OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
.a GROVER SELLERS
ATK)RNII GLNERAL
L_-----~’
iionorable J. D. Todd, Jr.
criminal Dfmtrlot Attorney
NueceScountg,Gourtbouse
Corvus Christ:, Teus
Dear Sirr opllaon HO. O-7006
8111 Ho.574, Aots 1945, 49th
Ii. B. r;o. 574, tare, prwideer
and 107 Of Ar-
sta%utm at
Couzt to have gwmrp1 juris4iotlon 5.n tha
Counties of Neces, Kleberg, a114 Kenedy, an4
conourrent Juriadfotlon with the 94th and U7th
Ju4iolalDl.atriot COulrt6 in the county Of meot)e,
UE6 providlag f&at th6 107th iudfcial DiStriOt
Court shall have ooaourrent juris4lotfen ulth
the 10.03rdrudiolal Diatrlet Oaurt In camema
and Yiillac~ CotiiltieSi pntVidtn(s thet ths 107th
‘.
Hon. J. D. Todd, Jr,, page 2
Judloial Diatrlot Court 8nall give ~refwe~noe to orhi-
In81 oese8; yrovl4lhg that the 10,3r4 Judialal Dirtriot
Court shall have general Jurl8dlotlonin the Countler
of cameron an4 Wlllacy, but r&l1 give pmrerenae to
olvil 08888 8na ehall not, aroept In oa8e8 or enmrgsnoy,
ba required to sapanel Grand Juries; provl4lhg that the
County Attorney8 of the Countie8 of Willaoy an4 Caneron,
respectively, sh8l.l henoeforth mpraesnt the State in
the Distrlot and inferior Court8 lu their ma14 rsapao-
tive Counties of Cameron and Vlllaey; providing that in
Counties aituated in two or mre judloial 4istriots, en4
in whloh Counties, the County Attorney la oelle4 on to
perform the duties ordharily parformed by Dlrtrlot At-
torneya, and where the offioe of Dltitrict Attorney or
Criminal Dietriot Attorney in euoh Counties has been
abolished rlnoc the enaotsieat Of Motion 13 of Artiolo
3912e, Xevioed civil st8tutera of Texas, Aotl 1939,
Fortpairth Lq,lrhture, Spsoial laae, ga.(je 608, motion
1, that the Comularioners Caurt,ln such Countlea, 18
authorlzed and empOwera to petf to 8uoh Oountx Attornoga
80 p8rrorming the duties of ruch District Attorney8 an
additiunal 8~ not to orare Twelve Eundrad Dollar8
(fjl200)par year, 8814 8~6 to be pi4 in twolvo (12)
equal monthly in8talmente; providing aziefisotlve date;
prorihing a oon8titutlonalolaulre; an4 deolarlng ah
emsrgency.
"St I? &NAC'IEiD
BY THE LXGISLATU~ 6F THE .Sl’ATE OE'TEX.Wr
"S0otlon 1. Anmid seotion8 28, 103, an4 lg OS Ar-
tiole 199 of thb mvlre4 Girl1 statute8 of Texa@and all
anen&unte thereto, 80 a8 to renumber the 8aroe and here-
altar read a8 follows~
-'That from~und afta the tlret day of January; A. D.
1947, ttice 38th Judiolal Sirtrlot or Tozae ehall be 0onr-
posed of the Countias of iWoee8, tieberg, and Kenedy, an4
shalI be a Court of geheral jurlsdiotion, with the jurla-
&lotion conferred upon District Courts by th6 constitution
and laws of the state of Taxas; and in tha County Of NuaoeB,
it shall have conourwnt'juria4iotion with the 94th an4
117th Dietriot Court.8.
