Case Information
*1 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Honorable Jouetto 3. Uonner
Ctpmty Attorney
Jaok County
Jaoksboro, Terse Opinion No. O-7051
Dear sir:
a.1 Applioatlon Arts.
“There bare been a
tan 44, above artiole, on the equlpitisnt therein rarerred to, direotsd deeuot the ex(pensea, en if 0~1g the prcaprrty deeorlbed in abovo 440ti0n i0 sold, I ia th0 ~tr0rirr WOad b0 en- titled to mre than hi.e crponscla. under Art. 951, *2 Honorable Jsuette Pp. Bonmr - Pa@ E
c0de or crinina~ mtwd~re, th0 0horirr OP 6th0r (with marpti0n) wh0 auot0 ifi0nry for oiriow, tha hate OF oountiy, oxoopt jury roes, uador x
~wth~too4~, ohall entltl- ro- .
"Z'urthar, -or Ax-t. 851). Bo~Lod Qitll Staiutko, eeun*p attorarr is )ntltlmd to ton par oont Qf nnneyo mlboted, to *08h*at. ap*lag It ~MIUO to PLO t&at whiokoy IQ takes%, (IS wrll as other proprty, roohwto to t&a Ltato, ana it o&l, ,OTOB by tho Board, ohwlft w14 sounty at&wary should not bo depri~8d oftho $0~8 as ob0t0 pro- TIQOQ.'
mi010 066-e, Penal ode, proride ho iouo~~r *(a) All Urehollo bovorq~oo doolarod by this AOt ba a nui~a~oo, a~& a.1 iUiolt betrrqpo as &eflmd By this Aot , rnr 8s l .1s.d with or :u Shout a worrult tty on 8geat or rmployre of the Toxam Upor Caktrel monad, far by any poaoo omook, OB~ stay person r0ouad in poooroole~ or ki ohor- tb.rOof dy bo arrertea without a worronti. Xo:8loo&olio bo~mgoo 01! a2tioleo so ooisod ahell be roplotiod, but l imllbo l totol by the Beard, or bo thr abmlff of Oh* oountt whorein was lged, DO be had fdr r iid aooion th0 MLW or the oourtao huxdt(ra pnptidod+
~"(b)I) oball W tho duty af tbo Attorney (hnonl, on4 the County Attgornoy, or tho Ulotriot Attorney any of them, rhon nothd by the oftioor llaka tho o*fi&w or by the T8xaO liquor oontm1 Beard, that. ouoh ooinm bar boon made, to inotltuto a suit Sor 0r 0uoh eleohouo bfiv0m~o and gyQrtJ* rdoitwo owh oultto be broughtlntbo maooitb* ta l or TWO in fIBy WWt Or W~tMt jWi#diQtiOIt iI% @W souBt,3r who r oln Lluoh l 02&ur8 us& Enbe. xetioe o r p~nb~~ey or OUO~ SW mu eo ock*@d in thommw *3 prscrarl bed by law end the 081~8 shall prooood to trial 88 uthor alril Ii upon the trlal aames.
or ouah suit it 1s round that a100holIo borerogoo proputy on 0 nuloano~ OS *are u8*A or rrpt In a8Intaining a nulaanoo, undu the tuaw pr thin Aot or that tha alooholio botuago la iUlolt, as A&od by this Aot, then the oourt tying said aauoo onall ronAor juA@mnt roriolting tho l a~o to the 3tatr or Tam8 8nA aTArring the saw 418p08rd of se provided ror by ~ootIcln or thlo ikrtIo10.
