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OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Q-GNAW
Amemux-
nonorabloQorJ 1. 8pnaw
ColMf Atto?wY
ArmBaa oount;l
Rookport,Teru
quw-
aa the rberlff filer vlth tlm Court ltemlaed8tate-
mtlta o? illse%penBea80 that the court my propcr-
4 audit the 8aQl.T"
We understandfrom yuw letter that the officorrOS
your ooullty
axe oomparlsatad
on a fee baalr.
HonorableEmory 1. bpenoer,Page 2
Artlolo 3899, Ve?nan’o~AnaQtotBd Teas Olrll bta-
tutem,reads in part am f0110#88
"(a) At thB oioso oi iaoh month Of his tmnllrs
of otfloa woh oifloor amud hmob rho 18 mapon-
~~onafoobulssbr~~ugrrtot~~n-
port nw requIr.dby law, u 1tomls.daad mrom
8ta t0mnt
0r a il
the l0ta ur4 m00msm7 •~poma8
lnourradbr bir in ths sondustof his offloe,s~oh
am statlowry, stamps,telephorm,'preaiumoa~offl-
olals' bonda, lnoludlngths oost or suretybonds r0p
his DsPUtlBS, praalua on flrB, burglary, thart,
robbarySamuranoeprotesting publ%o funds, travollng
a ndother n~~a so a rlx
lmp ~nmes s.sCow&m-
y p a nmo 2h
slonors* Court of the.oouat7 of the Sherlff~areal-
denoe my, upon the vPlttenand worn appllaatlonor
the sheriffststing~thsneeasaltytbereror,purchase
equipmentfor 8 buraau o? orlmlnalidentification
such as aameraa,finger print cards, lx&s, che&als,
alcrosoopas, radio a ndlaboratorylqulpmsnt, riling
oards, flllng oablnsta,tear gas and other equlpmsnt
la keepln&vlth tJiesystm in we by the Dapartmnt
oi Publlo Safety of this 8tata or thm United Statea
Dmpartaentof Justloos&/or Bureau of Or-1
Identlflcation.If suah lxpensosbs lnowred in eon-
nsctlonvlth any partloulu'aase, swh statesmnt
shall nanm suoh oase. 8uohexpensesocount shall
tm subjeat to the budit.& tha 0ountr Audi or, ii
any, othervlseby the Oomsl~loners' Cowt 5 and if
it appears that- ltao? sush~xjmnsevm not
inourxwdby such offlo~ or ma& itea mm sot a nsaess-
ary expense OS offlo~,suah item shall bo by suoh
auditor or court rejected,in vhlah oarnothe collac-
tions of suahltemlru~bmadjUdisatodinaruoourt
of cmnpetentjurisdiction.T&m ulount of salaries
pad to Assistantsand DaputirrUvll also bs oltmr-
ly ahovn by suoh offleer, vlng the nfum# position
and amount paid eaoh; rad fi noelmntmhallany
officer shov any greato~~axnmt than aoimlly paid
m~swhAs.sirtmtorDsput~. Theamountofsuch
sxpsnses,togetherrlth the amount of ~larles wd
to ~~simtata, Deputlosand Olerks shallbo mid Out
or the fees earned by 8-h OlYlCer. The OormPis8loner8'
Oourt OS thaamty of the 8herlff~sresldenoeWY,
8hsrlff stat th eM o o sslty th e r *r olr1 1 wa le
9a llb
o r 1 01 a 9uto o b y th ehu8rlff in
sto b o uo ml
the dlsoharg~of &lr offiabl duties,W8loh, ii
pwobosod by tba Oounty, shall ba bou@t 9.nthe
mumar pres,orlbed by ,lu for the purchaseof sup-
plies and paid ?& outofthd Oenersl?um¶ of the
oountyand they shafl'hemd 2wmsl.nthe property
0r th.8county. 2he Oxpenmo of mlntonanae, dspro-
olstlonand oper8tlonof suoh sUtomob21~8ss say
bs allwed vhether#wrohasod by the county or
aVIUBd by thS'8h0~iff6~ hf8 nEQUti@YpWJO~lip,
stiallbapsld ?orb$ttke gbjrlff and the amount
thereof aball W~tieportodby the Shorlff,on the
reportabow mntlcmod, in the aam manner as here-
in providedfor other s~BMQS....n
Article 3891; Y&non'r ,Aknotstod
Civil Strtutos,
reSd8 in pert ss f0110SSt
f- "Each OffZCOrnumb in thlr Chaptersball
first out ot the owlrentfrsa o? his offloe pay f!:
or be paid the Spo\mt rlloved him under ths provl-
slona of Artlcls 3885, togetherdth thb salsrles
of his aSslSb%nfA8nd 40 utlos, snd aUthoBlSSd
expensesunder &tlolo 389gr and the amountwoess-
ary to cover costs of prtnnluaon vhmtwor sursty
bond msy bs requiredby lbv. I? the currant fees
of suoh office colleoted in my year be mere thsn
the mount nemdod to $ay the amountsabove speol-
fied, aam shall be demsd oxooss fees, sad shsll
be dlaposedo? lo the PBnnm hereinafterpravlded.
