Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1945 )


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  •                                        ORNEY      GENERAI,
    OF   EXAS
    Honorable Ben L. King
    County Attorney
    sum&   county
    Bum&,   Texas
    Dear Sir:                                  Opinion No. O-6644
    Re: Construction of Art. 1959a,
    v. A. c. s.
    We have reoeived your recent oommunication in which you ask
    the following queationsr
    "1.    hhere soldier is killed in aervioe, do Clerks
    furnish free the osrtified aopies of birth oer-
    tificates, marriage licensee, etc., to benefi-
    ciary of life insurance (government) when
    benefiaiary is heir?
    "2 ,   The same aonditions exoept that benefioisry is
    not related to deaeased soldier?
    "3.   Zould the case be considered in same status (18
    1ex-aervioe~ man?
    "4.   Does man still in sarviaa have any suah benefits
    as certified oopies of birth, death, marriage
    record, or divoroe proceedings free of aharges?"
    Our Opinion No. O-6342 holds that when certified oopies of
    marriage lioenses and birth certificates or other instruments are is-
    sued by any County Clerk, Distriot Clerk. or other official in this
    State who is required to issue such instrument for the purposes men-
    tioned in Sea. 1 of Art. 1839a, Vernon's Annotated Civil Statutes,
    they must be issued free of oharge to ex-servioe men and ox-members
    of the Auxiliaries under aaid statute. We herewith enclose a aopy
    of said opinion.
    One of the purpose&nentioned in Sec. 1 of Art. 1939a, V. A.
    C. S. is "where the praon would on proper proof, be entitled to ...
    .,...   insurance.   . . . . .....a
    Our Opinion No. O-6266, a copy of whioh we herewith enclose,
    holds in substance that heirs at law of servioe men losing their lives
    in defense of their oountry am heirs at law of ex-aervioe men. The
    heir of the soldier in question 03mes within the purview of the next
    above holding.
    -   ,-   .
    Honorable Ben L. Ring, page 2                    O-6544
    The last paragraph of said   Sea,   1    of   Art.   1939a,   V.   A. C. S.
    provides as follows:
    "All of the provisions of Section 1 hereof, shall
    inure to the heirs at law of such ax-service men and
    ex-members of the Auxiliaries, where the proof is
    necessary to establish the claim emanating through or
    under such ex-service men or ex-membars of the Auxiliaries."
    (Underscoring added)
    Therefore, the beneficiary mentioned in ycur question hTo.1
    is also an "heir at law" of the "ex-serviceman" ard is entitled to,all
    benefits as such allowed under Sec. 1 of Art. 1939a, V. A. C. S. In
    this connection we assume thatthe certified copies desired by such
    beneficiary are necessary to estahl.,ish
    the claim for insurance emanating
    through or under the deceased ex-serviceman.
    In vi~eaof the foregoing, w.sanswer both your questions Nos.
    1 and 3 in the affirmative.
    We shall now proceed to consider your question No. 2.~ An
    "heir" or "heir at law" isthe person designatsd by ,lawto succeed
    to the property of another uponhis``death. 15 Tex. Jur. 147. A
    "beneficiary " under a policy of insurance.may be:anyone,--
    designated
    by
    -- the insured, subject only to statutory regulations.  24  Tex. Jur. 776.
    hhila a beneficiary might also be an heir, 8s~ in the.case
    presented by your question 'No.1, when such beneficiary is not an
    heir of the deceased soldier he would not bs entitled to any benefits
    under Sec. 1 of Art. 1939a, V. A.- C. S., as the,provisions of.said
    article are limited to the veterans pointed out and their "heirs at
    law".
    In regard to your question No. 4, we call to your attention
    cur Opinion No. o-6067, a oopy of which is herewith enclosed, in which
    it is held that, as defined by Seation 2 of snid Article 1939a, V. A.
    C. S., the "terms 'ex-servicemen' and 'es-members of the .Auxiliaries
    include all those persons recognized by the United States Government
    as being entitled to adjustmnnt compensation, or other form of settle-
    ment for service in time of war, when such persons havs been discharged
    from such services, or when present members show that they arenow
    recognized by the llnitedStates Government as being entitled to adjust-
    ment ccmoZnsatio5. or other form of settlement for service in time of
    war.”  (tinderscoringad~ded)
    T'herafore,cur answer to said question No. 4 isr "No, unless
    the serviceman in question ccmes under one of the,.altarnativeprovi-
    sions next hereinbefore quoted."
    _--1     -
    mnorable    Ben 1;.King, page 3            O-6544
    We trust the foregoing full anmvers your question.
    Yours very truly.
    ly s/Robert I,.iattimore,cJr.
    Robert L. Lettimore,J~r.
    .Assistarit
    

Document Info

Docket Number: O-6544

Judges: Grover Sellers

Filed Date: 7/2/1945

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 2/18/2017