Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

OFFICE OF THE AlTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN Honorable B4soom Gil44 Co3inlasioner, General Land ofrioe huetin, Terse Dear &f-r. Giles: 959, st 8rQ? o'alook d 4b mppliaatlon ir4m s4 an 4114 ad area or & od Faith thir cerise the 84~44 are8 ute, whiah application bore the r ths county Surveyor or Dural fylng th4t the same wa4 filed for Ecnsh. day or Septeabor, 1959, at *,*Slnae the rtghta of the C&m& ?a'aith Olslmant and the Appliaant depend on t$4 tiPI of rlllng Ln two wi~dely clsparated o~ZL44 ob- aerrlrq3 dimerent 4rri44 hour4, your ripinion la rcqaeetsd OA the r4zlarpingtquestfoarw 705 Eon. Bascom Cllea, Page g You then ask the following queationt "Under the teznlsOf House Bill 9, does an applioantwho rib0 in the orriae or tha County Surveyor at I:30 o*41ook A.M. September 30, 1939, bars priority 0~4r a Clod Faith Chinaant who filed In the General Land Oifi44 at St07 o*aloak A. M. September 20, 19391' %ated in another way, you ask us whioh of the above referred to filings shall be consideredprior. Slnoe, tier Xoaae Bill 9, it 16 necessary to determine whloh tiling ia prior before the respeptlvs rightr or the applioant aad the good faith olaimantiaan be deter- lainedin the Btarmerspeoirled by House Bill 9, the makrlallt of the question is 4vfdent. Sse for exaaplo 8eotlon (ff and Sootion (a) or House Bill 9, lu both or whlah aeatlonr rights are granted to good faith alalmamtu OOAtingsAt UpOA there having bO4A A0 prior rilim by an applicant to lease or purahase. Eouse Bill 9 do46 not attempt to define 4r pre- aaribe what shall oonatitute a *prior liling by an appli- eo.At". Me rind nothin& in Hoase Bill 9 nor in any other law to indicate that the ~glslature with raapeot to the aituatioa outlined by JQU pea, or haa intended to make an exoeptionto the w4ll-4atabll4ha6rule that priority in time gives priority .in right a8 between OOm- petlng applloantaeven though the ext.ent of enah priority be less than a full oalandtarday. In such oiroumstanota'weare, therafora,4om- pelled to hold that the a~pl;oaAt, J. 8. BuC@; having riled his applicationto P4,8464%~ hour4 and SY nfnptaa before the good faith aLeSnaY&, J48e C. Lopezi,riled hi6 5’06 Ron. Baacom Gilea, Page 3 epplioatlon to purohase, must be oonsldered at?a prior applioant K-ithinthe meaning of House Bill 9, and a8 auoh, 3. H. But8 ia entitle& to the rfghts afforded to a prior applloent by the hat. Yours very truly ATTORNEY GENESIL OF TXXhS Assistant RElStbt