.A11 currentrow o&m&I md 001100tidby
offloors aamsd ia &tlol;+.,38@ d&.ng my flroal
year in exosas of the mxlaum &a& exoeasrllowed
by this Aot, and for,.thotrrqi%iaesand for t&o
servloesof their d4putlos+l'~sslstuitr ULd
suthorlzedexpensor,togethervlth 811 dollnpusnt
fees aollectedand net prod 88 providedln &tlole
3892, or used to pay mlarler o? deputlssand usls-
ants vhonaurr4ntfo6s nre lnsu??lalent,stmllbe
paid into the OountyTmasury lnthe oountyvhere
the 8xa0.8aoorwd.
P
.
-. EoncraueEmoryx(. spenoor,?aga 4
"All fur du, ud not OOllO tad, u rhovn In
tha report rrqubad by AFtlO 49 7, rtillbo ool-
ieOtOd by f&O OffiOW 80 UhO8a OffiOa tha fU8
aooruad md rbll k dlrpo8.dof bj 88id oiiiau
in W6Ol'daliC~V%th tb PPOV+fOM Oi thi8 &at.
"Ths ofJtqmnution8,l3ai&m and -
b~0i~&iixsh~fihU~8f0~Om~~8 8hwti-
elude and apply to 811 dffloeramtioned henIn
in eaoh and ovarydour&y’ of t.hl#m@, and it.ir
herebydealwad to be th*’ intantlon bf tha I&a-
l8turethe tha pPoYl8lon8 of thl8Aot 8h@ll.‘&pply
tc aauh of 8ald offit36*, and any rpemirl or ganaral
Irv lnoomi8tqt vlth the provirlonrhoroof 18 hore-
by erpreral~re~a~din8ofUuth8 am8 mpyk
~OOPr~8t~lltVith this &Otr..."
Artsoh 38g7,.Vunon’~ Isnoutad ~elcr8Civil str-
tUte@, PWdB U fOllOV8 t
"Eaoh diotrlot,c&ntf and preolnotoifioer,et
th0 01080 Of 9-h fi8Oti fsor (&O~M&OP 318t) 8h811
m&b to the di8triatcourt of theomntg in ohi& he
n8ide8 l IWOX'II8kt~l&OlL~ $.Utripli.a*te
(on form8
designedand approvedby the State AudItor)a oopy
of whIoh 8tatement8hfi be forwardedto the State
Auditor by the clerk of the bl8trict oourt a? irid
Countywithin thirty (30) day8 altar the s&m hu
ken filed in hf8 offloe,uul 01~4copy to be f%led
_vith the oounty rudltor, ii any# othawlro uid
OOPJ 8h811 be fl)sd with the Com~irsion~r~' Court.
