I
OFFICE OF THE AlTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
3
AUSTIN
A
GcrrroG-
A-a-
Mr. B. A. Hodges
County AudItor
w11llsmeQllcounty
oeorgetcm, Texas
mar Slrt
This wlllrulmowl
mroh 18, wherein you re
tauntupcm the fallowing
era' Qouwt desirer
tn plllaa8er for
a the Cmz't bms w-
poetlng or publioatlcaP
oplnian ti that AlMale 1577
nales la it not a fact tturta
The statute boolcaof'tbia State aC&ia@oalyane
general statute regulat3n.gthe U(P ot aarnst~real estate.
It Is Artiolo 1577 (R.C.S., lg@$) whlah govems sales of all
m. H. A. Hodges, Page 2
county lands exaept those belonging to the County free
&&mol .fmd. The latter are controlledby rpea2al pro-
V~8iCUlS of the Constitutlcvi
and Statutes whloh do not em-
oera us here. See logan v. Ste hens County (Div. App.
1904) 81 9. w. log, (affIrmed,83 8. w. $5, 98 vex. i&3.)
Artlule 1577 (R.C.S., 1925) read8 a8 follows:
"The oomtnl8slaners court may, by an order
to be entered on its miautes, appoint a comla-
siC#Ier to 8~111 and dl8pOse of any Mti estate
of the county at public auatlcn. The deed of
such commtssfoner,mdc 3n oonformity to suoh
order for end in behalf of the comty, duly
scknovledgedand proven and rscordod shall be
sufflaltent to amvey to the purohamew all the
rlgbt, title and interest and estate vhioh the
aomtg may have in and to the premises to be
ccmveyed. Iiothlngomtained ia this artlale
8hall authorize any oomai8elonerscourt to dlr-
pO8e of any lands giv~n,d~n~tad oh @'eat&to
such county for the puqioae of sducatim In any
other manner than aball be dlreoted by lav."
It 28 generally held that the aouuty wmml8slctaers~
aBurt, a8 the agent of the aounty in It8 ao&pcmate aaproity,
nunt oanform to the mode pre8cribad for its aation in the
exewise of the pavers confided to it. The pre8oribfng of a
mode for its aotlon i8 usually held to constitutea restrio-
tion to that mode. Fergusan v. Balsell, 47 Tex. 481~ Llaao
Count v. gnovlea (Clv. App. 18%) 29 8. w. 549; 8pmoe# v.
Levy sQiv. A99., Austin, 1914>, 173 9. W. 550, Rrror Retured.
"Althougb thla Statute (Artiale 1577) is
permiai!iv6 in it8 term, yet it is the only
mode exp~eacllg pointed out in the gene-1 I&v8
of this State by vhloh the COUnty Court au1
divest the COWlty Of ft6 title t0 it8 Peal e8-
tate." Farguaon v. Ealsell, oupra.
Thus ~11attempted aale not made at pub110 Outcry
noz?In the manner provided by Artiale 1577 has becarheld to
ecafer no title upon the pumbaser Ond to pas8 no title Out
Of the cotity. -11 County v. %lta (01~. App,, 1909) l20
S. U. liJ65(reversed on other @ounda, 132 1).Y. Za3, 103 Tex.
616)g Ferguson v. Balsell, supra.
p. 8. A. Hodges, Page 3
It hue al.80been held thet the ootireiaieai3~
OoUrt Is vithout authority to restriot in any way the ala88
of puruhaseraby Pestricting ths U8e to vhich lead 80 am-
veyed ~YY be put. Thus a sale of co\mty real estate under
~1 order which provided tbt the property rhould be used
&y for eduaatimal pufposw va8 deoland invalid. X&no
&u@.y v. Johnsan (Civ. App., 1895) 29 9. W. 56. We qwte
the follOwlng exoorpt from the CQWt'8 opinlcmr
"The property, taoth4 deed seoftes, ~a8
803.dunder the sWabhx?e of a publla ule, to
the highest bidder) but be- sold under the
order 8et Out, tb#Ltrequired it tO be 8old and
US8d fOl' edU43&th4Hl PUl’mIeII, -8 Vidl WOU-
lated to deter 8ad hinder 8 uls of the proper-
ty for a fair priob."
You will note that hrtlole 1577 provide8 that Qoun-
ty mal e8tate be sold at "pub110 avaWm, but that zt 18
8ilUkt8S tOaZiyIW&ZWWkt tk#t th8 Iti~beadVeL't~led.
An *auetlon” ia a publla 8ale of property to te
hQhest bidder. Webrter'r li4wIntermtianal mabr&&ed
DiatlQ&y (Seooad Wtion, 1938). Publie auctlar $8 83Zl-
~gmou8 with public rale. In re lbvbraugh, 256, It. w. 233,
BUoh. 170, 35 Words dsP&a808 (?ersmmt Zklltiax)45.
