tionOmb1r C. f). Oreer, k&e 8
C813ta1,of .tiioh Btentp-tile (SO.25) Csntn ahall
be retained by t&a designated agent fmrn #PLioh
he rrha:l br entitled to nuffioisnt a4nay to pag
Ol@olMO6 n64QllSary t4 efti+O~~l~~y QSrfOPOr thb
atme set r0m herein, .
"Tim Dekpartmnt 15 very InLwsted in that
the nx mmwor-Cousotorn hare 5tirioi5nt rma5
and 55815tant8 to %tfloIently admInister the
dUti.8 lmporred upon him. b the CodAflaate ot
Title Aat. ?a have bma L orkmd thet In mfmy
countie5 the Ccurli5d0wr*5 Cow-t will not psr
mnttthe hx A55er54r-~olleot4r to employ 5tiri-
oL5nt help to pr4priy haWle these i!utl%%.”
The 04atr0UIng question before LLSIJ wbethrr tim
two&y-rive oonfe, aollsoted under Seotion 57 ot” tts !;ertIiY-
aate Or Title Aot, (2\rtiol% 1438, 'ic~ncn*5 duotatcd xv11
C;ta’&tr, ua melded by .iiouse 3Iil 205, r:e;ular LasBicn, 47th
Legislature) rrom eaah o;;‘~lIcs~-:t fcr B csrtlflosto cf title, ?is
the Cobntg Tax Aeseeaor-Colloetor, and retained by hk *to
pay ex~enwo 4eooesary co lr r io ie5tiy
garb78 the dutlse set
rorthR uader 8826 Aot, ir to b% aonasldrred a8 a *fee- or *OOW
cilwion* which the .hJJeeaor-Collsotor Ir. autharfx*d end r$-
qulmd 8s sunrob
to aoileet orrlaer a&d in such offiolal OBWO-
lty, and to aep4dt in the Oftlce~5* Salary hnd, ln acunt i 65
shore 5uoh orriolel ir on a alar-y barls, or rstaia and eo-
count ror (LJ reee or orrbe, where such omolal IS on a re+t
.basIs or, on the other hand, whether mrch twenty-ffre cents
15 ooil.oted by the porsoa holbiw tiu 0rri05 4r Anoesaor-
Colleotor, but ~8 the statutory a.wit of the Highway Cepesrt-
lWAt under the A& rathar tkm as JUQb aaoslty Tbx hs58880f-
Colleotar, end therefore n4f controlled by the reqtirezsnts
ard provlaioaa or the pertinent fee etetutss.
Arttale 39124, .Z*ation a, 25vi65a Civil e)titutea,
pmvia55 it5 r0im5r
*It 5hp13 bm thJ duty or al: orriorrs to
oharga and oolleot In the irian~~erauthorizra by
I.&n ~11. ress ead orzmleJ1oo8 r$lIch am P%rxaitC%d
such rels8 are ooileoted they ehea ba deposItad
g ;hoBcrpnru’ Ealary Fund, or iundo Krovlded
1 A . In event the Cobi7imis8ionere*Court
?oncrabls D. C. Grel~r, Fe&e 3
~b8e chat th* railw to ooneot imy r*0 or
ccr~leo:an was due to nei&leot on the Fort of
the offlosr chmged aitl; the ms;.!onaibl$ity
of 0olLeatlng Bena, tfie ElciouBtof such fee or
00xdaeion shall ba dedwted frpm tha 882ary
or suoh osriaar. more ray su@h 8eduotlon is
cab, the Coselaslc~rr~ Cart a!?ell furnish
SUOki OmCW With 8~ it8KiiZUd 8tCt4NWt Of the
unoolleo~.@d twa with whLclhhla aoaount is to
be chargod, at& shall notliy ouoh aifioer of
tba ass8 =a place rar a hearing ou me, to
Estoralne whether swh orficsr was guilty ot
negligenan, *hioh tlm ror hearias aP~l1 be
;;,;;yt ton deye fkubaeqwxt to the date or
Vnleas an offloar it charged bj ltx
wlth tie resyonsiblllty of collsatlng fees, the
Cozmiaalcnere9 Court shall not In any event
R&S any 68dUOtiGN fiCG tte &WtbXZ’iZQt? Sd.hZTy
cr such officer.- (:hdersrcor* our8 i
al FE&S&l& let us note that tha “raea and oom-