Said POpOrt 8~18hoVt.h. mtmt Of a11 f-8,001-
ai88ion8md ooPlpePritiOa8 Thr84V.rUrn&l by 8dd
Otflcarduring the 'fi8Oal JO&?; UId 8WOad17, 8w1
.8hCRfth0 cMoUI¶tOf f-8, Oari88iO118ud OoapeIBa-
tlam oolleotodby hU durlag the Haul year third-
ly, 8aid SUpoH 8b&lf.Oc1i~Ui ltemlred 8U ie8tMtt
Oi 811 feel, OOlUlBi88iODSti'O~lU8tiOXi8 U%I'@
during the ri8tMlye88 rhiah VUO not colUalxd, to-
getherwith the naae of the wty ova said fbe8,
oomnlssiona and oom&~sMl~on8. 88id repaPt Shrl1
by illed not lbtep tW ?qbrcurg l8t tollwlng the
01.0~8oftbb ?lsoolyoa~andfcreaohdwVtOr 8ald
date that raid report rW8BinaMt fllbd, 8&d offi-
cer 8hrl1 be lirble t0 8 &MUdttY Of mnty ?iW
(425.00)D01bW8, which~my be roooveredby the OoWtY
.
25:;
in lsJt brought ror 8uOh pwpo8.8, ad in &la-
tUn+d offioer8-1 k 8UbjOOtt0 HBOWl fPOm
.
the reoent 0a8e OS PJor800,et al ~8, Oalwston
County, 131 6v (26) 27, hol,Uh,,~ other thlng8,that a
jwtlae of the pomo -8 no8 w&it, ad to reoomr oertaln item8
o fl%pa8e 01-d So? pO8-, 8x& ew *met ud W88Otl-
ger 8ertiu0,during cSx%UtJYOU8 in ~Sfloe,MM?0 the jwtloe
did aot render Imiay 8trtmt8 Of 8UOh expOM.8 U required
by rtatute, but merely f%lcbd&nnu&l -port8 estlnntiag the
e~OMO8 in 1UlQ 8WE MOullt8,~ Tha QOWt iIl t&i8 OdlM, 2’0.
ierring to hrtiale 3899, 8ygm,.u~ed the fo1.1~~~ Ungw~gma
“The DEd.f@8t&Wl+O8. Oi tail3 8tIdtllte Vu to
provideB naeangof uwrtrimlng the oomeotnsss of
~~~,~ee~~t~~~~ 2
8uFs of the ofslclrl'*right to raooqx#3nt. 'Ilro
manthly ltan&zatlw.J.wSapr,the protectionof the
oounty by affording4 #mm&a of aacertainlngtbs hot
and ammnt of suoh olUm& item OS expenseu& vheth-
8P it UB8 properly&nrgeable 64 SuCh. It 18 nBni-
Sest from the annual reportsuu9 oimflrmedby the
evidenoatbet these oXpOa8U vore merely e8timBted
and l hmp 8U!ll giV.n oseh yepC. The 8tAtUte V0d.d
be of SO WlW if it8 tiUtolvy prOVi8iOM oopld b.
evaded in this -z. Vo hold the item8 9rope~ly
di8a11W@d by the aorsirsiazvre oourt, ti the t-1
oourt’r Judgmentoorroattn de4i4 reaororfth0w00.”
Itl UilVOl- t0 YOM? iiP8t qW8tiOXl it i8~th ~iaiCUl
Of thi8depmtment, under tb i-t8 8tatti,th8t th. cOnd#-
8iOIlOP8' COUl’t
VOliLd
b 0ltititl.d
t0 lWjOUt uad di8a11OVtha
alalm8 for deduationamado b the Sb~rlfSin his annual report
vhere no monthlyreport of ruuh oxpen vans8uda by the Sheriff
a8 W@red by Artlolr 3899, rupm. The anount of fOS8 earned,
lea8 authorlredexpenae8sif 04, rould detem%ne vb.ethea or
not the rheriffvould be !rubjootto exue88 Se88."
