Case Information
*1 OFFICE OF THE AlTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN
tRUDC.MucN -0s
Honorable Ben J. Dean
DietriOt Attorney
~okttnrldge, Texas oplnlon No. o-4279
DSar %rl
Your letter of reaen
of this department on the puss
iollowr:
"1 hare before
Deaember 13. 1
District Attor
a question and
t that the .eexae nas or and wtm reoallsa (@enera ana We- By virtue of' B. C. R. the enrolling olerk orreot Ii. B. No. 161, '80 IUI to attaohea hereto* (Oeneral ana atatute &I not be aruended by reeolution.
treble Ben J. D8an. Paa 2
*SeotIon 6 ai R. B. NO. 161 provides, *this sot shall take effeot and be In operation 011 and after January 1, 1943.’
Vases cited In the letter frorl Mr. Lortin, Aeelstent Ciatrict Attorney of Young County, are to the erfect that wh8re the operation oi a stat- ute la postponed that It may be a law for the purpose 0r notice prior to tha postponed date, but It aotually takea efreot aa of date to whloh it vss postponed.
"In tha oaae of Pophaza v. Patterson, 51 C. W. (2) 680, cited In hr. Lottln'a letter, the oourt said In aohstzuing statutes, *It Is the duty 0r the aourt to osaertain the legI8latIve Intent, acd, when suoh Intent Is onoe arrived at It shall be given erieat; In raot, such Intent is the few.*
"It IS my construction that what the oourt mmnt by sotlae was that a oItatIon tar Instanoe, sey IA a taz suit returnable to the next torni, riled say Dsoenbar 20, 1942. would eomasd the derendant to appear before the 90th JudIoIal DIetrIot at Its next terr in February, 1943, and would hot hate the errect or aotucrlly enlargI8g the 90th JudIoIsl DIstrIot to Iaolude young County the erreotire date 0r the aot. until
*ArtIale 5, s80ti0n 0r th4 constituti0n provides that the Leglaletttre map protIde for the eleetIoa oi DIstrIot Att0rney.s.
*Artlole 322, R. S., provides that a Dlstrlot Attorney shall be eleotsd In the 90th Judlelal DIatrIot. Ii. B. NO. 161 sakes no provIsIon for th8 eleotlvn of District Attorney bilierent iram the provIsIons eontafned In ArtIale 322, R. S.
*It has b~sn held that the Legislature ha8 power to postpone the taking eireot or a law. Chambers V. BaldwIn, 274 R. ‘d. 1011 (reversed on another point, 282 .7. T:. 793); the same 8rr4at Tsr. au-., p. 50, 51.
k
BacwahleBen J.Ik%an, Page 3
"71th reierenae TV the oonstruotion of [4] utetute:
s*PrImrIlp the intention and manlng of the L8~i9lature Plust be asoertalned fro& the language of the statute read as 8 whole, t&t Is, rror; the entire context of the law. If the statutory langua~e'alearly end &IetInotly re- veals the legislative Intent, there Is no ou- oaslon to look elsewhere.* 39 'Pex. hr., p. 176 (Sea. 931.'