The oeoto of ouah ~oo@8dIngo shall be paIA by under the provIsIon Board, out of fuaAo dirirad of said Yooti.on SO, or fma any othu fUnd anll- able th8 Beard fir Bush purpoooo.
b to ray preporty or l rtloloo ~upcm whiah bur a liozi, by a bono SlAo lion holbr, the 2 ouoh my intonlmo to 8stablLoh hlo rlgbto MA ohau be roqulred to ohm sueti lion to havo &ma& qnated in a bona ttdo atanner and wlthout &oulo~ ar the taot at the tlao orootlon or Ifa, thof onr acbielo er pawporty up6n rtrieh rush liar d.otr hd boon used w WOO to be Used in ?iO~tiOB Of thl.8 Aot. ~If holder of any ouab lion ohall latonono, said oauso shall tender juA&- than the court tryiq OS Toxao, adl sent SO.F~bUiiJtg the aam4 to tim 3tOte t& lsauwe authorizing of an or&or of oU0 AlrootoQ to 8hO#i iu’ any omotablo of the wunty whoreia tho Qroputyrao ooiao4, OOnuwAlng ouoh offlow to 0011 ulb proparty in me mannor aa paoau4l prpporty IO sold unbar oxsoutien. The oowt nq or- Aar ouoh gaparty sold Iz who& or In gax% 80 It z6y deer groprr and the sale shell be eonduoted at the o~urthwoo door. The man*y roalizod rmm the aa3.0 or ouoh propotty #hall be applieo rirot to the pay- net ot tha ooota 0r suit and *xjmnmo lnaldont to the oalo and ofbor ouoh orponooo hors been approVeA and all.ow?tA by the oourt dzybg the y~o~, t&on tho ru~hor proaooAs buob ~30 8haU bi useA to WY all ouah liono aooawdlng to prlorltlos, end pny ro- ~lalnlng proaoeds shall bo pld to tho Board to be allaootcvd as pr~vIAoA la seation SO horooi. All swh liona against proporby uolA undu Ohio .GoatIori shall be tranererrod r&ma the property to tho’pro- 0~40 0r iti3 5a.
fioaoroblr Jouotto b-L Bonnor - Pwm 4
“(A) T& oberlft oxooutlag oold sole shall Issu, a blll of ~18 or 08rtlfIcwt8 tin th8 pur- ohaoor or e&IA property, on4 ouoh bill of oale or autlrioato ohall ooiwo~ valid and unlqmlrod title to owh progwty." 666-30, Poxml Code, prorIAoo am rollowor
Artlat -(a) wll alooholla bowrags and the oantalnoro tm00r, oquipiimt, aad other proportiy rorroited to stats as nuloonoo, un2eoo ~lihorwloo horrln pro- ~1484, and a&l illicit bwon,$eo ~aob oontaInuo thereof r0Pr0it04 to date, ohul be turned over 00 the Bear6 Xw gublio QF prlveto ~14 in ouoh plaoo xmnor a6 it my dorm boot) ~1604, Chat Sour4 ohall l rrrolo~ dtligpnt 0 r&x&% to obluIrr,thr 5""
baa% aval&blo &WI 00 for mqthin# t&u8 0014 pro- vided, further, that any bill or SUB osoou i 8d by tho Bo%zd o? AdalnlotratgC ahall oowcly a god and to the puPeha8rr as to any l uoh peoparty vaat;p title Tho Booti shall s&l olooholfa bnoragoo only to &a hol&rro of ~~allflod 0*xmIto or Uuonaeo. X0 alaoholio bwwagoa Wit to bo a014 for publf0 oah oumptlon, or of IUlslf reanufaotwe, gay bo *old by the Board, but OPI &oalarod 8 nuloe~e~ par 00 and asy b,r daotroyod by the Board. 'i'h~ outlfloate of UBy quallfiod ohmlot shall br aoooptcsd bytho Mua ae roldomo Or unrltnooo or ouoh ola~h~lic bo’Iusgo8.
"In the *rat the otitod stat.0 wNoPmaalt shall &ids o.ny ph or authed whereby tufoit alooholIo beverage6 a114 other proprty bslonglng t0 rorroitog otaw as nuloanec, oholl bo sold at oollIw priaoo dwlnga rratlonfkl iwmypn~,tb Board dmU ba.rs th6 right ta oabqdy wltb Podorol law or ragu- i0ti000 in the OPI~ QT diop0crai ouah il3ioit al- ooholio botuagor or other pogmrty, even to the ex- of partially ,or 1phoU.y abrogstlqe any pooioiono tat hersof which aray be in oenfllot with the Faderal law or r*guDktIano.