**i)n the effective bate ct thlo kot, the Grinins
i)ietrict Court of hueoea, Kleberg, Kenedy, tilllaoy end
CaLcrercm (;ocntiee still beoor&e a Court or kwoml juris-
%:ctim, with the jurisdiction provided by the COnatitU-
tion abid Law of the state OS Texa8 for Dl8trict Courta,
.i
EOG. J. 3. i’odd, Jr., pu&e 3
I.UL~ ahall be ~cmpcmed of the Couotiea or ;iillaoy .e&
Canrrron, and thenaeforth be known ea the.lO7th Judlolal
Dlrtrict of Texasi and ehall have aonaurrent jurlrdlo-
tlon with the lG3rd Judieiel Dlatrlct Court within eaid
two Countiak3; provided that the 107th Diatriot Court
shall. ~;ive ;rer6renoe to ofinlnal oenea, The 103rd.
Judicial ihtrict Court shall be CLCourt of cenerej.
jurindictiofi, with the juria4iotlon provided by the
CoIi8titutio~ -3~4 Lewa Of the Gtate of Texaas, end shell
conthue to be conposed of the Counties or ~VlUeoy ~6
Caneron, but 6hall give preference to 01~11 oases end
shall not, except in caee8 of emargenoy, be re~ulred to
cng%mel Ormd Juries.
“‘Sec. 2. Al.1 oeeee upon the docket of the Orlninal
District Court of Kueoee, Kleberg, Kenedy, WlUaoy and
Caaeron Countlea, in the Countlea of Iiueosa,.
m..berg end
Bsnedy, shall., on the date of this A&’ be
effective
trahaferred by the District Clerks of aeid Co&es to
the do&et of the 28th Dietrlot Court, end the JuQo of
said 28th Dlatrlot Court to whiah said caaea a&all be
trannfarred, ehall thereafter have power, authority,
and jurlaiiictloc to try suoh oaaea 80 transferrod to
suoh ODUrt, and in eddition to approve all Ptateawmtr
of Sect, bills of exaeptlon, and to snake any a nd lll
oraers, deoreee and judgmente proper and neoeerary fn
any oaee thematofore tried by the aald Crlainal Dlrtrlot
Court above nuned, within nald Cohntieeg provided. that
any mah aotlon or aatlona be taken within the MAW the
limlta that would have governed the Ju4.ge of the Court
from whioh aald aause or aeua80 wem trenorerred.
*‘Sea. 3. AIS oaaea upon the doaket of the Crlalml
Diatr+at Court of IGueaes, KlebeCg, Kenedy, willaoy cmd
Canierori Counties, in the Countfea of Carnoron and Xlllaay,
shell, on the effeatlve date of this hot, be oon8iderod
as OSIfile in the 107th Dlatrlot Court, an herein
denominated, end tha Judge of asi 107th DietriOt Uourt,
ae herein denoninatad shall &eve power, authority, end
jurladlatlon to try all such oeeee, end ln addition, to
approve all stste;?lanto or fact, bills of enceptlon, ~6
to make any an4 all ord.era, deoroee, and jtidgmnta
proper acd neoessery in any oaees theretofore tried by
the eeid Crlnliual Dlatribt Court, hereimbove nemed,
withFu saLW two Counties; provided, that any such action
or aotione be taken within the BBLWtine llraitli that would
have governed the 3ud&e OP the Court froia whioh said oauee
or oauaea were tramferrud.
Hon. a. 3. Todd, Jr., pwa it
t
"'380. 4. After tie effective dote of this Aot, the
i)latrlot Attorney for the Crltinal DIetrIot Court for I~wooa,
Eleberg, Kenedy, Tilllacy and Cameron Countlea ah811 nerve
the 28th Judicial Xatrict Court aa deel~ated by this
hat, and shall thonorJforth be known 88 th6 alstrict Attor-
cey for the 28th Judiolal Dietrlct of Toxea, and et tile
next Cemral eleatlon such office shall be filled by the
eleation of a Metriot Attorney for the 28th Judlolal
Iilatrlot of *r'exes for the Counties of Nuecea, Xleberg and
Kenedy, eel6 otfloe to be voted upon by the qualified
voter8 or said thr6e named Countlae only.