mleeltxW which are dlreatod to be colleated and paid into
the Offloers* Balmy Fund ara those for ali of,rtolnl aervloes
priormad by them. she aamt aclut cay bc rzaXF?ZElTr(lf4renoe
to the ofiiolel oheraoter or the Vtxs and coGQlsalon8* GM-
?lcm~G ln section 3, Artla?.a 3312s, ~wleed Civil Stet.~~.tse,
pi0w, hi cart, YB r0im5:
“In all adma where ths Caa3;iseloners~ Court
iskoll hape detmsfaed that county officer8 or
preolnot oftloera ia such ccuaty ahull be c-
pmoated for their eervlcea by th pay&tent of ait
anmU srilarg, nelthar the State or ?Cxse nor nay
ao-cnty &all be chuged with or p&y to any of the
OrfiO0ra SO COaFOMated, any he Or Wiid5ikiO~h
fc~r the psrtormanoe of anp or 811 or the autm
or their 0rrm8 but imh ofricers shall moe~vs
sai6 salary In lieu of all other ma, ooa;~isslons
or carxwmaatlou uhlah thsf would otkemite be au-
t"oriz-ia t 0 rtttaia; ::rorlk¶, ho%%ierar,that the,
asses8or ana oolleator of texea shall aontinFt0
ocZlaot (md reteia for ‘CbEtetief’lt of the Qtflcer*’
?altwj Pund or -‘undu kere:nefter providet! for all
ieee end ccamiestons r&iah he is authorlnat8 un=
raw to.aolleot; and it sIti b 8 ?i 8 daty fc aooount
Eonarable 3. C. r,r&:, I'a~:e 4
defios8 the duties cf smci? otr’ice. ad mi0ws:
*i”herpf shall be eieoted by tha q.ailiileU
oleotorm of *auh oounty ut tbo six33 tiuie an6
under the sm* lea ngblatii.tq the *.leatlon of
Stats and Cotaty officera an rsbeitsor end Cal-
leotor of Tams, v&o shad hold :..I6 offloe, for
tro (2) years and until his aUooe5~wr is crlectcd
a36 cptdiritid) and )uch Astmoeor ma cOu@OtQr
wrfora all the autiea with re-
saribed bs the Legislature.* (tAds:.acorln~ cum)
Cha:ters 7 ana 8 of *nt:* lzz, mistta CfviZ. xat-
uteo, ddins tke otetutory Guticta latlci; kavs tssn Im,-omd
UTOA this oonatitutlonal orffow, ant ti .f$hnoe at the pi+
vldona tlitrecr inZicat.so, generally, tkat 5~:: duties OOA-
tern t:;s col.laotlo3 cl’ the put110 rs~enueB Ap3t~et arIoInE,
from taxce or reea. 2118 113 in iUXt&%SSLUJ% Of ths above
COMtitUt iOA%l >rOViRfOA. 7hbi orrice; zhererore, ori~bvdiea
and srlrta iuidrr tb parers af tuxhtion, ~19Clstinguiehed
rmfi3 th6 polios power.
on the other hand, *.he Certlflonts of fitlo Aat Is
ermoted end rinds Ita bayir under t& pollooe g:owr rcthar
tb.A t@UCFOWSFOf the st&B. 3211~Is ?zade~zloar by the de-
ClWOd intOAt IA& pUrpO%5%~ Of tb% ~%&dtItUr% iA &SOtiOA 1,
of tha Aat, providiq-&ti-followm
w'?hlr Aot ehal.1 ta rcderreU to, oited,
and irnoua as the ~L'ort.L:icht* Or 'flila Aut, *
and iA the 6OBOtmrlt~hereof It 18 her8by de-
.olared +& be the lw.Ialativr Intent an& pub-
110 polioy 0r tnis 3tnts to b~essaa arb prevant
the thart QS lector vsl?Iolrs and the Wporta-
tiOA iAt t&I iate Or, ena tram0 &II, stO14A
motor vahiofro, wad the sale ut aAcWiber5d
sotor vehiolea ni thout ‘A. ea’oroed dlsoloeure
to purahaaer of any and all lien8 for whlah
the
any wah motor vehicle stands as 8eourIty. and
the 9rovIaIons hereoft aiA@erly and colleo:lv%-
lg, are to be 1lbsrslLy uonst~a~d to th&t end.
