thereby re-enaoting the Act purport6 to reaaet the language aeme. If of a provision, to repeal such Ace operates any 5mltted pr5vlsione of the original, (See 39 Tex. Jur. SaOtiOAEt 64 79, pp.,127 and SAd OSSeS cited thereunder. Thue, ir the instant Act purports to reaaet i the language of Sections 28,.103 and 107 or Article 199, euah Aot repeals and auperaades the previous provieione of eald BBO- tiona. A contrary intention, however, is indicated in the lol- lorrlng: provlelona or Section 6 SAd Section 4:
w*6e0. 6. NothiAg C5AtSiAed IA thla Act ah%11 arreot the present terms or the 28th and 103rd Judl- ala1 District Courts but eaid terms ehall continue 81% now provided by law for eald respective oourta.te
"Sec. 4. On the effective data or this Aot, all laws and parts of lews in conflict herewith, are hereby repealed fA a5 far as auoh 05niiiOt i% 05AOerAed." The above quoted language manireeta an intention that cer- t%IA portions 0r the original provieions cr Sections 28 and 103 199 are to remain In full force %nd effect and that or Artiole of Sections 28, 103 and 107, prior to the instant the provisions Act, are repealed 5Aly to the extent of conflict pith the pro- VisiOAZt 5r the amendatory Act. we point Out, however, that ir Seotlone 28, 103 and 107 of Article 199 are emended by this Act only in certain and oertain portions of original respects provisions of eeld sections are to remain In full force and effect; the question arlaes a% to whether said Aot violates Artiole 3, seation 36 of the Texas Constitution, whioh pro- VideS:
~5 law ahall be revived or amended by referenoe t5 Ita title; but In such case the act revived,
the %eotIon or section% emended, ehall be re-ane~ed and published at length." (underaoorbw Owe)
Xon. J. D. Todd, Jr., page 7
With reieretnoe to conetituti5naI provisions prohlbltlng amendments by reference, we quote the f5ilOWlAg language rrom Sutherland's Statutory Construction, 3rd zd., Vol. 1, Section 1919:
"* * * The o5natltutlonal lialtatlon was %nacted-- to place the prop5sed aat before tAe legislator% in toy a form that wlIl enable them without reference prior act to understand the change proposed and then to pleas the enacted atatute in the printed laws ln 5 rorm that will enable the public, mor%$%rtloular- ly the lawyere, to understand the change without rererenoo to prior leglel%tion.w (underscoring Ours) L+eotlon 1901, SUth8~riSAd'a Statutory dOAbtrUCtiOA, V51. contaiLnns:.~he r0u5wing Zenguage:
"Bar the purpose Of oo~llanoe with the COA%tltU- tionel IiI%it%tl5A that no eot shall be ea%nd%d by mere reference to ita title. but the act a6 8mAded ehell be re-enacted and published at 1 gth th f r th la the teat of its a6idat& ~ha~~t~r--i(le.. btetute doea it purport to 8mSAd dlreotly a hrlor statute." (u&eraoorizzg .oure)
'AA eat which purports to 8ia%Ad an actbut which does not set out the emended sectione in Pull la vlolativb of Art. 3, Seo. 36 Of the Texes Constitution (See 39 Tex, JUT., Sec. v. State, 109 Grim. Rep. 261, 4 S. Iv. (26) 43,
125; Florea
Pf&ider%oA v. City of GalveetoA, 102 Tex. 163, l.l.l+ 3. iv. 108).
The ease Of Henderson v. City Of Ga'VeetoA, eupra, involved en Act Legislature whioh added a eentsnoe to a section of enaotad by the Legislature without re-enaotiag BR Act previously In holding that aAd ~publlahing the entire section at length.
suoh an amendment was InvaliU under the term% of Artiole 3, Seotlon 36 of the Constitution, Mr. Justice li:illians, sgeek,ing ror the Supreme Court said:
*But no authority cited and none that we ~AOW of has held th%t a section of 8 statute u~ay be amended by adding words to it, without re-enacting
entire section ae amended, and such a-holding would be condemned by the plsin words of the Constitution.
n* * 4
Bon. J. D1 Todd, Jr., page 8
"It may be true that thin aot was and ia as aua- oeptfble or a8 easy an underatandlng In cr’onneotlon, with that of which it la an amendment, by the Legis- lature in its paaaage, by the dourta and by the publio, aa if the original eectlon, with the new
provialon inaluded, had been re-enacted and pub-
lished at large. As muoh perhaps might be eaid
in ravor OS many atatutee whioh do not oontorm
to the Conetitution. It may even be doubted if
the good aooompllrhed by the oonrtltutional pro-
Vi8iOl-i oomQeIl8eteo r0r the inoonveaieno8 it OBU08LI.
But It must be remembered not onlr the Drovi6ion
'is intended to.,.urevent the mirohiei'r against which
-it la directed, but,that it aaeka to aooompllah
this a oomrrehenaive 'and unbending rule, 8trlking From d 11 tatt whioh a0 not oonrora to it tz &leatheUC~~atit utlon, makea no ,eroeptioL, and neither the Legialetur8 nor the courta have the right to iuake them." ~(underaoorlng'oura)
After oarefully oonaldering the .varloua grOVl~ion8'Oi Ii. B. S7~,,it'la our opinion that the Aot #seeks to 38leiM sootlone 28, A03 and 107 of Artfole 199 in oertain rsapeota and, at the name time, to leeve oertaln portion8 Of the original prOViSiOn of aald reotions in fti foroe and elfeot without r8-enaoting and publtahing at length all of the 8e6tiona a8 amended. Thu8, the in8tqnt Aot, purporl+g to amend ss~otlona 28, 103 ana 107 of Artlole 199, is not in a form whereby the ohangee made in the s8OtiOn8 inVOlV8d may be under8tOOd without raterelld8 t0 8aid 88OtiOn8 88 they 8Xi8td PFiOl t0 th@ tUllWldIll8Ilt. of the ioragoing and dn view ~o$ the authoritiee Oit8d herein, III Vi8W it 18 OUI! OpiIliOn that H. ~B.f+f&i+, Acts 49th L8gi8htUl"8, vlolatss Artiole 3, Section 36 of the Constitution OS Texas
8nd 18 therefore void.
In view of our holding herein, we do not de8m it neoeaeary to diacuea separately each OS the questione raised in your in- quiry relative to the constitutionality of the Act.
Youra very truly, ATTCSINXY &HERAL OF TEXAS