**The County Attorneys of ~Wllacy and Cameron Couotlee
shell, reepeatively, fro= and after the effective date ot
this Aat, repreeent the State of Texaa in ell mattera now
handled by tho above nentioned Dlatrlot Attorney for the
abow mentioned Criminal Diatrlat Court within aald
r4ap4otlva Countlsa.
**Sea. 5. L,eoh term of Court within ths 107th Judlolal
Dlatrlot shall bogin on th6 first Hondeya of January and
July of eaah year, reapeatlvoly, and may aontinue until
the beginning of the auooeedlng $erm. The Judge of the
107th Judiolal Dlatriot Court, et hle dlsaretion, may
hold as mnny aeealona of Court in any term of the Court
ln either County ln hir dletrlct aa may bo deenwd by him
proper and expedient for the dlapoeltlon of the Courtta
bu&maa, end the urora therefor may be sunnonod to ap-
pear beforu auoh I)i atHot Court at auoh tiema a8 may ba
designatedby the Judge thereof.
**Gea. 6. Nothiq aontained in thin Aot ehall afroot
the preasnt terme of the 28th and 103r8 Judlolal Dlatrlot
Court8 but aaid terra #hall oontinue 48 now provided by
law for seld reapeotlve Court-e.
**tiea. .7. In eny oounty which Ie situated within two
(2) Judlclal Diatrlcte end in whioh the County Attorney
of auoh County le performIn& the dutlan ‘of a,Dlatrlot
Attornsy, 44 well ae thoee of 4 COunty Attorney, and fin
.tihloh Countlea the office of District Attorney, or the
offloe of Grlninel Xetriot Attorney has been abollahed
oinau the enactment of Seotlon 13 Artlo 39126, RevLead
civil Statutea of Texee, AOt8 1934, Forty-elxth Lagisla-
tare, Ypeaial Lewe, page 608, aeotion 1, the Comaiaaloners
Court of any euoh CoUnty is hereby authorized, at their
~leoretion, to pay to auah CIounty Attorney a0 performfng,
such dUtleS of Dlstriet Attorney, ae OWpen44tlOA, over
ar.d above the salary whioh auoh County httornay draws 88
county Attorney, e 6uai not to exo4ea th4 aatouut of Twelve
BOA. J. D. Todd, Jr., page 5
IIundmd Dollars (gl200) par annun, euoh additional corn-
pe;g;g Cu be paid la twelve (12) equal mnthly in-
*,
“L&C. 2. This Act shall take affect md be in
optrration on and ljlrter the first day of JAAUary, h. 3.
1947.
*sec. If aAy parapeph,
3. BBA~#AOB,olaum, mo-
&ion, or of this Act *hall be hold to be
pr5visior
iAVE&idOr UAO5A8titUtiOAEi1, the validity Or other
portions of this Act shall A0t be slifected thereby, but
shall remain in Poroe and effect.
/- *sec. 4. On the errectiv0 date 0r thir Aot, all
larr and partr or lawn in 00AruOt herewlth, are hemby
repealed, in a0 far aa ruoh OOAilif& is oonoerned.
930. 5. The tact ‘that there is a greet need ror
&vFog the criminal District Court or mueoaa, Kleberg,
Kwedy, VJillaoyand CizierOAGountiel &$~AcPPhl
jurirsdio-
tion in the countlea 5r Willacy and Camron, and
reducing itcsterritorial juri8diutlon to said two (2)
rmmtieo, and the raot t&t the rsarran~egmnt or the
courts provided ror IA thir Aot,~aAd the pleoing 0s the
Dlrtrlot AttOrA0y'a work on oertain COUnty AttQrAeye adds
bWdeA6WI dutler 011County Attoa’zmys OV8;P aad beyand
the duties for ivhich they am beiag aompenrated besad
OAwhat is gimwally knowA 118 the *salarie8 Bill %A6Ot-
1%4At,' in whioh their salnriPrr wera rlxed ror pe.rrorraing
dutise rolaly an County AttOrAUy,in CowLties in wbioh
District httOrA8y5 Ofiiocla iOrmerLy azirted, aAd the
crowded 55AditiOA 0r the oblondar, orsate an mum#pnoy
and an iaperativs publio naoeasity, dewrnding the ICII-
PASiOA or the COnPtitutiOzti31~ BUh lWqUfrt4J 8d.l blllfd
to be ,-eed OA three rsrveml dags in each House, and
such Constitutional Rule is hereby sunpeAdS6, and thie
AO~ 8haii tfike erredi and be in rorae rrm madafter
ita paaaa(;e, atid it la 80 anaoted.