The r0uoaag t4ra8, a8 Cereln dorined, sb~~ll
COA~IV~ ~i!I the GIfOrOWWit FindOGAUtIUCtiGA Or
this Aoot.”
.
w34 ;
ra0t10n 28 0r the r,ortirlcato oi Title Act con-
stituts8 the coounty Tax Assasaor-Colleotor a statutory
agent ror the enrorot3scnt or this at, atanrmhg ~6 it does
rroa the pollee pwier ?&her t&A tho tax paiwr, by th0
r0u0u* d6rinitiaa: .:
I
*The tern *dosl~nated sgent’ asans oaoh
county tax oollootor In this St.ste *.ihoma9 per-
rozn hlo &ties under thin Aat thmugh any rsg-
ul4r. deputy.*.
Ire+?what puryoao Is the Maosoor-Collootor thus
dosigmted aAd.comtitiitod a ttatutor9 ogmt or "doslgzatod
agent T" IA all reason, the ii3as’a0or-~o~leotor OsAnot be
an agent ror hieaolf; HO theretore e~~br2,J.tthat in the in-
rtanoe cf the Gertlficate of 'Title iiot, such 0rricif;L is
aatlzg 'as agon? ror saw other duly oowtltutsd orriclsl
or dC,n&W%KOAt of tte ~:OVCXlZCAt. L\t:;emf 38, tOO'tiOA 53
oi i33 Let ia raaainE;loa3, because tba la;;Ialatum zI&Tt
aa ~011 have mr0ma to the iisceesor-Collactor by his or-
ricisl ~mo, so auoh, in chsrlrglng him with the duties in-
posed byth8 Act, rather t:ilIA creating, for that &XTQO~O,
the stntuo or ap2noyb
-no go Ttzmnt iA tb.ls iAston00, ror whloh the
County Uwessor- v OUaotor la desigi%tod aad const~totod &A
agent unCor tho cortirioata or Tit10 at, la tho %ghuay
Oepartmont or Toxoa. As ori&inally onooted (&uao El11 407,
Chapter 4, sots, ‘EeGularCsmion, 4B‘ch Leqiolaturo) the
Cortiticato or Title riot placad the ontira add.AiSt~TutiOA
aAd WIfOTMI3eAt Of U&I Mt UpOAth0 aBEQTtG& Of mli6
;arbty or ths State or mtxao. liouso Xl1 no, 2006, tits,
%@hl' 3OOOiOll, 47th ie@SlMtUTO, Wi8Ad8 =ECtiOA 28 Of S&d
orl&sal Act te subetitutt the State ISl&~oy ?qortiont of
th0 stats or TEXASr0r thC bspfm39nt or kbifc sr0ty 0r
the m4te of %xas, LA the aerinition or the ttm *depfirtzent~,
aed adds a now aootion) i. o., %OtiOA iSi&, a8 follwrs:
War 0ortiri08ta 0r title beation, and lta
porsuAnel, pruporty qu1pcozJt, and T000rd8, now
a mart,or the Doporkmmt or *u' 110 L;ofatp of tho
Stats of %xos ers hereby transferred to and
plnood under the Jcrlodlotion or the G13hway 3~
partmAt or the Gtate of 33xaa."
.
:-%UlOO,
Rki626VblP fA the t?ri&lUl i.Ot, a6 WOl: 60
la the emsndiay Aot, the word *L93epcrtmnt* uppearr lt will
bu untioretcccl tc mmi t?;* Ltato iii&say 24s:ayartmnt. Xeep-
1~ this In rind, ~8 point to the SoLlcwIn~~ ,rrovialons or
tke CertlCIaate of 3tls Aot, wtioh Jiraatly c.r by 2aplioa-
tion, supgort ti‘.e ttuory ol- aCq;llay obcwo fAdiWitsd.
