Case Information

*1 tJtJiJ OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TILXAt3

AUSTIN

Bonorablo Basooa Oilor

Oommirrion*r, 06wrdl Lead Offire

Auesin, Texar

Daar air1

qwti0n Or 7eo8n0y 8 it aan4atory uader 0omal*s~0ner 6ppobt rtuvry were not made would the rppliornt bo injured fn aBy way tlgstioa on the gueation of a *hn iatsr bigatioa of oertala g~Uo4tfonr to lea10 al~egrd v~eanb 1~14 rim tn thir or- rh by tffttm of EIouu Bill. 0 rwr*lr that ml4 aQQliortlonr on their faoo purport to eater only land8 whloh ha& been prarfoual~ pat&ate4 *2 Wit3 lionorabla Baacom (3lla8, Pegs g

by the 8tsta.

"InV~Stlpitl0n Of other applloatloaa ravrels that the Rooorda and maps of this

ofrio ab8OlutW nagativa the l ri8t8a0~ o r a vlaano~ SO Irr as this oifloa is ooaaarssd'.

*In olther of the lnatanOea above tioaed tha dsoirioa OS this oirlor ooti % Et aad would not ba lafluaaoad by a sunay madr 011 61’0tt~Id, 8la08 ow Reoordr show *hat ao raoenor la poaaiblb.

"Tha ppliaaats thezuelrea am not de- 8lrou8 of parlag ror a Sur?S~ lanlara ona ia newrtiary to preaorra their rights in future litigation oa the question of taOaaO~, and it is intention this otfioe. to h8vr l

8urvsr mada in arory oaaa wham tha applioant SO ~eairo8.*

The queitioaa submIttad by you nsaeseitati an oxaaimtioa 02 ChapSar 871, hots 1031, VarnOa's Annotated Qi+fi Statutes, Artiola 64810, as amendad br Eooaa Bill 9, Aots 1939, 46th La~islatura.

Prior to tha amandmant of Cbaptar gP1, bats 1931, by Eoosa Bill 9, Aotr 1939, thara was no provision in tha law rrquirln ths Land Coamlssloaar to appoint a rarveyor upon tha t f llng of an epplloatloa to purohese or laasr allsgad raoant land. Under th6 1931 Aot prior to its aaandmant by House Bill 9, the sppllcant wea ohargad with tha raaponaibIlit~ of having a auroay mada the oounty surreyor .$xX tha oounty la whioh the land was aituatsd or br a lioenaed land aurr6yar and the appll- oant was further ohargad with the reaponaiblllt~ of hava ilald notaa returned to the General Land Offlo and fibd with tha Land Oomalsaioner ior his approval or rajaotlon.

House Bill 9, howrtar, olaarly undertekor to &akki, (I OOmprshanalra amentiant o? Ssatloa 8 Of tha 1031 Aat, is that flouao Bill 9 prasoribae deflnltalr and in detail tha prooodurs to ba tollowad by tha Lead Commiaaionar in aaoartainlng whathar or not a raoanay l otuallY axiats 011 the grouad and la aofifying intareatad part108 or amh praaeea lags.

The oaption of Xmas8 Bill 0 5.n part proridaa as f ollowr I

** * daaarlblng and prorid ior pro- tern and oonditioaa ioh taoanai@a . . .I pm- *3 zonora'cle Basoorn Gilsa, Page 3

aoriblng proaedum t0 be follOwed by Con-

alaaioner in inatanoaa wh4r4 vaasnoiaa are

iii44 upon; providing r0r rindiaga the

Commlaaloner~ l l l a

section 1 (a) or Bouao Bill 9 definer *vaoanoy* a0 rollowa:

*~~aOMOy~ when USSd in this bat, 'Jams an ama of uaaurv4yrd 8ohaollaad not in 00nili0t On the ground with laUda prerlou8ly titled, awarded, Or aold, rhloh has aot basn listed on the reaordo of thei ma Offlo* as ahool lanaa and *hioh 0s the dot0 OS tha filing was naithar,.aubjeot to a8 earlfar SUbSistfry rpplloation tq purohaaa or 1048s by a 41800terer or~olalnant nor lwolrad la panding lit,igatlon brought by t&e State to moover the sama.~