*'intent Of the ~8&318tlir8 iS the prLntrX'y considerstlon In the oonstruotlon at a statuta. But one 0r the oanona or oonstru4tion In arriv- ing at intent Is to ettrlbnte some i&gDifIoanoe to eaoh ?ert of tha aat under oonslderation. "It Will be noted that L B. No. 161 pmldear "*The DImt*let Judge and Distrlot~Attorzm~ 0r Mnetieth 'Judlolel Dletrlct now sleded and eotlng es euah shall aontlnue to h&l the of- ii040 Dlstrlot Judge and Dlstriot Attorney 0r the Ninetieth JudIoIal Dietriot In and for Mephena Comfy and Young County, until the terma fbr rhieh they have *en eleoted expim and until therr have been eleoted. end qplirieb 8u4446ixm thcrreto.* 'It Is apparent from th4 above pr0~1m10n or the statute under OOnOid4THtiOn that the Legfsla- tul-e Intended th6t there ehould be t8SkU3’4 Of Oi- ii08 berore eleotlon to oifioe. The quest%on th4n remfns whether the tenure or 0rri44 would b4 be- fore the election In 1942 or before the eleotion In 1944. If the tenure before eleotion Intmded was tht .tcnuie b4rors eleotion In 1942,, then it would appear that th8 I)i4triOt Attorney Of Stephens County Is now the DistrIOt At8orney of %ung Count+ and quelIrIeu to aot a8 auah In said aaunty. If th4 intent was thet the tenure Of Ofii4e should be prior to the eleetlon in 1944, then suah oonatruo- tlon Fpould be in harmonJr with the (Zenera purpose of the statute, whioh was t0 pQStpOu8 its Opera- tion and 8rZ8& unril 19b3, the aet ita4lr 4on- that them would have to be ad el44tion tenplating *4 Bonorable Ban J. Dean, Page Q
in1942 a5dthatthe tanam b8r0m l lastIonvotid ba rrom beglnnln~ or the aat In 1943 hntil the elaatfon in 19&
"1 should like to aek you the ?ol$owIng quaa- tionsr
*(a) 18 B. B. No. 161 oonstitu%IonalP "(b) In the lidkit oi tie holdiag In the Pop- bar oaaa that t& 15tant of w Leglalature aaa- trols In the oonatruotlon of qn aat and thu pror%- slcm or the aot that It shall be In,~oparatIoa 05 and .after January 1, 1943, Is the DllrtEplot Attorney or the 9Otb Judioial pIstrIot,.at tbj,d-tti om- posed of Staphans.Coqnty, slaotad by'the people Or Stephen6 COUIkty in 1942 01 by t&j people Or Staphene and Young C6unties'l ~ "(0) zr you ansufsr that the paople 0r Stephens and Young Counties 'should eleat the .DIstrIat At- torney ror the 90th Judl&al Dlstriot In 19W. then pleasa advise yhetibr or Pot the Dlrtrlat Judge aan hol& ooiurt ia Yomg County prldr t6 gary 1, 1943, $.ha etiectlre date or 3. B. Eo. .
*(d): If you hate amwer8d that the tenure 0r 0rr~0dmfrsw under Eeotion .2 H. 8. NO. 161 Sed~~~+muw b&ore rleotfon In 1942 and not timnuts beer0 sleotlon ia~19Ub~tbten please adrise iI the DIstrIot Attornay bi tha 90th JudI- oial Dintriot, .as .nm oompoead oi ~Stephena County, would at thI81 tQne be ent%tled f0 ~SW.QX% the, ipnO- tlona of Ciata+d Attorney of both Iomg and Stephens Count&es?*
House BILfHa. 161, qy ra, an ~a.ot raorganIxI4c the )m, 9tXih, and ~97th Judio:t~ as Diatri0tt3 or tb stfm or Texas) providing r0p the holdiBg et zhs DIatTIot Courta asd term in saId'Judioia1 Distrlsts rsspeothl&y and~rurthsr providing that all process and writs haretotore la+ed, aad that all reoognixanoe~ ind bonds harsterore made e&%~;suraut- ed and retnrnabla to tjia exlatlng tenas ot DIatrIot Courts
. In the oountles 8oplprising said Dletrlota, toether with jwora heretofore oeleoted, ara valiU end xqturnable to the first tern of euoh Court after th.Is~.aat takes l ifsot; pro- &ding that the County Attorneym of thee mapeotlva oountles d&in the said 97th JadIaIel DIstrI&%hhall perform tha duties of Dlstriat Attorney In theirobuntlae as uell ea t&s datlee mw performed bf them, anb proridl.ug rees or of- rloe for auoh County Attorneys; prov&dIng for the jurladle- t&m of said Dlstrlot Courts and pmfding for the oontinu- anoe oi the exIsting,DlstrIat Cawts 0f said oountiles In ~88sIcai uhen this rot t.akes efieat to t&S end or their tenas, prodding the effeativa date of the aat; repealin& all om- illotlng lar and dealarlng an emergeaay.~
By the express terms of HOMO Bill Ho. 161, aupra, tha County Of WIohIte shall hereafter OOn6tItUte and be the 30th JudIoIalDI8trIat Ot the Mate of Texas. The kuntles crt %ephens end Young shall hereafter constitute and Abe the Both Judlalal Diatrlat of the State of Taxaa and tha Counties or Aroher, Clay and Nontague shsll heresitar oonstltute sad. be the 97th.JudIoIa.l DIatrIot oi the State of Texas.
