Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

Honorable . * Lmell C. Holt O&icol wO. M- 483 cm DistridAttorney &shurComtyCmrthouse Gilmer,Texas Re: bho shouldpay the initialcourt cc& demitwhen Objec- tions are filed by theamdemeeinan eninentdanainpro- ceding, after an Pmrdby theSpecial kar Mr. Holt: Cdssioners . Ycx askedthe follcwingquestion: '%o shouldpay the initialcoxt costdqmsitwhenabjections are filedby theccnheeinan sminmtdcmainpmceeding, afteran?ward by the SpecialCamissionem?" Article 3267, Vernon'sCivil Statutes,detenaines when each party shall pay actstin a mdmmation action. You will note the languageof Article 3267 with regard to when the con&nnee shall pay the am&. It statesas foil=: II . but if the amuntawardadby the c&tssioners as damagesorthe judqsnt of the camtyrmrtshallbeforthesams or less mountof damagesthan the mount offeredbefore prcoaedingswere -C=L then'checcetsshallbepaidbythemner of the property." It has long been held in this State that upon a filingof Objectionsto Award of Camissioners by amdsmor or ccndemee findinosof Ccmnissionersansnullifiedand a trialde novois required,0iUiganSoftWaterServicev. State, 385 S.W.2d 613 (Tex.Civ.App. 1964, error ref. n.r.e.); Xl zcccnm* v. Akers, 181 s.w.2a719 (Tex.CiV.ppp. A-4 1944, error ref. w.0.xix- The SupremeCourt in Elliottv. Jose@, 163 Tex. 71. 351 S.W.2d 79 (1961)statedwith recrard to the actioni.ntheComtyCaurt aS follms: -2306- - Ken. Lcwell C. Holt, Page 2 (x-483) II .The trialinthe countycourt is a . . danovo appellateproceeding. Statev. Nelson, 160 Tex. 515, 334 S.W.Zd 788." The Supremecourt recognizesthatwhenObjections are filed totheR+mrdof SpecialCasnissionerstierehas been an appeal tOtkCOUlltyCOLUt. Hoer, it is not an appeal as frcna trialccurt judgment,butitis tobe adancrroprcceeding in the camty court. FUle142,Texas Pules of Civil Procedure,states: "?hecle&nuy requirefruntheplaintiff securityfor costsbefore issuingany process,butshall file thepetition and enterthesawmthedocket.. . .II In City of &xrstcnv. Susholtz,22 S.W.2d 537 (affm'd37 S.W.2d 728, Tex.Ccmm.App.l931),the Court held as follcws: "FUr&emxze,atleastbyanalcgytolike appealsfran justicecourts,itwouldseem to follow,first, that the perfectionof this resort franthe catmissioners' ward. to the am&y courtvacated theaction of the loderbody andgave to the proceeding as it then stcodin the intermediateoxrt the same status as if it had been originally ccxmenoadthere; . . ." The Suprem Cart in Denti Cwnty v. Branmar,361 S.W.2d 198 (Tex.Sup.1962) at page 200 states: II . We reccgnizethat the filing of the . ‘ original.objectionsand exceptionsby Bramner [the ccndemneelsimply ccnvertedthe special andenmationproceedingsinto asuitandin- vestedthe oxmty courtwith jurisdictionof the subjectmatter of the case. See Fitz- gerald v. City of Dallas,lkx.Civ.pgP.,34 S.W,2d 682, wr. ref.; State v. Nelson, 160 Tex. 515, 334 S,W.2d 788. "[3] The filing of the originalobjections in this casevacated the awardof the special Caanissi~. The amdcnnor, L!entm County, becane the plaintiffandBrmmer, the am- demnee,becanethedefendsnt...." I 2307- Han. Lowell C, Holt, Page 3 (M-4831 It~uldseenclearthenfranthedecisi~bythe appellatecourts in Texas that when an Objectionis filed, regardlessofwhichparty files the sane, the actionby the ccnmissionersis mnpletely nullifiedand vacated. The ccn- deamorbeccses tie Plaintiff,and the an~ebecams the Defendant. Acondemnation casethenproceeds totrialonthe pleadings,i.e., the Petitionfiled by the aondstmorto cm- darmthelandbelonging tothe an&nmee. It is notnecessary for the ca&emee to plead anything,i.e., particularize his danagesor set forth my specificdamage claims,Fitzgerald v. City of Dallas,34 S.W.2d 682 (Tex.Civ.App. 1930, error ref.);Kennedyv. City of Dallas,201 S.W.2d 840 (Tex.Civ. *. 19'47,error ref.). Therefore,what we have is a case in theComtyCourtwhichhas been filedby the cmdmmor. Since the ccndemorhas filedhis Petitionin mndamation theburden of paying the fee of the CountyClerk as required in Article 3930(b),Section lA (ii),Vernon'sCivil Statutes, falls upon the ccndeamormgardless ofwhohas filedabjecticns. Atalater tims should the judgrentof the CountyCourtbe for an atnuntthe same as, or less than, the originalanountoffemd by the cmdenmor to the condemneemen under Article 3267, Vemcn's CivilStatutes,the uandercnor could reooverthese costsfrantheamdenmee, This Opinionshouldnot be axsidered in anflict with OpinionNo. M-142 wherein this officeheld that fees cmnotbepaidby a axntytoits ~County Clerk. Thebasis forGpini~No, M-142 was ihattoallowa wuntytopay this fee toits cwnCounty Clerkwouldbe an unccmstituticnal tran~- fer of tax mmies. This officewentcn to state in mat Opinion the feeswere due andpayableby condemors other than acounty when an cbjectionis filed or a Judgnentis entered. When the State of Texas is the ccndenmor,Article 3930(b),Sectian IA (ii),Vemm's Civil Statutes,shouldnot be ccnsideredin ccnflictwith Article 4357 of Vemcm's Civil Statutes. TheState of Texas cannotmake imnediatepayment of depceitof cost. TheClerkwouldha~ toprepareaproper clsimupcn docketingthe ccndemation case, tii& claimwould then have to be presentedto the State Cunptroller. Upon being presentedaproperly auditedclaimwhichhas been properly verifiedas providedby Article 4357, the Conptrolleraxld then issue a warrant in the mxxnt of the fee for filinga ca&ematicm case which is providedfor under Article 3930(b), Section lA (ii),Vernon'sCivil Statutes. - 2308= . . ~cn. -11 C. Halt, Page 4 (M-483) SUMMARY 'Iheauxbra~orinacaxhmationprc- ceadingshouldpayths initislcowkmet de~it,ifrqui.red,~enChjecti.onsare filedbysitkrpartylmtheAwaxdnfSpecial c!amissioners.Under Article3267, Vemcn's Civil Statute-,if the judgmmt of the Cbmty Court is for ths sznnsor less amunt of damqes thrm the ammtofferedbefonz thepmceadings wensarnnrenoed,thetthean~ormayrecover theaxrtcostckpxitfranth PrepareabyFredM.Talkinqtcm ?+ssistantAttolneyGsnsral APPEMZJ: oFmIcE?- Kerns Taylor,Chsiman GeorgeKeltcn,ViceUminnan HaroldKennsdy Malmlnl QLlidc Bill Allen JimSwearinaen MEADEF.GlUE'FIN XaffIegalAssistmt FItxxcHomPHILLIPS ExecutiveAssistant NCLA WHITE Fir&Assistant - 2309-