ArtiUle l&O, v8nroP'8bi0Wt.d Texu Code OS Crldn-
al tmoedure, read8 ln part a8 Sollov8r
"For the 8tiO kuplng,8llpporturd55nten8we
of prlronerroonfinod ln jell or under gum-d, tha
rtmrifr#hall k ulwod the rollov~ ohuger:
I.... v
. .
..,.,,-
"2. For rupport bnd mlntomnoe, for uoh
prlmner for
-_ ~~ W.ohd8yrUObUlMtWnayb
riard by tha OOmUi.8810~, O+Pt, prorlded t&
I- 8b11 b Wromblf for 8wh PUP-
8UfflditUlt
pOI#, &Id in II0 OWItt 8hll it b u88 than ?OFtJ
oat8 per day nor more than rewntydtw aent8
per day for uoh pri8omr. The n4t profit8rrmll
mUItitUt0 itIe8Of OfflGeaad 8b11 be aOCO&ed
SO? w the 8hfICifS in hi8’ -1 FOpOPtM Oth0~
fee8 nw providedby law. 5%~ dt0~irr rhaaL1 in
8UOh report turnilhan lt#ired verlfledaaouunt
Of 811 exptUIditUtW8nrd* by hiI8?W fOeding8nd
d.tttemMO Of pri8ttMns UOOrrpMOing 8UOh M-
poti vlth reaelpteand vouohercr ln euppartof
8UOh itelm Of expenditure,8ttdthe diffennae bet-
tveen ruoh expendlturo8and the amount rllwed
OOWt 8h811 b0 deemed to Con-
by the COlSUli88blW'8
stitutethe net profit8for vhIoh raid offioa
8-1 lOOOUIIt
a8 fe48 Of OffiOe...,*
ThO abow QUOted 8OOtfti Of the 8tatUteprOv%deI),
ecmng other thin@, that the xtiit prOfit (of the ieedingand
support 0s prkmftr8 by the rhuifr) ahall oonstitutoftH880s
office and 8hkl1 be roaountm~for by the clheri.fi In tiirannual
‘a8other fee8 nOv provided by lm. me 8eOtiOLIa180
"that the sheriffin luoh rePort nibming undoubted-
ly to hi8 annual report referredto above (bra&et8 onrr)
furnl8han itemizedverified l3ount 0s a expendituresetc.'
The above quoted rootionderll 8lB@OifiOd1~ vlth the 8herlff'8
"see8 of 0rricgmd "expenditurer' in the rtmdhg and mrinten-
an00 0s pri80n-828.
Under
Artlale 3899 rupm, the'expen808~ other thau
nditm8 b o&gee t$.oII V& autoambller,vhloh an
%%a~ T 8 authorizedto oUti H doduotlom when properly
reported In the required monthlyreport, ace limitedto 8UA-
tionery,8t8lB98, telephone,premium8 oa 0rri0ihf bonA8, ln-
cludlngthe CO8t of suretybonde 0s deputie8,prevllufn on rim,
burglary,theft,robberg lncl&i~an~aproteotingpublicPunde,
t~vellng expenses,8nd other 8iaila.r necosraryOXpen805,the
rde or oon8truction"ejusdemgeneri8"being appliedto q~lity
r:
Artfole 1046, ~tWliOIl~8
AnnOtatedTeaas Cod8 or
criI&bai PIOasdUrn wbd8 68 rOiiOW8:
"At eaoh regular telrlr
of ttloeoa;i8~larur8
OOUl't,the 8ha'irr lhall pte8ent to 8uoh oourt
hi8 lOOOUnf Wrlfl8d.by hi8 tifibvlt for th8 0x0
pea80 lnournd by him 83.~8 the lmt accountpre-
86&&i rOr th8 Ur@-k8epiry &ad un%nt~nanoeof
pri80n8r8, includingguarda muplbjed,ii any.