,:
~Eeotlon 50, of tb Sertff Ic’ete of Tltlr not, pro-
vider tiiet before eny mctor voizlole brou?&t into the Stgtcl
by any poreOn other than e %anWaaturcr or Iqorter, which
is required to bo ro&ott?red or llaonrrd withIn the State,
aan be aold or Inakvabared by lien, un t;$fcrtLoa, OB e
:on to b6 presaribed by the I3pwt;ccnt, Rust be wdo to
t.".e “dosigaated s+p?nt" of the county ~k-e:eIn the traasuo-
tlon ir to teko plaoe, for e certifloete of tItl* whioh
CpQliQiltfOA i?.ust be aaotmpeniad ~.d rup.~ortod by tbc proof
and ptipers rsquircf Sy statA*,
2eatione 31. ir:iC 32 of tiiic llat. ad axc~i;deeC,set
out ;he ~:~rInolga.l c!utim of such 'desiqcatwi k.Fent,r' in CCA-
noot:on lr?tk buck bp~~lcstion, QB rc;1ows:
*fverg dro+cited agent l:, t2Io State re-
0eIvIng au ap lioetion for 0ert;fIoate 19 title
&al 1, when t 86 ~rotteIoaa txtnof ham beea oaa-
pllod with, leauo l receipt nerkod *OrIglnelt to
LLelg p llo a a&dttt &all note tkareoa the rec,uIred
infzmeatloa aooaeraiag the motor rehiole,end the
oxlstanoe or noaex,Ietcnoe or llone le dleolored
IB the 8EFlfC4tfOB aad dOliVer ruch ,reOeipt UDOll
payment a? tke rrqulmd isbr to tke a:~pLloant;
pravlded howovor, that in ths event there In a
lioa dl@alosed In the l~~llcetion, the riaid ro-
celpt shell ,bs Isoued In dupliaate one of! *Iah
ebdill bo tsarked ‘0r2&al* and ehail bo eailod
or dolittered by otery suok aosigaated a@mf to
the TlrrE llsn holder he diuoloeed In atid ap-
pllwtI~aa; the ether sold oopy i&ill be r&rlced
lhiplIoato OrLgIn&* and &ball bo milsd or de-
liverod tc tho addotu of tho &;pllemt le dir-
closed In the said applloetion, oad ruoh rooelpt
;ondlcg the Iroueme oi the certifi:~ate cS tltir
titill authorize the o~sration of Sarahaotor ve-
h&ale on the hi&way and public plaoos within
this Ctare Sor a period of not to uxoeed ter (10)
day8 Md UpOAthe mr#tirrt:On of suoh ariod of
tize ahall oem to be trr00tiv9 for sny pw~o~a,
but my be ruwnrd uzider eruof? rotnscneblo rule
%.$ltl~A~tlona as my be prcmul@ed by the
a”
“Every b0oignstea agent wdhia tkis Zjtats
8hrl.l. on tha tiam day IikauOdby hl~, Rmwmd
to the Clpartsawt, by rzail proy.aid ~ostap co~Aos
ci all xwoelpta ls~lwd by hti to&other tith auoh
8tlbeAOO# Of tit1.r a6 St4J h4VObea dOliV6rtd to.
hiar by tha mweral ap~lloant8, and the Ceprt-
rant UithiA five (5) day% after rs08iPi~ suoh
applioation lx upon biS;b4tiOA t:::sreof it is
setioraotcr 1 ly shown that tllrr 04miri0m or title
Shotid t89W, %hll kMU3 IXtiimPlt6 Ot tit18
zaHsf~? 'kl&al.' OR the face tad at-ml
thercf
tkc 8a~lo to the hcblreee cf the ayylicuat a8 ::I.ven
in l-As a~plloatlcn Gy rirrrt cleer: ceili ;roulded
t;wsvsar ) ihut iA ?A%aveat tkwo fs a lieA dls-
olosed in the a~;~Aioat?on tLe said csrtifitete
of titls &all be issad fn dupl.iorite, OA6 Of
whioh ahail be Ha.rKed qGriainal* and ahall ba
rmailm? to the a6froas of the first l?an holder
aa Uiaoloaed in aald aartliioot* oi title by
tiZ=St aleao lnall~ the OOPYor raid oertiflcate
of title eke11 be raarkod ~Dugilionts Originals
and ahall bo tent b ilrat cla8~8aall to the
aCdreao of the apyl I oant a8 given in CIa appll-
cation.”