Seotioa 1 (0) Of Roar0 Bill 0 protidaa that aa applioant to purohaae laa8a a raaaaay shall file written applioation ln duplloata to purahaaa or losee with tha oouaty surveyor of the oounty In whloh any part or the land is situated, uoh appliaation to state the ~ma8 aud ad- dresser oi all owaera olalmaata of any intareat la tha land or any lasses adjolulng, orrrlappiug or lnoludiag the land olaInad to be raoant, as aaoertslnad from the raoorda of ths Gsnaral Land Oirioe, the County Clark's Otfioa, and the tsx rolls the aounty in nhioh the hia la situated; that the applioation shall alao etato the name addresses of any and all persona knou~ to applloaht to be aaasrtlng any rQht in Said land. under auoh atatuta, tha County Surveyor la rsqulmd to matik the data of the i1lIx.q oi euoh applioatioa gpon both Ooplra of appllO4tiOn~ aPd to return oaa aopy thrraof to tha applioaati the aPPliOant is required, within lo days aiter t&e date of filing with tha surreyor OS the ooUIit~, to tile his oopy themor rlth the -6 C~laaioner~ tha Conrnlaslonar i8 raquirad to 8atiiY tha applioant .of the aatlmtad OOSt Of proo44din5~ Mder tha applloatioa, and wlthla thirty days aftar tha data of guoh notloo the appllaant la rqa.lred to make a dapoalt with tha Go~iaalonar to oovar *the mat of all work uhiah

668 Bonorabla Basooni Gilas, Peer

MY be n*oa=m'Y in order to ~oomply with the raqtrsst oontainad in ruoh e~plioa~ion.=

S*otion 1 (01 thaa providata as rollow~a -on filin6 of any suoh appllo~tlon with the ~~seioner aad u II the making or the ra-' qUi=d d*pOSit a6 pro0 dad for hara~ r aa OQ~.. alrsionar 6i-1611 rorthuith oausa a noti44 of int#ntiQn 60 ‘8UPVOy to be mailed to all persona 66 lntaraatad parson*, named in the amlioatiolr and at tha e4dra6ea6 given therein, ui& to the Attorney General Texas. The notloa6 ehall be da~osltad ln tha Poat Offioa at Austin, f4u16, st la+ tan (10) d*ya rior to the 4ati iti for the beginning saa E aurvaf. "Thd C066~18~10nar shall appoint s rurvayor to make 8 sunay la eooordrmoa with the notloa. Suoh surveyor sh4ll ba a surveyor. lloaanad by the Stef4, or the COudiy Surveyor or the Count io uhiah the land or a pert tharaoi 18 situeta i , The rear and expanse8 to be pcrid ror suoh uork shall be suoh as my be fired b law, or, ii aot so rixad, than mob ss the Ccmn ssionar and tha I s.urvayor may agree upon, but not in l xoa6s of suoh as my be reasonable for the work parionned, all o? whioh shell be paid by applicant.

*A written report 0r the survay w$th fi4ia notes dasoribiag the land and tha li.na6 end oor- nars so surveyad~ together with a plat showing tha restits or 6uoh aurvay shall be filed in the Gan- are1 l,and orrloe within ona hundred and twenty (iao) 4676 rrom riling 0r the 6pplioatlon, tha time be extended the COmni6siOna~ ulaaa fOr goad aausa rhown, whloh sh811 ha rtatad in wrltlfJ6 and filad 88 a part ot the racrord 42 the Rro4aadi436, but #uoh.xtanSloa shall not 6XOO6d 6iXtY (60) 66pn. ma report shall. rtata the n6m46 ssb tba P06t-off144 e~breaS48 all person8 in po6aasslon 0r the lad In applioation, dasoribgd and Of an ParaOJJa 8UZW4yOr t0 hata Or oleb ~$~;~t# -Y wJr- aby j.ntarastad party may at his Own rpeo6a i&a any surveying to be door 66 ha d4am.s dasirabla.’