8uoh roaountshall state the n&me or e8oh prisoner,
@Sal%Itas of lxpenre lnoumd on aooount of suah
prl8oner,the date a? @aOh item, the name or each
guard employed,the len@h or time wqjloyedazib
the purpose of 8uch emplOymeat.*
P Artiele ld+7, Vernon’8hnotated Tens Code or
Crial-1 ?rooodu?e,reada a8 ltollowr:
?'hO OCSEd881OllOF8OOWt 8brl1 lX8d.M rwh
8aoountand ellov the same, or so muoh thereor
u 18 reasonableand in aoaordaneevlth l&w, and
rhall order a dmrt i88ued to the 8h8Fiir upon th8
county treasurerfoPthe amount 80 8llOWed. 8uch
W8OUt 8b.a 'beriled utd kept $3 th8 Orme Or
al&h court."
The ease of 8-18 Co unty,
lt al W. b~mond, 203 Sl
b51, cormtruedArticle 1148 or the TOXa8 Code of CrW1 FMao-
dum or 1911, nar hrtlole 1046, Vernon'8 &umtrted Tell8 Code or
CrldX&i PFOOedUW, and SUld OM8 hOId thrt 8 8hWirr'8 WOOuntS
for Leaping prisonem, giving the n&w at eroh penon, thr date
aridhour, CoaPnitt6d, the OrrOW3, Vh8Ih ULd haV -leeed, th6 nuBb
her or d&y8 in jail,and arrivingbt the amount of the bill by
multlplylng the number or day8 by th8 wr diem ollovanae per
prironer,‘N not requiredto ha more Zulu itemized, under Arti-
cle 1148, Code or Crlml~l Procedure , 0r 1911, requiringaccounts
presentedto comlasIoneref cdurt ror koeplngprisonem to state
thename 0r eahh prisonerand eroh item 0r exwlure incurred on
6ccount or each prironor.
_yL_ ~.~._ - _ .
_-, .4
Ill bMV@? t0 JOUP 88OOIld qW8tiOnJOU W -8pOOt-
ful &iOd tbt it 18 th0 OpmOn Or
thi8 drpVtB8nt fbt
tha % v do.8 aot 8’oqul.r.
th. Ilhorl??~JIl fee oouat~ to ill.
. monthly NPOrt Of 8~endfttUW rot r88dlngp?i8OMl'8Jtbt
.mlob mg, 8vm, 18 iar.pllorble t0 8wh 8itU8tiOnJ tht
&otloa 2 of &tlole lC40, E .C.? ., supta, gowrn8 8rid 8lt\u-
tma md und8r uld 8rOtiOfi it 18 the dutr 0r thb ah8rifr to
moountln hi8 um\ul?oport (roquind~~tic& 389’7, 84X-)
for the net proritr U'181q rrom the fS6dingbad S0bIb~~~'
Or ptlIOII8P8,
a8 S ?SS Of OfflOO, bl80 ?u&S
umnl reportan lteaisedvotiried Icanmti 0r h81 i”f
lXJWditUW8
made ~YJ h i8r w rb0dbg a mi -tenmoe 0r prisoners, etc.
The d.lffrroMe bOtW8Ii suoh lq mditur and e8the amount Sll~v-
ed b the ColPaiSSiOnSr8 C0Ul'trithin the limitation8.t out in
the sootionOOiIIItltUte8 the net profit8 ror vhioh the 8herirr
shall rooountror as l fo e’o r orriorb hi8 annual report. HOV-
lwr , undo? Artlole 1046, V0tnod8 Annot&ed Tam Code or
CtiraiMl hCedUV, it i8 the duty Or the 8h8rifr to rib hi8
VWifiti rOOOUllt-iOr tieping pFi8OMrS vlth the cOami88iOWr8'
Court at o&oh ?egrilU meeting o f raid OOWt l8 outlinedby
mid utlole. Ths iteSIi8atiOn Of r&id MOOWt Viii ba SUfrl-
olent if it meets the ?oqulremrlt8laid dwn ln the 048e 0r
EatrlrCounty,lt al vs. Euwmd, supn.
Article3895, VernOn'SAnnotatedTeaasrCivil Statute$,
F Ud8 l8 fOllOV81
"The Coml88lonot8~ Court 1s herobr debwnd
?F O
lP
lh ~~irOy
OItp OKUUtiOn
?O?
