The Attorney General of Texas
September 12, 1980
Honorable Bill M. White Opinbn No. Mw-241
Crimiml Dbtrict Attorney
Bexar County CZuuUwm Bet Lagallty of ur~icwr pafarmed
San Antonio, Texm 78205 by dbtrict attomey’r off108 in
collactian of hot dmoka
Dear Hr. Whiter
rat have nqwted our opinim u to wh8th8r a dbtriut attorney mry
lawfully collect tnpaid dmckr ia p&ate persow The 6S~tiL$la~~
enacted artkla SLOB of the Code of Mm&ml PRXWIW,
Lqblatwe, chapter 734, uction 1, at ISOl, whlah provid88 in pertinen~put3
(a) A mmty attorney, dbtrict l ttomay, or arimiml
dbtrict attorney may collect a fe8 if hb office
collbata md pm ahckmdmilardght
ordorifthedwkcrdmilard~tw4erz
(Uha8bunb8u8dapau8dinamannerwhich
make the brtunce Q paasirq an offmoe wlerr
(AbcUar S2.4l, Penal codt;
OS)se8ual SLOS,Paul cede; or
m3acual SLOJ, Penal code; or
(a) ha8 been forged wMer 8eatiar 32.24 Paml coda.
The statute permit8 the dbtrict at&may to oollrt the fa8 .“from many
puson
who b a party dD the offans~,~ and utablbhw a maximum fee admdula
bawd QI the f&w amamt of the &ok collected. Swtiocu (b), (CL
Al-h aLher gublic offictab we ~ifically prohibited itom
undertakiq “the collootion of any olakn fa debt far othws,” articlu 6252-
l4, V.T.C.S., thr addltlon of rrticlo 58.00 to tha Code of Criniiml Roaedrre
remova my d&t m to whether a county attorney, dbtrlct l ttomey Q
criminl dbtriot attomey m do ID. It b thur our opinion Unt, punwtt to
artiah53.05 of tJm Coda 0Y Crlmlml Proaebe, a dbtrict ltto momay
y
hwfullyaaa?tulp8ldchooksfaprlvrkprronr
p. 762
Honorable Bill M. White - PegeTwo (NW-341)
SUMMARY
Pursuant to article 53.08 of the Code of Criminal Procedum,
a district attorney may lawfully collect unpaid check8 for
private persona
MARK WHITE
Attorney Cieneral of Terra
JOHN W. FAINTER, JR.
First Assistant Attorney General
Prepared by Rick Gilpin
Assistant Attorney General
APPROVED:
OPINION COMMR’TEE
C. Robert Heath, Chairman
Jon Bible
Welter Davis
Susan Garrison
Ride Gilpin
P. 763