%OtiOA 38 of the .AoF ~rov1da.s that tha Zqartsrent
zag refuas iataumoe of P certifloate of t ltle, or 1;vm
irsuead a csrtificeite of title, aur~mid or revoke the sane
for statred grounc!s snd rea60~49, and SOotion 39 prorides tbt
the peroon thereby agyrlsvod *my apply to the dssi,gtmted
agent of the county of such hterssted p~rsoAb dc&oile SCZ
a hawing, whereupon SUOSdesignated qent &hell on the 88~0
day auob applloat!on for .hoarlng i& reoeiwd b& kAt, AOtifp
the ~partwnt of the date of the hOzriA& w&lch shall not
be 108s than ton (10) dayo nor Core than Ilfieea (151 &aye,
and et auoh hearing suoh a.;plioant and the Zmpartsarrntmay
sukalt evldanoe, and a ruliw cf the Cea:qm3%6d WeAt elm12
bind both ;:artiaa as to whethar or sot the ^Ye~artmnt be@
Rote6 justly in t!!e w+x3eoa.” &J-A appeal irs provided fro8
i3oaorablr 3. C. Ckeer, & Q
this ruling0r tba dorlmted ~&8nt to the cowty GxAPtl
acb tha i;sQ~rtMAt ~111 ts governed bJ tt, final d%dsiOA
or ewJh court iA the irsuanos ot the ooa.‘ vroverttod certitl-
oats of title. I8 tte ado*lgnated a&m%,* in this in#taaue,
perfr;rnbq any of the MfioItA dutieq of -3~ Orflee of
k~aossor-Collootor, aa created by tbQ Ccraatitutlm? ‘X do
Aot thw a08
h%@i e readlw Of th6 tiAlih3 Cai*tllicttte Of ‘ITtlO
i&t, it is ap;Qrent chat tts a&lAiatrQti@A wd euforc%rent
OS euoh tit is vqated, tiolely ttn4 c=Bietely, in the iilghway
Dapartmst Cz the State of Twxe8 retksr tksn in the vurloun
Aamebsort3- COlhotorS OS Toras, in tkelr slsetAv* ood official
8tntw. l’ho amtllt loate oi tlt.10 ml&h allows mctor voblolwa
?.O be CQOIT&9du~OA the h&$IW &IOf aX8tI Ud iE 8 JW4Blv!!pibit~
to the nla or treasfor rsf 8~ ie vehicle, iu isaued by the
Elghrny rqartwnt. The otiy rolo oh:& WASA8se,e~or-Calleotor
plays iato ltbiaui? a taetpurary m3eLpt pendingtb i8ewOe
of suoh aebtlfioato of title sad to aat,Sor thr Zspcmtcmnt,
in the rstusnl or maspe~sionof a :ertlfIoato, uv3rr the me-
tiona of the Zot &ova oite4. TOEQlBOti+YrJ.~A~OZ'O~At QAd
MmiQ~atraaQlVwpurposes, ti 6 ~~shturo doubtlaae QOnoclit6d
that It rvlauldbe moru eaorroaioal oad 8’Sraativs to 0611 UPOA
tha toriow &raoaore-~:ollrotorr OS the two hundred fiilty-
four oouAtL*e Qi Tsras- an. 'SXietfA% MtU~ t0 ~Ol903lE tteW
duties and fuaotioaa prrl&&arp to tha ismaa~~~eoi a oartl-
iieau of title, rather than to require the M.,glnq Ijsgart-
mat to hare Its eqloy8ss aad ds.?utlea stetloned in eacrh of
skid oou~tis~ for suoh pur~ooea, But In do- tide the Leg-
islatu?Q rraa aamtil to rater to 8-h oounty ofriolal an
Mdeolgtmttb fgpat", rather theA by t.ia ofllaial title of
AsQQeQor-Coll.rrator, asd mob Qnd werg duty p+r?ormed radar
the Aot is dons aa ouoh Wdoaigpratrd 8&/;cA%" rutker then in
t&Qi? OoAQtitUtlOA~ and QtQtUtOry OQ;QOity (LOitrosaua~O~-
leotqr of %XCB, 3uoh duties do .not iAYClVti the 55Bce8i
or oolleott~ or eny texee or revfmUm3, for which
Ecmx-able 2. c. crmr, L7age 10
of Asaesuor-Colleotuc wa6 cmated by the Consrtltutioa end
n~leted by 8tatutQ. %t 8uoh duties -0 garfonml by
+ioh i\oseeeor-Collcotxm en the alter ego of t,kn Plghwey
De~artarat In furtheruior of ite dutlra, rtamzi~ fin th,
PolhQ pQwer. It Ir l ic er efR r p ;lR go u t o f a dJdllia tr %tivo
funotionr wNah uo think is oatlrely.ilWul.