8X-Or r 8Or
iOiOYiCO8
to aountr Orflcial8 vha the acapoa8atlonaad a0088
fO.8 vhloh they &x-erllovod to mtaln shell naoh
the - prov1d.d ?or in thi8 Obpter. In oases
vh8n th eoompoa8atlonur dlmosr foes vhloh the
Ofilo8n uo alloved to rotain rbll not tuah the
mximm provldodiOr la thlr abptOt, the Conl8-
81onot8~ Court sh611 lllovdampanmtloa ror ox
oiiiolosorvloeshen, In their Jud&rmnt,such com-
~ns~tion 18 MCd88U7, grovlded,8uah SOqHMbtion
for .oxo??lolo 8errlc.r alloved shill not lnotuso
gh0 OO~~ULW~I~ 0r the ofriairl kfond the mubum
o? ofxqwns~tiOn &ad lXO@88 fee8 *llovod to k lWt8flb
ed bJ him und8r thlr oh4pt.r. botldod, howvor,
the 0% ofriaioherein ruthotlsod 8b11 be l1lov.d
ani7 rftet aa opportunity ror a publlo huting and
CnlT upon the tive rot. of at 1-t thr.0 Bern-
kn of the c 8iOnm8 court.”
,
F--. Honorable Emory H. Spewer, P~ga 9
Artlole 3934, Vumon~r AnnotatedTen8 Civil Sta-
tUt48 uJLdtb?I
the @X-OrrfOfO OOISJ24M~tfCII Or the shS?irrt0
an amount not to sxcoed 41,OOO.OO.
Artlole 3897, RevisedOlvll Statutesof Texas, 1925,
pas amsndad by Acta 1930, 41rt Legl8latrPeof Texas, 4th Call-
sd Se8slon,p. 30, ch. 20, 1 5, and 8s amendedcontainedawmg
Oth4~ bhingS,the ?OiioVingpPOVi8iCXU
"Provided,that vtmro any offlacrmsntloned
in this chapterha8 4mlU388 Of OrrlC4 ior vhloh
he 18 requited to iii0 an expanse accountunusr
AH,lole 36&g, the COmodS81OIk4~lb'
Court 18 hersby
expresslyinhibitedand debamed from paying any
u-officio Srlarg to suoh 0rri04t until such 4x-
p&nze account has been filed in accordancevlth
APticie 38992
The 44th LegislatUl'eof Texas, by its hot8 of 1935,
2nE.Called Session,p. 1762; oh. h65, 0 9, anendedArticle
C 3897, 8upra, by omlttlngentirelythe provlalonquotedabove
In the precedingparagraph,enaotlngArtiole 3897, substan-
tiallyas it ~8, vlth the exoeptlonof the above provision.
Pritrto the repeal Of 8Sld prOvl8lonthis depart-
ment held that the Com.isslonera~ Court ~48 authorisedunder
and by virtue of said provisionto vlthholdthe ex-orrlclo
salary or a county offioetvhc emed to mke his monthlyre-
port under Article 3,899,supra. See Opinion dated October21,
1935,vrltton by Iionorable Fred 0. Vetwar, A88lstaatAttorney
Oeneral,and recordedin Vol. 367, 181p 954, Luttor Oplnlo~
OS the AttorneyCeneral of Text,
The above descrlbod oplnlon was based solely on the
provisionof the rtatutethan io effect but wbloh nar la re-
pealedand 1s 0r no r0me and 4fr40t.