iionorrb * ifouatte jL. BOMUF - pag*
Iionorabls Jouette L;. Banner - FaRs 6
same, pay it into the treasury of the State or of the county In whloh It belongs, after de- ducting; therefrom snd rutefalng the oomalssloAs allowed him thereon by la*. Suoh dlstriot or oounty attorney shall be entitled to ten per Oent OOreUiSSiOn On the first thousand dollars o0lleoted by him in any one oass ror the State oounty from any indIvl4ual or oompany, and five per Oent on all ems wer one thousand dol- km, tQ be retsins' out of the sonsy WheA ool- looted, end he shall also be entltlsd to retain the aam 00nm~18s10n~ on all oolleotlons made for the State or for any oounty. ahis artiols shall slao apply to money realized for the State under the esoheat law."
Artlola 666-42 makes it duty of the Attornsy General, DIetrIot Attorney, County Attornoy, or any of them, to institute prooeedlngs for the iorfelture to the State of all eloohollo beverages deolared to bs a nuisanoe and all llllolt bevsragsa. This artiols further provides that Court’8 judgmmt of forfeiture shall order all suoh bww- ages wdIspossd of se provided for by Seotlon 30 of this artlola." Seotlon 30 spsoltloally provlbea that suoh bevsr- agae bs "turned over to the Board" (Liquor Control Board) for sale. No other agency Is authorized under ths Texas Liquor Control Aot, aa amended, to sell suoh beverages forfeited to tha State.
%e Aote your statement to the effect that while Seo- for turning oQnfisoatsd liquor over to the tion 30 provldsa ,Board ror selling, you havs been advissd that in oertain In- stences suoh liquor Is sold locally la the oountlee. It la believed that you have refersnoe to the provfsione oi Sea? tion 30 as they reed prior to amndrornt by ths k8th Lsgia- leturta In 1943 (Acts 19L3, lr8th Leg., p. 509, oh. 325, 18 6). t-rior to such amndmsnt Astiols 666-30 provided:
“All oontraband sloohollo baveragre 80 sslssd shall be turned over to sithor t&e sheriff Of the in whioh suoh seizure ia made or t0 any 00unt.y authorized rapre5sctatiVe or agent Of the BQsrd*
~~11 oontrabsnd alooholio beverages PeWsiAiag iA the hands of tha sheriff ahall be sold by hIm et pub110 suotlon to the highest bidder, after *7 Honorable Jouette X. Bomer - Page 1
duu notlae of euah sale has been poetod for a perioc or et least ten (10) deye, but no sale or liquor rhell be made to any pornon unleee he is a pewltteo who la ?rivile@ed to here posmmlon thereof. No dalivery of liquor so sold ahell be made to any permittea unless and until the 2roper State tax stamp8 have been purohased end afilxed aa raqulrod by this Aot.
r(* * * “The net prooseilab rrm all. 8ahs aa pro- vided in thiil Seotlon ahall be plaoed In e reperets fund by the Board end 5ay be used from tinm to tine r0r d6rreying suah expsm8b8, ~8 orey be rl@Oe8saCy, r0r the lntrstlgetlon and obtaining erldenoe ror vlolatlons or the pro- vi~lons of thf,a Aot. All monay remaining in said fund on Auguet 31st or aaoh year 8hell be deposited with the 3tate Trearurrr ror the bono- rit or the General Fund. The fund herein oreeted la hereby eppro rieted and shell be independent of end In ad&it lp eta to any other appropriation whloh may be made for the uee of the Board.'
The prooedure thus provided was radioellp ohenged by the 48th Leglslatur%. Under amended Seotlon 30 all ealas or lortelted liquor are made by the Board. Inrtead~ *net prooeede" of suoh oeles being plaoed in a oaperete fund ',"m&ihe use or the Board, the ourrsnt provlsion of the lew 1s
:
"All mneys derived rrom the se14 or any bsvereges or property abell be plaosd In a scpsrete fund In the State Treasury to be designated as the Conilsoated Liquor Fund.
Twenty per oentwn (20$) ot 8aid Conrlsoetsd Liquor Fund shall be erelleble to the Board to defray the expenses of purohalling eEd aO- omulsting evldsnos es to rlolatlone of end for the purpoaa or enroroing the prorislons this Aot end to detray the sxpansee tn- ourred in aesmbllng, storsgo. transportation.
