Case Information

*1 318 Eon. R. L. Armstrong County AudStor

1 Tom Green county b San Angelo, Texas

Dear Sir:

Opinion No. O-75ll 99: Authori~;~ of the Cadssioners’ court to appotit an assistant &x?=y ;;tt.trney io aeeist the Cow&y kttomey ln the general erformme of hk duties other han the proseautkn of tax miits, end related que6tions.

'i% have.&%ven cam&al consideration to pour letter of November 1946, requeetiug our answer to the following questions: . . :

Does the Caawissioners9 Court of !Z'olo Green the autharity to a pclzt.zn assistcurt Qnmt~%e

: _L &ms@y Attotiey~'to aasl,t #a E- ounty Attorney in tha

. genwal pecforaaace ef his d&leg, ether than the pre-

o4oution af tax 6altB?

.(a. Is it the obligation of the County tc pay the premkti on the bond of such Assis'taG County Attorney? . If ymw answer to q7 first question 1s An th

*w. what are the stiq linits for such...agsistsnt L afflrsstive, and cut of what fund should'the s;ae be @d?"

Artlcla 3902;V.P.C.S., provides in part 66 fotiowsi %henever any district, co?rrtp or precir.ct officer shal2. requke the services of deputies, assfstants or clerks iu the perfomancc of his &atlas he shall appl the County ComAasioners' Court of h5.s county for ant o- K rity to apyoint such deputies, asslstmtt or clerks, stating by sworn application the number needed, th* posi- tlo;l to be filled and the miouat to b6 paid. iiaid a pllcatlon shall be accompanied by & statment shwdng t e probable receipts & from fees, comrAsions and compen- *2 Bon. R.L.Annetroag-P-2

ration to be collected by said office during the fiscal yeer cud the probable dirburreaents which #hell inelude all ralarier ur4 mpenees of raid offloe; and said court ahall .&co its order authoriaing the appointment of such

olerks and fiir the compensation the limltatione herein prescribed to be ap*ted as 9.21 the dlsore- proper 8’ ovided that in no tlon ef et&d 8ourt may be or any member thereof base shall the Cor&ssionere’ lx Co attempt to innuenoe the ap intment of any person as deputy assistant or clerk iz any office. U,pon the entry or BU dl order the officers appi q for such assistants,

deputier or clerks shall be aut orieed to appoint them1 i?

provided that said compensation shsli not exceed the

t+eclmm amount hereinafter set out. ,The compensation which may bo allowed to the deputies, assistants or olerks named for their services shell be a resoonable one, a-8 tit ~to l xaeed the foIlowIng amounts i , , ;”

The unambf.guouo lsnguage contained in the foregoing Article without question empowers 6he County CommWionerr* Court to authorize l&c pasty a point JU assistant Count .,Attornby httcwney who, upon o&h of offlce, is slot ed with ail the n taking the cofl@titut10 n&J ra and grtbority.of the Couuty Attorney.~ ~-See Art. 331, Uerieeti we havc.uuiwered your Mret quesC%on ia,the E") t~ata,s l ~fwe, #lemmaum* -

$ec. (b) Article 3899, Y.A,C .s . , from which we quote ih pert, r&ads as foUow6t in Ws Act, wh&e he receiver for h&s servic~e, sh+l. be

a salary as compensation 'entitled &nd permitted to purchase or charge to his -..’ * county al?. reasonable expenses necessary in the en of fr c%~e

- hitd..legal eonduut of hit offlce, pmlws -bonds, prer@m en fire burglery, theft robbery insur- public &de, end Lnclud&$ the cost of

ance pro$ecting; surety bonds for his deputies. . ." Thus, &en offiaial bonds are required to be executed by the county is liable for the pre- deputy or a&&ant ccunty officitis, tf;erein. Rowever, we know of no law requiring. mium expense involved e.n assistsnt County Attorney to execute an official bond. Therefore, we answer your second question in the negative.

0011~ 8. L. Armstrong - We 3

Article 3902, Section 3, V.A.C.S., prorfdeet "Ir: countfes having a population of thirty-sewen thousand Biro hundred aud one (37 501) and not UOIW then thOUSarrd (&,(xX)) inbabitads, fiI'St a68il$tWlt 0~'

deputy not to l xGeed Twwaty-03le sllmdred (i2lm.00) per amum other aarlstants de tits ew clerks E l&en liundred (#ldOd# Dolhra nmt~e~leed .F in this Act ah aft be Provided that nothiq- oonnstrued LB repeali% 0~ affeS5.y; Sx%S.x 2 of H. 8.

Nor 6% Chapter 315, Acts 1935, Forty-fcwth Legislature, pace 72i.a

Soction~9 Xrtiele mqma, authoriece the Co*unty Con- eireuwtanceo, to increase the aora en- clerk in the additional amount no e to of the a&~ allowed under the lawfor mmpensetion authori\(ed ZLc? not exceed f43600.00.

Tp~&,iw that the foregoing will be of assistance to you, we remain