*'F'aa$eUby tha !iouee, ii&l 23, 19458 Ysae 124,
Viled without tke G5VerAOr'a ai&natWe, JUAa k,
1945.
wreotiva n311. 1, 1947.”
H5n. J. D. Todd, Jr., page 6
We note the following language IA the introductory portion
or SeOtIOA 1 or said Act;
"Amend Se0ti5AB 28, 103, and 107 of Artlole 199
of the aevised Civil Statutes of Texas and all amend-
ment&3thereto, 80 as to renumber the same and here-
after read aa follows:" (~Ader~OOriAg Ours) -
The above quoted language la followed by the ramaining par-
ti5A Of SeOti5A 1 and 8iX other 860ti5Aa (through Sec. 7) eAQlo%ed
in quotation marke, which is the f5rm oustomerily f'ollowad IA re-
ceatiA& the language of existInS statutes and thereby re-enaoting
aeme. If the Act purport6 to reaaet the language of a provision,
such Ace operates to repeal any 5mltted pr5vlsione of the original,
(See 39 Tex. Jur. SaOtiOAEt64 and 79, pp.,127 and 147, SAd OSSeS
cited thereunder. i Thue, ir the instant Act purports to reaaet
the language of Sections 28,.103 and 107 or Article 199, euah
Aot repeals and auperaades the previous provieione of eald BBO-
tiona. A contrary intention, however, is indicated in the lol-
lorrlng: provlelona or Section 6 SAd Section 4:
w*6e0. 6. NothiAg C5AtSiAed IA thla Act ah%11
arreot the present terms or the 28th and 103rd Judl-
ala1 District Courts but eaid terms ehall continue 81%
now provided by law for eald respective oourta.te
"Sec. 4. On the effective data or this Aot, all
laws and parts of lews in conflict herewith, are hereby
repealed fA a5 far as auoh 05niiiOt i% 05AOerAed."
The above quoted language manireeta an intention that cer-
t%IA portions 0r the original provieions cr Sections 28 and 103
or Artiole 199 are to remain In full force %nd effect and that
the provisions of Sections 28, 103 and 107, prior to the instant
Act, are repealed 5Aly to the extent of conflict pith the pro-
VisiOAZt5r the amendatory Act. we point Out, however, that ir
Seotlone 28, 103 and 107 of Article 199 are emended by this Act
only in certain respects and oertain portions of the original
provisions of eeld sections are to remain In full force and
effect; the question arlaes a% to whether said Aot violates
Artiole 3, seation 36 of the Texas Constitution, whioh pro-
VideS:
~5 law ahall be revived or amended by referenoe
t5 Ita title; but In such case the act revived, or
the %eotIon or section% emended, ehall be re-ane~ed
and published at length." (underaoorbw Owe)
Xon. J. D. Todd, Jr., page 7
With reieretnoe to conetituti5naI provisions prohlbltlng
amendments by reference, we quote the f5ilOWlAg language rrom
Sutherland's Statutory Construction, 3rd zd., Vol. 1, Section
1919:
"* * * The o5natltutlonal lialtatlon was %nacted--
to place the prop5sed aat before tAe legislator% in
a form that wlIl enable them without reference toy
prior act to understand the change proposed and then
to pleas the enacted atatute in the printed laws ln
5 rorm that will enable the public, or mor%$%rtloular-
ly the lawyere, to understand the change without
rererenoo to prior leglel%tion.w (underscoring Ours)
L+eotlon 1901, SUth8~riSAd'a Statutory dOAbtrUCtiOA, V51.
contaiLnns:.~he r0u5wing Zenguage:
"Bar the purpose Of oo~llanoe with the COA%tltU-
tionel IiI%it%tl5A that no eot shall be ea%nd%d by mere
reference to ita title. but the act a6 8mAded ehell be
re-enacted and published at 1 gth th f r th
btetute la the teat of its a6idat& ~ha~~t~r--i(le..
doea it purport to 8mSAd dlreotly a hrlor statute."