Honorable Jouatte i. Bonner - Peg4 8
seie end eooountIng ior auoh oonflsoetad liquor end property. Any balanoe r4malnlng in eald rUnd on September lrt of eeoh biennium ehall be transferred end deposited In the Geherel Fund of the Stats or Terna.* (S%pheeia Supplied)
It Is trua that Saotion I+2 provide8 with XWQspeOt prooeedlnge that, to rorreiture
*Tha ooats or euoh prooaadlnge ahall ba paid by the BoerU, out or funds derived under prorlnlons of said Seotlon 30, or from my other fund evallabla to the Board ror 8uoh jXrpO848. "
'&iS prOYi8iOn, however, ral%ta8 t0 CGUrt oO#t8, end not oomal8slona. Moraovar, alnoa the Board 18 required to pleoe all money's in the Treallury, 8uoh Court oosrto may be paid oily on warrant8 drawn thsreror.
The eharirr 18 antltlad to retain nona the gro- oeada rrw liquor8 for several raeaons, the sale or oontlroeted rirst end roramoat being thet the 8harlrr he8 no authority under the preeent atete of the law to sell. Seoondly, the sp4olrioeily provider that all money8 derived rrom stetute the aele or beverages shell br pleo~ln a separate fund In phrase "all monaysw to the State Treasury. Wa oonetrue mean just whet it eeys; no daduotiona for oomnlsriona era parml8aibi4. The phrase prevlouely used by the Legl8latura rooaeda." The Intantlor. of Ls laleture was "the net could hardly e more ogeerly expresasd then by 1 4 amend- E & aent using the phresa "all moneys" rather then "net prooeids". Canpare opinion Eo. O-5334, approved Ju1.g 23, 1913, a copy whloh Is anolosed. Plnelly, you are advised thet In our the forfeiture grooeadln@s authorized by Artid OpiniOA 66642, V. A. 2. C., am IA netura olvll, rethar than anal. 950 end
%OtiOAs by the very t4#rme or that seotlon. Artioles of tha Code or Crlnilnei Frooadum, referred to by You, r4ista a0i4iy to ~o~~~leelons OA orlmlnei riAee end rorreitures *9 Honorable Joustte ii. Bonnar - PeRe p under the Panel Coda end resulting from oriminal proaaoutiocs the Coda or CrImInel +ooedura. These statutes do not
govern in the inetant 0454. Conpe,re Ytets vs. Xoora, 57 Tex. 307.
W4 ere compelled t0 enswar your 86OOAd qU68tiOn re- garding OO~i8eiOnS Of the ;OUUt AttOrn iA the 8eme menner and ror the same reasons. In f th 8 oonnao ion you have oellad t our ettention to hrtiole 335, R4vlaed ~1~11 Statutes of Taxe8, 1925, v&loh provid4e for OOIJW~iSI¶~Au to the County Attorney when suoh orfloar "he8 oolleothd money ror the State for 4Ay 00UAt.Y." IA addition to the other reeeon8 given why oommleelona are not colleotlbls in liquor rOrreftUra pro- oeedlnge, you ere advised thet IA our opinion e judepunt oon- rlsoeting uzrlewiul llcjuor under ths Terse Liquor Control Aot, whloh judgmnent has reoultad rrom e cult ln8tItutaa by AttOrAOy, is AOt "the OOllOOtiOA Of BiOIlOy" IOr the SOuty Steta within the mennine of' Artlole 335. This ertiola ha8 long been Interpreted e8 meaning whet it plainly urportei thet 18, the eotuel OOlleOtiOA or money by 4A 9 0rr oar AMled In thr artlole, the ObteiAIn$ or e nonay judgmant on whloh money oollaoted.
fl8oetad under Liquor Control Aot may be Texas [801] 8 only ,You are, therefore, advised thet unlawful 11 uor oon- by the Taxea Liquor Control Board ; and that neither a County Atto*mey nor a sheriff may colleot oomio8lon8 On 8UOh 84198.
Your4 vary truly BY Jem4s D. Smullan AdlSist%At