OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TRXAS
AUSTIN
Xonorable B. L. klllolit
countyAttorney
Ste_ahenr Qounty
Brookenrldge , Toxaa
Dear Slrr
oh eai#eI thero.
hae baea the graatioe. lri retoral oouotlen to try
tirrrt otter&era on Beb~ohesL* of lerm tbaa 88.00
in the jutMoe oourtr. Xr this true?
would appreoiatr
*I your adtfee on the matter,
and if It Ir permirribla ts try au& a aam in th@
jutxtioe court would Uke to know St.?
Eon. R. L. Elliott, page R
Seation 4 of hrticle 587b, Vernon* e Annotated Penal
Code, (a portion of the law oonewmly known aa the *hot shook
law”) reeds aa foll0waI
“Sec. 4. i%r the iiret conriotlcn for e
violation of eections 1, t, or 3 OS this Aot, in
the evant the chook, draft, or order given on any
bank, parson, firm, or corporation, is Five Dollar8
($5) or less, the punlmhment shell be by imprlaon-
msnt ia the oounty jell not exoeeding two 7eare,
or by a fine not araeodlc~ Two Rundrad Dollare
ttiiao). Fcr the first conviction for a violation
of sections 1, 3, or 9 of this Aat, in the event
the cheek, draft, or order giver! on any bsnk, per-
son, firui or corporation, 1.8 in exaeas of Pit0
Dollars ($5) , but leas thaa Hrtp Dollare, (baa) ,,
punlehment shall be by imprisonment in the oouuty
jell not eroeedlng two years, or by a fiue hot ex-
ceeding Pive tiundrad Dollars ($300).
.
“If it be shown oa the trial of a ease ln-
volvlng a violation of seotlaas 1, 8, or 5 OS thtr
Aat in which the aheck, draft, or order given on
any bank, permon, firm or corporation, Is leas
than rirty Dollars (&Sol, that the aeenam has
been onea before conviatsd of the came offmae, he
shall, on his seoond oonvlotian, be puh%ehed by
aonrinenemt in the oounty jail for not leer than
thirty (30) days nor mDre than two (E) warm.
“If it be ahowh upon the trim1 of a 6a8e ln-
valving a violation 0r eentione 1 2, or !I of t&i8
Act that the defendant has two (5! or zaore time
before baen OOAViOted of the sap’.8 offOnS0, re$ard-
laes or the amouat of the oheak, draft or ordox
involved in the tirst two (E) oonvietlone, upoq
the third or any subsequent oonviotlon, the puntrh-
mot shall ba by oohf!.neamt in the peenitentia
for not lass than two (8) nor more thsn ten (107
years.
“For the first wnviotion for a violation of
reations 1, 8, or 3 of this kot, in the erect the
oheok, araft or order given upon sny bank, per0on.
~firfm or wrporetion, is in the amouat of Fifty
Dollars ($50) or more, punishmeat shall be by aon-
rinement in the paltentlery for not lose then two
(2) years nor xaora thsn tm (10) years.”
Bon. R. L. Ullott, page 3
Article 00, Yarnon' annotated Texar Code of Orlminal
i+oceaure, reeds as Pollc~rs:
“Zustiasa of tha peaoe shall have jurladiotion
In orileinel casas mhere the fine to be i,mpo8eU by
law msp not exoeed two hundred dollars."
JQ-tlale 56, V%rnon*c ¬ated Taxes Code of CrImInal
Prooadure, reads as follows:
"The oounty oourt8 rhallhave origfnal jurlr-
dlotlon of all mIsdemeanora of which exoluoive
orQIna1 jurisdiction ia not given to the jastioe
court, and tian the fine to be Imposed shell eroeed
two hundred dcllers.”
The mesa cjf Saieddlck vs. Etate, 4 Cr. 8. Me, hold8 that
oounty aourte have jurlsdlotlon a? risdemeanoru wh8re 8 S8rt of
the punimhmant presoribed Is Imprironment in the eoaatf jail.
The aourte have repeatedly held that jnetloe ooutt8
have no jurloiliotlon to rPn8xiy determine eny eriaiaal 8etloa
*en any portion of the punirhmeut pre8arIbed by l.sni ir IWWI-
ronment ior say length of time. ike the tollowin&oarerl
Tuttle VII. &ate, 1 Cr. B. 304;
BIllIngaley vm. State, 5 Cr. E.~'bWbi
Vecker f8. 5tate, 4 Or, h. '5541~
Iaoob8 08. State, 55 Dr. R. 41Oi.
Ex Perte EaGrew, 40 F. 478;
&ate vs. &whous, 41 T. lG5;
Xx I’rrte Fhilllps, Eli S. u. ai%.
You am, therefore, rerpeotfully advi88d t&et lb 18 th8
opinion of thlr Department that ths jusbfaa bourt has no jtUi8-
diction of'the offenaar inquired about. M.sdemeanor "hot ohaok”
oars%8 should be tried In the county court. Felony "hot oheok”
oa8e8 8hould be triad in the dI8trIot oourt.
V6rg truly yours
ATTOWm GghERAL OF %X.!L.S