Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1939 )

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
February U, 1@30
Hon. Edgar 3. Payne
County Attorney
Hookley County
Levelland, Texar
3ear Sir:
etter of January
dlaoretlon, suoh
r county buainear?m
norable J. J. Striokland, dated April
t oplaloa Mr. Looasy 8aidt
no one should be allowad, or petitted, to
oacupy It eroept the publlo offlolala named
ia the mtatute..
Thea the oplnloa altes the va r io wltatute8,
rhloh hare been retained In the same anbstantlal tO?m
.
Hon. Mgar E.. Payno, T6bnury las, 1939, Page &
lnun;;$la6t oodlfioation. and states hi6 oonol~6````
Ve do not think, therefore, that aa
authority sxl6ts in the oou6ty o~i66ioner6
6ourt to oontraot for the rental of any of-
tlo66, or offloe 6psoe. In the oourt houso,
and no p er so n, lxuept the offloer8 named 1s
the rtatute, oaa alair the right to o6oupr
any room6 or spa06 therein free of rest, or
othenime.
The sheriff of the oounty would hare
the right to instltut6 a suit lo the MM
o f the oounty to lr io ta nyOo o up entfr a
the oourthoxse not authorlred to Oooup7 the
66me, sinoe he 16 the legal outstodlan of
the oourt house a8 provided in Art1016 8393
(nor Art. 6872 Rawle C. 3. 19251, subjeot to
6u6h regulations as the cOm!dssiOnOr6 Court
nay proaoribo......" arport and Opinions,
Attorney General, 1914-1916, p. !M8.
Se do not find that the exaot qu66tlXarehall, supra,,
oould b6 relied upon to ohange the general rule, sup-
ported by tha great wel&ht of authority a6 statsd In
the follorl~ 1ancuciFe of Zorpiis Jurle 115 C. J. 537):
*In aooordanoe with the general rule
heretofore stated that oounty boarde or
oounty oourte have ao powers other than
those oonfsrred expressly or by nQOQ66Up
lmpllOatlon, ruoh oourtr or board6 havo
no pawer to rent or to lease property or
tranohiees owed by the oounty in the
6b66nO6 ot statutory authority 60 to dOen
(S6e luthoritIe6 olted under this text)
We find no OOZlStitUt~Ona~ or statutory authorl-
ty la Texas for tha renting of odloe6 in 6ourthou6e6.
In our opinion the only spaos the ~omxIssIoner6~ Court
would be luthorl6ed to rent or laa6a would b that olear-
17 not needed for oounty bu6ine68, and then only for
purrpor66 senlng pub110 oonrenlenoe or n60666It7.
.
Hon. Zdgar 6. Fayne, February 25, 1939, Page 4
You are therefore raspeotrully advlaea that
your question io answered in the negative.
;.e wiaf; to thank you ror the splendid brlef
submitted, and to expres8 our regret at the unatoilable
delay in ana*ierLg you boosuse of the press of mob
bualnssa or thio Depart&sent.
Very truly your8
Jamln modal1
Xmlatant