By H. C. R. Wo. 261, ILouse El11 Ho. 161, uas OOLC Safd 3%. C. H. Fro. reads as rollowsr mated.
*Be it r8s01veu br the ZrOuae or Repr08enta- tlves, the 8enate oo~our&ng, *hat the enroliing clerk oi the House ha instrwted to eorreof &use Bill Ao. 161 ae a6 to appear In the form attaohed hareto." (YInled Seerotary or State, fulf 25, 1941) The rim eatlon presented In your Inquiry Is *IS House Bill Ho. 1 1 aonatltutIoaal7*i From the raote r
stated In ycmr 1etter It Ie apparent that this qwation IS raised by virtue of B. C, R. Ro. 261, supra.
It Is stated In !&man JurIsprudensse Vol. 39, p. 112 “00~8OtiOnS map ba ted0 In a bill at any tima beam It Is signed by presld- officers af the respeotire houses. And there la nothing In the Conmtltution that prohIbIta either or both of the houses of tha Leg~islatiure, with the conSant Of the Governor, from reaalllag a bill that has been passed aud trsnamItted to the Oarsrnor, berore he Baa In any way acted. thereon, ror the purpcbsa or oormatlon and amimdmentw. *6 .‘&wqrable Ben J.~ $#een, Page 6
;c :I I~
I- $1: *, TV .c.
It i8'fUZt&&stated iB Tetia Jurlrrprudanae, Vf& .39, pp. 12 end 13:.
"A r@eolutlon ts a ivra of espreesIon, or twnpo2ary eiteot, by whIah a lagiel8tlre bc%dy, or one &it8 bramhes, &tat88 it6 opinion or . . will in respeot of a given nmttor or thing. The I.~ Co58tItution XWSOgDi&eS th8 rl&t pliUS- t0 their adt@tIoa the am [81058] OBd ltmtta;tions* a8 th088 uh$oh go~8x-n the latw to axwe Itwlf by reeolutlonrr, 8nd ep- *XVI~~S. pr~ti- of the bgiS-
pas&age or stati+e, exaept a8 th8 OSpt&n end eu8atIn.g oleuee. hubtle68 8 rUaOlUtiO5 may be adopted in ait% of a statute. Thu8 elerlaal errors la an aot *biaii hero pa88Ud in both hOme8 6f the I.8 aletu28 ray be aorreoted by a oonaurrent reso- lu ion, espeolally where the bill has not been !I
sigued by the pre8IdIng'ofifa8r or either house.
But t&q ettecrtite date of an eot whIah har barn approved by tha exeoutira and baa elzvady taken erreet oamot Be pOatpO5ed by a Joint re8oltItIon, Evan when a re8olution 18 adopted by both,branahes pr the Leg.islature, it not a lam, t&O&l& it MY, rer coma purposa8. here tho sane binding erreat a8 8 statute when ~epproved by the Ooternor.
h eon8truiPg 8 rO6OlUtiOB ft W&l1 b8 0088idersd as a whole end io rlaw of its generalPurpO8e.* Statutory Cw8truotIoa, Vol. In Louis Southariandre 2nd ..mitioa, psm 53, we rind the roii0ring language:
*Ii tha enrollment or orIgIna reaord or the atatute IS reg1G8r en Its raoe; the% 18, ii the aot i8 rrcvdsd wlth.no fnrfraity on It8 ieoe, is duly pramulgatsd, or properly authentlaated aad depoalted In th8 proper Orrimr It Is OO5OiUSlVe-- ly prasumad to ham been ra&arly emoted; the raaord la Invuluerable to aellateral atteoks and proves itselr. This IS the hula in SelrUIXtl St8t88 having constitutions regulating the legislative prooedure and requiring legislative ~aurnal.6 to ba kept . . . .*
mnorable Bsn r. Wean, Pega 7 Quoting further fmm Southerlend*s Statutory Oon- :. &lWOtiOB, Vol. 1, 2nd pad%-, page it IS stated;
*ThO,asme railing haa bOeri made in eaoh of these 611ses. The Texas Suprema Court saye *Our oonsfltutlon provides that, after tha passage or e bill, It Shall bs sloped by the prOSiding offi- aex or eaoh house la pZ%SbBOO ot the houses and we are of the opinion that when a bill haa been so signed, l nd.hes been aubnitted,to and approve6 by the Owsmor, It was Intended that It 8hould afford aonoluslte Ovldenee that the aot haa been p8aeed In the manner raquIred by the oonstitutioa.
