Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS AUSTIN Eon. B. F. MaXee, Page 2 follaring portion of Artlole 9052, RaYimBd Clrll %a- tutes of Texas, toilritz "....Wo oounty olerk shall be oomuelle4 ea in mita pmdi In the county acurt." (uneereo0ritig 0~87 Artlale 2896, Revised ClYil Statutes of Texe~, prcvlues thet all dlatriot, oounty an4 preolnat offioera shall keep aorreot ntotsmsnteof all feao earned by them In e bcuk provided for that purposeveto. Artio1s S397, ReYiea4 Clril Statutes ai ?exae, proYm3o as follm: %mh dbtriot, aotmtf am4 pmofnat of'floer,at the olosa aC each Slsoel ysllr (Dooember Slat1 shall meks to the amriot oourt of the aouuty in whioh he reslaer 6 8warn atet&aent In triplbata (onfox-5~3 de- 8ignea and a pro~s4 by th St&e Anudltor)a copy of whia1 statemlt shall be romrtletd to the State &#&tar by ths atirk of the Uistriat acurt of aeia aouaty withln thirty (SO) days after the aam ha6 boon ifled in this oSfioe, and one aopab be file4 with the oountp auditor, if any1 etherwise sAl4 oapy ahall be file4 with the ~lssfoner8' ccurt. .Saidreport shprllshow the mount of all fess, aormissi~a and ccaapeasetlonswhat- ever earned bg said oriiaer during the fiscal pearl une satx?naxy, shall show the aamuat of feet3 acmimltWoni3 and ooPrpsnnat$oaeoo~aat6d by h&n durlne the f%mal yecat 'thirdly,said report shall oont8in ea it6rd0a etatamnt of all fees, ocmwitisfone and cotipenset2onafnkra- ed &ur%ng the fiscal year which wore nat aol- 16ottM, together with the mum of the party r:on. 2. ?. f;oKee, Page 3 owirtgesid fees, ooa~k~i.or~sslaclcompensations. ssla report shall be riled not later than Feb- ruary 1st follonlag thedO5U of the fieeul year amI for each day sfter said date tlra:said re- pJrt re3atns not filed, seld offioer shall be liable to a penalty of Twenty Five (S25.05)Dol- lars, rhioh itaybe reoorered by th6 oouaty 1:. a siritbrought for euoh pur;~ses, ahd in s&l:- tloo said dfioer sbal1 bo subjeot to remotal sroa ottLce.* ~~tlole 1132,Penal Code of Texas, reads as rol- lowts: etiy aounty offlcez or any distrlet attor- ney to whom ?6%5 or aoets ere alkwed by law who shall fail to aharge up tha fees or aoets that may be due under ex:istf~~&laws, or v&o stxallremit any reo that %sy be due under the laws, or who shall fail to nake the report required by law, or who shall ;ay his deputy, alark or assis,tent a less 6rim thim 5p35ifl5d in his 5wOrn stat5nm5t. or reoelrs bask as a robete any part of the am- pensatloi:allowed euoh 4eput.y.clerk or asafstaht, shall be flne& not less tbsn twenty-five nor sore than five hundred dollare. Xach act forbidden by this article 1s 6 separate 3ffenss.e This department held in e letter opinion writteo by HOC. 3:.c. Waters, Assistant AttsrImby General, dateb September 26, l%lJl,adareseed to Km. Ceorsu EassMr, that a aounty clerk has ao authorltf umber Artlole 893l3,ReYis- r4 Citil Statutes of Texee, to reootd instruaentswithout aollectfag fees for &me m4 that he Is held responsible for all work done whether aolleeted for or not. .&.gw therafcre respaatfully advised thnt it is the op2nl?5 0:~ this departswit that it is the duty of the oaunty clerk to uhargs end eolleet the leggdlfees ic full before reoording the isetmments. Trimthg that this satlsfaatorlly answers your laquiry. and with bsnt rsgard8, we ar6 Vsry tnily your 6 Xi”?XW$Y G~W:F~AL 03 93~3