If the Coatmlsslonsrs,
Cowt, by due end proper crder,
has alloved the Sheriffex-ofrlalocompensationfor the riroal
' court would be authoris-
year,vc do not think the OC%~hf8810&4mI
ed to vithholdMid 47+0frici08slmy from the sherlfrby rea8on
- HonorableEmory #. Spenow, Page 10
lxp0M.s un&r Artio1. 899, 8Upra, well r&h thi aa iho
8hdfr tiled hi8 monthily ropertr in riw of the ropeal of
the Bpooiflo p r o vl8loquoted
a &bon vblah luthor:zod rueh
proo*duT* 6: ,,
the CaBm.lr8Iomr8'
Eourt ha8 authorityto enter an Order revokingor mdIiyins
th8 allowam of ex otiioloaeupenmationto the 8hhsrlff for
rutuP m3nlcer. We qUQtB i"roBtbr +sUb of OOlllngrvorth
County VI. mOr8, 35 8t# 414, l 8 fOlh~8:
3lo ~WB ttLwofon o? the opinion that the
COBRd811OIY)~8’ OOmt bd judrdiOtlOl3
Md power to
Was th8 order of Hovembor 13, 1893, redwing the
0x-OfiiCiO 811OVUltW8 pr@VlOUS~y Dade at th% Febru-
STY 8088IOn Of th Cwt. The80 ViOV8 &gPlJ rith
equal for00 to the lib~aCO8 Ned% to the sheriffs
and oountrand dlrtriot.olerk for ex-ofilcloaer-
ViC4.98. We de8lre it dlittitly undW8tocd, hovevsr,
that where the OOI@d88iOnOT8' Court enteredInto
contract8,In aa8e8 vhereIt has suthority~toso
do, and in the form and nmmar In vhlch it may bind $ :i:;:,.
the county It cannotrevoke or repudiateIts action
in any other manner or upon any other growuls than
aontractaenteredInto by other persons may be
revokedand cancelledlbut that, In audItIn& flx-
lng, and alloving8uma and sal.arios for 9x officio
8srvlaes under Article8 2450, 2456, and 2459, Re-
vlmd Statute8of 1095; of Texas, they neitherbfnd
the comtg by a contractnor render a judgment
lgaln8t it for the WUnt8 80 fIXed by them, and
that such Order8are rrubject to be reviewed,re-
vised, modifiedor oanoeledand entirelyrevoked,
whenever,ln their judgment., they 8ee fit to do 801
sxcept,perhapl,in Ca8e8 vhere the 6erviCe8had
already been renderedunder 8uCh orders."
ConferenceopinionIlo.O-1957 oi thl8 department,
Book51, p. 406, Oplnlonaof the AttorneyQeneralof T6xa8,
holds that the commiS8ioMT8 oourt has authorityto revoke OT
reduce the bx officiooomptm8ation of a county0rfiCOr.
Honorable2Dwry H. Bpencer,We 11
Lt:
1f the aouttty pays the Bherltf an ex-ottioloo&l-
lry Ia rbvanoemd h8 lrter m&813 eXOee8 fro8 the oounty ha8
a plala and &leqwte remmly to oolleotwhat it I8 entitled
to. Inluppart Of OU' JBO8itiOllVQ alto the O~BB of Tarrant
County,et rl VI. Smith, 81 SW (2nd) 537, vhereln the court
u888 the fOlbWinp>blg'.8%wt
"The Sheriff va8 paid la 8dvutcein 1928
by th4 CotmlssiorJere'oourt $800.00 a8 8X OffI-
cl0 Peas iOr 8~mmoniz43 juror8. R.S, Act. 3934.
Thnt year h8 ttKbde hi8 mldanua CoBpSMation Of
$5,000.00 exCh8ive Of that $80&00. In such
event it Wb8‘hl8 duty, under such above 8trtUt0,
to return the $8CO.O0 to~tbe county. liedid not
d0 80. Thor holding dcea not amount to 8Ott%ttg
UidCI the ‘judgmsnt Of th0 cOmmi88iO~~8’ b.Wt
vhIoh ordered the $800.00to be paid. We a88um8
that jutlgaent to ba vplid. -'the aubeepuent
ewntr, &o-wit, the collectionotherwiseand
r- thereaf'ter of the maxItimpayI Hr. smith (the
Sheriff) (bW3keta owb) booante obllgstjicl*to re-
turn that rwrmy."
anwtmt
Trusting that thi8 eatisfoctorlly your ln-
W-Y, *a -
vsry truly yOUl’8
WJFtAW