If thta p6rltloa Is oorreot then It follow8 that
?eotion 57 of tbs Certiflcato of Title tot, quoted 4t tM
0utm 0f this 0~.iai05, ~OQ#m ia905~0 *ia*8 0f t20lanir-
siolu” to be moounted for or paid into the &hay Zund
under the. etstutm horeiaaboro adverted to ml di~uesed,
as controlling upon County k8srosrore-Oolleotore en4 other
dintMat ~4 oounty offiolala.
Aa uddltional a.r@mnt In support of thle ooa-
olualon ~$49point io zhe fnat ttmt, ullb fk6 g;merality
of ‘feea and cm18slons,” the 25$ retained out of thh, 50,’
collected fro;r the ap;lioant for a asrtlrloate of title,
is for ths ~ur;rcae and in tie nature of rulaibur6emnt Ior
expenses ino~d rather tlxn paynsnt or coagmasatlon for
ssrviceo perfonzed. Thie ia indloated by the ~rovlolon
that out of the 23.: rotainod hg the ndesignrts8 agent= ho
"slmll br entitled to suf:"ioient money to py srpsums mo-
a t+sllr
$ 0
lrri~~~t~y
p peti- th0 dutm 8+t forth kub~h*
It 6ocma that the proper view of the ,olatter i8 that the
ecktib3 !50# aolleoted from 6m applloant for a aertiiioato
of title, 1s in truth and la faot ooll6otsd fcr and on be-
half of tha iiighway %parBent, but tke Legislature, out
of the n~ooselti*a of the aase, allows the 'i~purtraent~ir
agent to retain a ruffioient amount to defray erpeaosu in-
ourred OA behalf of the Ri@my Ce~rtaent.
TtLat this is the &a.‘cqmrinter~rc~tatto~ is indi-
outed bg tbo ~rovimio!ir of Act, prior to
Seotloa 53 Of ths
ita reoeat amuia~=8nt, to the effeot that the ma of ;a+
should be oollaoted by tbs *deolgnated agent” from woh
applicant ror 6 osrtificate of tltlu ,md :om?asdsu to the
l%partwmt, out of which the ‘Eqar+&ent ehould rrturn to
auah ‘des1gnrt.d u@nt,” aeoh month, 10$ rcr aeah np::lLioa-
tlon to which a oertlfioate of title has bets lseusd. Frasr
this lagislrt$.ue background, the evident pur~oeo of the
er.endmnt to Beation 57, 5ow unCer 0OIl8id0r0tiOA hW0, WR0
ii0t 0jly to inarfma the enount colleoted rr0a the apl;li-
cant, but t&TO to 8VOid thQ umsc6ssarilp inafmot and oir-
ouituous metho +Aeretofore rmploq’sb for reixb~sela$ suoh
desigrBt6d agaa8, by allo?$la~ said &;cr;rt to ratniu suffi-
oloat Zuuds for +Q%ispur,-ose, rfmlttiq the balaxe to
the irlghxay Dsgartmnt.
This interpretation and cxxistruotion, of course,
contemplatsa that PWb pcwtion cl .:rs W# retaiimd by tho
3l4slgnatcd qant,* as is not reoscaably zoosssery ror pep-
iryr axpermm isaident +A the atfloleut parfoxmnae OS tha
dutlse if suab ag#nt aball be forwarded to the tiigh;a#iy
Zegsartmont for deps 1 t in ths Gtclte iQ!hway Fund, slang
alth the 25uQfarwardod, oa oolleotlon, to skmh Deyclrtaent.
r;uch balance or surplur over neoesaary expsndftilrsa would
xtt, ror t&z wasoos kerelnatove stated, be aonsidared
“fees cr 0~mf4310.tm,* to ba ;ald into *the Cfiiccrs Salary
Rind, or aocounted for aa fec?a of offfoe, undar exietizq
tee statuteo.
Ybistizg the, forec~otng aat45feratorily imm4rs