The word "public" oonWte8 meral lmn?ledg6 OF
notloe . It 28 defined M -g *opQI to the kneWled@? OT
V&W Of ulj @!36Q’811~ 8BQ91, hgWn OF h.Wd; WithOUt pp?inray
4r agProealment.” Webeterfr Dlatiarury, 81tpra.
A publia aWtlOp of vh%oh PO notioe what8oeves
WM givez%advh$ohvaa notin mae numner broUghttothe
8tteution of the pubUa would be a publit!auatloa in nam
=b.
In dlea~88ing the qU6B8tiCKl
of M14 Of OOUQty w
88kte Under Artiole 15'7‘7,
the hm~lllo Court of Civil Appeal8
U8crd the fOllOWtig bRUj$W@bl,
‘We find PO 8tatUtOw &U’OViSiOIl dtMota
orl8agthoftiaPs that 8uoh
tiwraethod,~88~11~er,
D. H. A. Hodges, Page 4
real eetate mat be advertised before it nragbe
sold at publia auction. The term 1advert5.se-
merit'is synmymous with notice md IEIa means
CP method Of attz'actin&publlo attentim. The
object of the statute in prov3dlng for sale at
pub110 auotfan ia to secure to the oouaty a
fair price for the prop8rty." Edward8 v, Lub-
book County, (WV. App., Amarillo, 1930), ,'y9.W.
(28) 482.
Just what mBullier
OP emomt of notloe voul& be auf-
Plcient seeam to be a matter left within the 6ound discre-
tim of the commla8lonersI aourt.
Vhile SOI68 Other type Of nOtiOe might be sufft-
aient, this department In it8 aaferenae opinion Ao. 2849,
dated April 29, Sg31 has ret-ded that the notice pro-
vided In Article 3806 (R.C.S., 1925) ?or sale8 mder levy
a? exeaution be given. Confemmas opinions,vol. 64, pp. 21.2.
The mum 1dantSaal notice is requtred bs statute
to pmoede public sales of property belonging to estates of
dccedauts. Se@ Articles 3558 and 3573 (R.C.S., 2325).
Therefore, in answer to your firat question, it
la the oplnlon of this department,and pou 8re so advised
that a r86Wn.UIbleposted or publlahed notice by the commib-
sionerappoiated by the court would be required&p a valid
sale of real estate aoqulred by the aounty by deed. I?hilS
no partlc~lar type cf notioe is provided for by Statute,
this department again recommenda that the county follow
Articles 3@d+ md 3808 In giving euch notice.
As W8 have pointed out above, all real estate
vhicb the ccntntpmy wish to dlagose of, cixceptla&s be-
longing to the aounty public *se school fund, nuat be sold
In the manner protided In Artlole 1577. Surplus right-of-
wag property is not 18mI belaugia$ to such school &fuad,and
muis",be sold in the 'mannerprovld86 I?3said As%icls. we,
themfope, e&aver yaw aeaond question 8s ve d%sksveP8d your
first,,that is, a reasanahln notice by postiag or publlmticn
28 requ&wl and we likewitter8OCUUmendthe nOtiC8 required ill
ereoution sales.
In MelI8P to your third qutmtlon, Ye dlreat your
to the
lttelltia l iollowlng portlat of AP.ticla 15778
*+ l *‘i’hr, deed Of suoh c)5BBili681QIOl'8,
lade In cdornritgto ruohorder for&din
behalf of the amty, duly aokaovled@dand
Pl?OVSaMd P8OOPbd til b8 8UftiOi8l2t t0
bcnvey to the pumatmewa all the right, title
od interest aad %8t8te aah td OQllltYnUg
0 th8 -8e8 t0 b% caweyed .
b& % Fd t
880 al80 Eudia COUIltyV. ROna Mill8 CO. (OiV. App.,
1908) II.2s. W. 822, 825.
Tha deeds under vhioh tb v8a'iountPWSt8 uoco 4o-
qtiawd 3y the OOUnty VW? a& f'~aiSbihlwith your POqwBt aad
~b do not &lOr what title the 00%&y hold8 In 8UCh tlWSt8.
We hrva therefox'e,S!%avemd you' seaond and third ~U@8titWJ
under the rsmmptim tkat the aomty holds the 8b8oltltetee
8Wplb title ia each, and our M8mrs apply ably to aale OS
pmperty 80 held,
we ve8S 330O@lki~ 98 t0 th8 Z'ighCOlpSUt~ity
Of the aolmty to 0aExvaypartans o? tracts in t&Ml it halJl
apI)FO MA8OllUBLt.Thstqusstimva8nOt ~~8~tsdbJgoUr In-
'P-7.
For your infoo*matlQa we add that OQWlti~8, in BOiNP-
N land foi' lW%d pUl3M8s8 5e~dGBillaquLretkb fsS 8illl#Otitle
thereto, but oFdLarJIilyMUU&N apily8R WSrarslrtOV8Jb 8Wh
land, thus leavjng the fee rimple title in the vend=.