S\tcrh b01ng the file or th8 oaplptgzl law; we think, I5 the absence oi something I5 th8 oonditutiom expreenly showing a oontrary %nWtIoo, it 18
fob to preens that the same filz'r ehoold prim811 In ,thIe State. There is no'provlelon in the arm- ~stftution IndI0atIng in.eny direot mmnor auoh oontrary I5tentItm; end the i8Ot that It Is pro- vided that.JOumal8 ahell be kept asd that aer- taiB things. 8hQrild bO 8ntePOd therein we think InsuffloImd.to shew any auoh purpose'. (erilllama ~8. Taylor, 19 S. W. 156)
". .' . . The 0erlIer oaaaa.In SQuth Carolim supported the oontrery dootrlne but th8MI.w2W warruled in State.r8. Chester t 39 S.C. 307) uhsre- in the Court Sar8 'VU all5Ou508 that tha tMe MU la, that when an eot ha8 been daly aIg5ed by the prealdlng orrioers the general assembly, in open session In the Saanats-Houee, epproved by the (hnsrnor of the State, and duly deposited in tha Oflf08 or the Saoratary 0r State, It is spiri0i8at arldenoe, hothing the oontrary appearing on Its raoe, that ,&passed-%he gsnaal aasarebly, and that It 1.8 not o~oinpetent either ay the Jour- nals of the tvm houses, or either of them, or by any other evidence, to bpaa0h auah an BOt. AM this being 80, it rOii0w6 that the court ia not at llbarty to inquire late what the journals cl' the two houses ,n?ey show as to t&O suooeasive step8 which may hays bsen taken in the passe@ of the original bill." Aleo see ease or Field f. I,
Clark, 143 U. S. 49; Blessing f. f361VeStun, ti 'rex. 64&v Houston, eta. R. R. Co. vs. Odum, 53 Ter. 3431
Honorebla Ben J. Dean, Page 8
Artsr tararull~ oensiderlng House Bill No. 161, supra, we do not l&Ink that said 6ot tlolates or oontramnea any provIsIon or provisions of the State ComtftutIon. There- iore, It Is our opinion thet Eouse Bill MO. 161, supm, la oonatItutIoual.
In amuer to pour aeooud question, in view or the holdi- in the oases Or Popham v. Patterson, 51 S. w. (2d) 680; United State8 Employer6 Casualty Co. vs. Skinner, et al, l&l S. W. (2d) 9958 Ma COpll8 VU. Chora, 150 S. W. f2d) 70, it is our opinion that ~otue Bill HO. 161, supra, shall be 'In operation on ana arter January 1943. It Is our further
opinion that the Dlsttiot AttOXney for the 90th Jualblal MatrIot must be eleoted by the people of Stephena County In ana that the people or Touag Cotmkr are legally en- titled to vote iOr th DIntrIat Attorney of the 30th JudIoIal Diatriat.
Iu reply to your third question, you am respaet- fully advised that the Dietriot Judge of the 90th SudIoIal District cannot legal17 hold oourt in Young County prior to January 1, 1943.
With rbferenoo to your fourth question; you are respeotfully advised that it Is our opinion that the Din- trlot Attorney or the 90th JudIoIal DiatrIot Is not legally entitlsa to pwrona the runoti0n8 Dlstrlot Attornsr fn Young Cotmty until January 1, 1943.
Tours very truly ATTORNEY G’BNERAL OF TEXAS Asrriatant AW:mp