Honorable Basoom GilaS, Page 6 further provide6 that:

Seotion 1 (0) "Vilthln Sixty dfy?-a<tpr the sur~ayo~ her made his raporr aa provaaaa neraxn, 8 near* 6my ba held baron the Commlrsionar on tha data rired In a not104 whloh ha ah611 give to 41.1 parson8 thought to be lntara6tad partiaa and to all pereons shown by the raoord at th4 pro- oaadlng to be 1ntara6tad parties, inoludlng the Attorney Oenaral, to datermina whether thar4 is a vaoanoy.g

S*otion 1 (a) and Saotion 1 (01 of House fill 9 than prorfda for the further steps which are to ba taken by the L'snd Cosdmsionar In datarminin whether or not 4 vaosnoy existi ana in notlrying twsa & terestad part148 or his daai6fon.

It appsarr fr06& thb above quoted dsiinition in

BOUSe Bill 9 Of the term Vao4noyR that the Leglslatur4 h46 plainly limited the operation of the AOt to areas of *undurvayad sahool lend not in oontliot on the grixmd with land pravioosly titled, arardad or 60le. . .*

It ie further appmant fropl the oaption and the body ot the House Bill 9, that the kgislatura in detail in mandetory te~1-166, has praeorlbsd the da&its prooadare to be iollowad by the 4pplioant and the Land Oomml6slonar in (1) prooasdfnge to determine Whether or not 6 vaoanoy aotu- ally exists on the ground) (9) the riling 0r mid not44 and 6 hearing, following notloa to 611 interested pertier; and (3) in warding or rajeotlng the applloetion t0 purOh66~ 14686 6s?6a after a survsp has bean aeda by I survayor ap- L6nd Comraissioner and field notes have bean p;ad .

It 16 rurthar apparrnt rrom the above quoted pro- ViSfOM of E&use Bill 9 thst on* the pmsdomlnant Q’W’O666 or the kglalatura $n alleating Eoura Bill 9 was to gu4r4nta6, in 60 far 46 porslbla, that all p4reonO who olaimsd a0 intareet ~3.n the alleged vaoano 0~ who might be 4ff44ted by t&a prooaadingr in regard t E areto, rhould rao4ita nOti of ail prooeedings In oonnaotioa uith the marlPi- ooourring nation by survey and hearing xiotanoa 0s 6 v606n674 Hot only 16 the applloatlon required to strta + Mma~ ad *6 Eoaorabla Basoon Gllas, Peg4 6

4ddra6646 o? all interrated pertla6, but Housa Bill 9 ?urthar provldas that the report o? the l ur?ayo r sp- pointed by the Isad Cosn6i66lonar shall tata'tha names ati th4 QO8t O??fO4 8ddr46646 Or 8u QarSOn8 f5 poEiS- eaaion of the lend deaorlbad in the applloation, end of all parsons found by the surveyor to have or ala161 any l&mast therein. In giv notloa or haarlng the Comlrolonar ir mquirra to not 9 %ll parsons thought to be interested and to ? 1 paraona shown by the pettier record o? the prooaediags to be lntarastad partlea, in- eluding #a Attornay Gaaarsl * + *a

To hold that it IS u8naoa6sary ?or the Coza- mlaoloaa~ to appoint a aurvayor -4 hare 6 survey made, would deprive the Stat4 of Texas, the Land Oomsi66ionar, and all interested parties ot tha banarlt or fladlng6 by a dl6lntaraetad surveyor with raspaot to the aatual looa- tioa on .tha ground 0r araa olaIsi64 to ba vsoant.

