Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

448 OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN jionorableD. Riaiohara Voges Wnmty Attorney, Iileon Gounty $lOrser;LllC, fP0ras Dear all-m vogss1 B$erhether or troBlthe Imtea aa betsiin the re thur twelve pesa 85 such owl- he eaunties rhieh c& bietriut of whioh he court reporter? nt is ma%e to an offi- after absence of mBc8 y the Conadssionsrs! ~OllPt iB t&i ~OilUZd5Bi.OlWW.‘5’ Goart lisble in any naaiaerfor such'illegalpaylnsatt gonorable D. Richard Vogea - page 2 cOuI+, and shall hold his office during the Dlcaaure of the court." dFtiCl0 2323 Of tho Revised Citil Statutes pro- riaet9I am cam3 of illneaa, press Of officio1 work, or unavtiasbi0 disability of the of- flcial shorthand reporter ta perform his au- ties in reporting proceedingsin court, the jtwlgeof the oourtmay,inhia diaoration, authorlee a deputy shorthaM reporter to act &uring the absence of said offiaial short- hand reporter! + * Q but the said official shorthand reporter shall ala0 reoeiye his sal~,h~full,~during said temporarydisa- bility.tcr8ot. The necaasity for a aeptj official shortharxlreporter shall be left entirely within the aieoretion of the juaga of the court.. In the reoent cases of Carpenter v. Shep # 14s 8. W. (2) 1862,and Spear Y'.Sheppard, 120 8. 7. (2$"702, our Supreme Court has &finitely, ee think, held that there is no oonatitutionalinhibition againat a party who ia mamber of tha aUnfted States Army Reaerveesdraring his salary aa a publio official while serving in the Unitet¶States Army. Un&er the artialss of our statutes above quoted, the District Judge appointa the aourt reporter to serve &r- ing the pleaauro of the court. When the official court re- porter is absent, if the judge finds his abaenae is oauati by or as n reault of sillnesa, prose of official work, or unavoidabledisability*,the District Judge may appoint a &eputy or assistant,who shall draw the aams salary aa the regular court reporter, and in addition, the regular court reporter ~hsll aleo draw his salary. In our opinion, the matter is left in the hsncla an& under the control of the District Judge, who appointed the court reporter. 60 long as the District Judge retains the court reporter, who is in the army, such reporter is entitled to his eonqenaation. Under Article 2326 of the DeviseclCivil Statutea, the official ahor$band oourt reporter is pai& by the @or miaa%onera* Court. It roads in part1 mmorable D. Riahard Vogea - Page 3 *said salary shall be ptxt.amnthly by the Conmdaaionsra~Court of the county, out of the General Funa of the county, upon the certifioateof the District Judge.' It is the duty of the Comdssionere~ Court to pay the salary of the official shorthandreporter when the paper Gertifiootefor said salury tckgnedby the Dis- trict Judge is wesent&. The 6omxLeaioners*Court, there- fore, would not be liable, either collectivelyor haitia- uaU.y, for paying the Gourt reporter his salary, baaed upon the o@rtiXioateof the District Jud.ge. Very truly yours ATTOIWEX GRRERAL OF TEXAS