(u&eraoorizzg .oure)
'AA eat which purports to 8ia%Adan actbut which does not
set out the emended sectione in Pull la vlolativb of Art. 3,
Seo. 36 Of the Texes Constitution (See 39 Tex, JUT., Sec. 63,
125; Florea v. State, 109 Grim. Rep. 261, 4 S. Iv. (26) 43,
Pf&ider%oA v. City of GalveetoA, 102 Tex. 163, l.l.l+ 3. iv.108).
The ease Of Henderson v. City Of Ga'VeetoA, eupra, involved
en Act by the Legislature whioh added a eentsnoe to a section of
BR Act previously enaotad by the Legislature without re-enaotiag
aAd ~publlahing the entire section at length. In holding that
suoh an amendment was InvaliU under the term% of Artiole 3,
Seotlon 36 of the Constitution, Mr. Justice li:illians, sgeek,ing
ror the Supreme Court said:
*But no authority cited and none that we ~AOWof
has held th%t a section of 8 statute u~ay be amended
by adding words to it, without re-enacting the
entire section ae amended, and such a-holding would
be condemned by the plsin words of the Constitution.
n* * 4
Bon. J. D1 Todd, Jr., page 8
"It may be true that thin aot was and ia as aua-
oeptfble or a8 easy an underatandlngIn cr’onneotlon,
with that of which it la an amendment, by the Legis-
lature in its paaaage, by the dourta and by the
publio, aa if the original eectlon, with the new
provialon inaluded, had been re-enacted and pub-
lished at large. As muoh perhaps might be eaid
in ravor OS many atatutee whioh do not oontorm
to the Conetitution. It may even be doubted if
the good aooompllrhed by the oonrtltutional pro-
Vi8iOl-i oomQeIl8eteo r0r the inoonveaieno8 it OBU08LI.
But It must be remembered not onlr the Drovi6ion
'is intended to.,.urevent the mirohiei'ragainst which
-it la directed, but,that it aaeka to aooompllah
this by a oomrrehenaive 'and unbending rule, 8trlking
d 11 tatt whioh a0 not oonrora to it From
tz &leatheUC~~atit utlon, makea no ,eroeptioL, and
neither the Legialetur8 nor the courta have the right
to iuake them." ~(underaoorlng'oura)
After oarefully oonaldering the .varlouagrOVl~ion8'Oi Ii.B.
S7~,,it'la our opinion that the Aot #seeks to 38leiM sootlone 28,
A03 and 107 of Artfole 199 in oertain rsapeota and, at the name
time, to leeve oertaln portion8 Of the original prOViSiOn of
aald reotions in fti foroe and elfeot without r8-enaoting and
publtahing at length all of the 8e6tiona a8 amended. Thu8,
the in8tqnt Aot, purporl+g to amend ss~otlona28, 103 ana 107
of Artlole 199, is not in a form whereby the ohangee made in
the s8OtiOn8 inVOlV8d may be under8tOOd without raterelld8 t0
8aid 88OtiOn8 88 they 8Xi8td PFiOl t0 th@ tUllWldIll8Ilt. III Vi8W
of the ioragoing and dn view ~o$ the authoritiee Oit8d herein,
it 18 OUI! OpiIliOn that H. ~B.f+f&i+, Acts 49th L8gi8htUl"8, 1945,
vlolatss Artiole 3, Section 36 of the Constitution OS Texas
8nd 18 therefore void.
In view of our holding herein, we do not de8m it neoeaeary
to diacuea separately each OS the questione raised in your in-
quiry relative to the constitutionality of the Act.
Youra very truly,
ATTCSINXY &HERAL OF TEXAS