A iurthsr result of suoh holdiog would ba to nulliiy the Intention sad afiact or that portlon o? Eousa Bill 9

Honorable Basoom Gilas, Page 0

rayad are4 of pub110 aahool land and by

bringing It to the attention of the Com- rissionar in tha trklng~o? the s4varal #taps praaoribad. by the #tWute, that Is filing

sppll4atlon with the su~fa~"r, oauslng the

aurval to ba medo. and flald notes. dll

olo6lna the looai Fion and dotinning iha d&d8

of the-area to be prepared (nd filed in tha General Lad Otrloa.a

The ?Or#gOing quotation aa:vas to lllustreta that, oven prior to the aneotmant oi Eousa &ill 9, the Suprema Court ~86 of opinion that an rotual looation on the gto\ind 45 allagad vaoanay we6 8 n444684ry Step t0 be take5 barore tha quastlon of whether Or not a v6465ay ax:- latad~wa4 determined. SFno4 the daolalon in Short v. Carter, Supr&, wa find the LagiSlatur4 in axpra6a term8 requiring that Suoh SUrvay be made by a surreyor appointed by the Land Oc&- a.l6alonar.

~gislatur4, as It daalra6 as aoaditfona preoadant to tha sale or State It ^[16] wall 6attlad.thet the Btata, through its 045 pr4aorlba suah t4mr6,oondltloaa an6 ataps land, 60 long 48 no provi6ion6 o? the Constitution era vlolatad. In ansotlng Rouaa Bill 9, tha Leeialatura has, mandatory language, praaorlbad that the In darlnita Conua5.aaloaar appoint a aurvryor to meka 8 survey of an rllag4d vaoant ore8 barora grontlng or raj4otIng the spplloatlon to lease or purohase Suoh araa.

We are of tha opinion, end hare hold, that the appolntmsnt of 6 surveyor by tha Land Oomal6slonar and a SUV4y or the are0 by the 6urvsydr 60 appoi5ted are manbe- to ry l t,aps rhioh must ba rollowad the COms1i6aion4r prior urohaaa or rajsotlon or an applloatlon to to the grantin fl l*asa an 81 aged vaornt er44e Your rirst qu4at on la, P thsrafora, UnSw#r#d in the a??irMtiV*~ Jn vfau of fOr#goinQ anawar to your rfrat

quastla5, wa daaa it u5.54aaa::ary to~anmar the SSOOnd qu*8- tlon propounded by you ?Or the raeaon th4t no SitU4tfon

Honorable Basoom Giles, Pago

lr prraented requiring our opinion on suoh queetioa.

Your0 vex7 truly ATTORI’iBY rJBNEU W PI&Xi whioh raqulra6 the 6urvayor to ?I16 ?I414 notes end a ra- port and to lnaluda In his report tha name8 and addXV36988 of all pareona in poa6a66ion of and olafating any intarast in the allagad vaoant eraa. Further, to hsld that the eppolatment or 8 uxvayor and tha survey ara unneos6aarp would result in pamlttirig the iindlng by the Land aom- mlsslowr as to the axlstanaa o? a veaanoy to ba made without the indormtioa a6616tan04 o? ii014 notes drsorlblng the dlaputsd ems on the ground. A statement o? the oonsequanoas whloh would result ?rom a holding that the 8ppOlntemnt O? a surveyor a54 a aurvay era unnacas6ary, wa baliava, ace au??iolent to ea- tsbllsh that no suoh result wae intendad the Laglslatura. In Short v. 81. T. Csrtar & Brother, 126 9. W. (2) 965, tha Supreme court Ta66, in di8poaing 8 oon- tantloa that land wao 6ob)aot to sale or 14664 \tndOr Chap- tar 271, Aots 1931, only when suoh lend mappaaf6 on the orriaial Land Otfioa amp z& unsurvayed land*, 66idi *A di6OOV4~ qa s000ont whioh the prrrer- 6500 right i6 glVan 18 OOrtOinly aomathlne more than tha mare tinding or what la apparant on the lend 0rriaa smp. It is a di6oovary ao- 0rri0fd Oo6ipli6had by 66oart8ining thst than i6 USWf-