Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1940 )

?&is opinion nodlflesopinion #o-1568 HonorableHolvey Willlepa~ CriminalDistrictAttorney Waco, Texas Dear Sir: opinion. NO. 0-2630 Re: Proper indexingof abstractsof judgment We have for reply your letterof Augwt l3, 1940, requestingthe opinionof this departmentupon the followingmatter: "Mr. Floyd Mitchell,CountyClerk of MocLennan County, has calledon this office for an opiniona8 to how the enclosedabatractof judgmentshouldbe indexed. You will note that there are severaldefendantsto the suit but the abstractof jud@uentshows that plaintiffonly recovered judgmentagainstH. F. Poohyla,one of the defendanta; however,the abstractof judment shows that an order of sale we.8issuedout of this pauee and it is very probable that a judment for forecloeurevae renderedagainetat least some of the other defendants. Hr. Mitchellwants to lmow if this abstractof judgmentshouldbe indexed againstall of the defendantsmentionedin this instru- ment or if it shouldbe indexedonly againstH. F. Pochyle. "It ia our opinionthat this abstractof judeent shouldbe indexedonly againetthe defendant,Ii.F. Pochyla, and for our authority,ve refer to your opinionBo. O-1568. However,as mentionedin this opinion,an abstractof judg- ment shouldbe indexedagainetevery defendantin the judg- ment, even though the jud@nentagainathim was only for foreclosureor for COStsj it appearsfrom this abstractof judgmentthat judFpnent for forecloeurewas renderedagainst at least ecme of the other defendantsto this suit, but if these facts are true, inasmuchae they are not named, would it be the duty of the CountyClerk recordingand indexing such a judgmentto look furtherthan the abstractof judg- ment filed with him?" The abstractof judgmentineofarae pertinenthere reads a8 foI,lows " -- HonorableHolvey Williams,Page 2 (0-2630) "The State of Texas, County of Dallae. "I, Pearl Smith,Clerk of the DietriotCourt of Dallas County,Texas, do hereby certifythat in the DistrictCourt of the 14th JudicialDistrictof Texae, in a certain suit pending in said Court,whereinBankers Life Company,a corporation,is plaintIff,and H. F. Poohyla,JohannaPochyla, StansellBryen,Trustee,J. R. Torrance,0. D. Sandersand Joe Headen,are defendants,Ho. 47162-A. The said plaintiff- BankereLife Campany,a corporationrecovereda jud@nent againstsaid defendant-H. F. Poohylal * *. Said judeplent is entitledto the followingcredits,to-wit: (Here is listeda credit as a result of the executionof an order of sale).* * *" In OpinionNo. O-1568 this depe.r+zuent exhaustivelyanalyzedthe authoritiesin this state relativeto the creationof statutoryjudgmentliens under Articles5447 and 5448 of the RevisedCivil Statutesof Texas, 1925, which read a8 follows: "Article5447. - Abstractsof Judments. Each clerk of a court,when the person in whose favor a jud@nentwae rendered,his agent, attorneyor assignee,appliestherefor, shall make out, oertWy under his hand and office seal, and deliverto such applicantupon the paymentof the fee allowed by law, an abstractof suoh judment showing: "1. The names of the plaintiffand of the defendantin such judgment. "2. The nmber of the euit in which the judgmentwas rendered. “3. The date when such judment wae rendered. “4. The amount for which the jud@uentvae renderedand the balancedue thereon. “5. The rate of interestspecifiedin the judment. "Each justiceof the peace shall also make and deliver an abstractof any judgmentrenderedin his court in the manner herein provided,certifiedunder his hand." HonorableHolvey Williama,Page 3 (0-2630) “Article5448. - Recordingjud@enta. Eaah county olerk shall keep a well bound book calledthe 'Judaent Record',end he ehall immediatelyfile end thereinrecord all properlyauthenticated abstractsof judment when presentedto him for record,noting therein the day and hour of such record. He shall at the same time enter it upon the alphabeticalindex to much jud@nentrecord,show- ing the name of eaah plaintiffend of each defendantin the judgment,and the number of the page of the book upon whioh the abstractis recorded. He shall leave a epaoe at the foot of each such abstractfor the entry of creditsupon and satisfactionof such judmente and shall enter the eeme when properlyahown.' In that opinionwe held that under Article 5448 in order to ef- fectuatea judgmentlien the county clerk shouldenter upon the alphabetieal index to his judgmentrecord the name of each plaintiffand of each defendant appearingupon the face of the Judepnent;thatifa party is known as plain- tiff or defendantin the judgmenthis name shouldbe indexed We held this necessaryalthoughno personaljudment for debt has been renderedagainst such pla-&tiffor defendant(a judfpnent in rem for foreclosurebeing-sufficient); and even though the only judsent renderedagain& any party to the judgmectis for costs. We reaffirmthis holding,and are enclosinga copy of this opinfon for your perusal. However, in OpinionI?o.O-1568we indicatedthat the countyclerk with referenceto the particularabstractof jud@ent form su?xuitted should index only the name of the defendantset forth in the reoovery clause. To that extentOpinionIVo.O-1568is modified. The county clerk of any particularcountydoee not have the benefit of, nor have acceee to the officialjudaenta filed in all the officesof the clerks of the variouscourts over the state. He shouldnot be, nor do we believehe is requiredto look furtherthan the abstractof those judpente which, if properlyprepared,would reflectall of the informationthey are requiredto containunder Article 5447 of the RevieedCivil Statutes,in-luding the namee of all of the plaintiffeand all of the defendantaappearingupon the face of the jud@nent. It followsthat the criterionof the county clerk in all cameo must be the abstractof judgment. If a party appearsa8 a plaintiffor a defendant upon the abstractof judsplentwhethernamed in the recoveryclause or not his name shouldbe indexed. In the specificcase at hand we assume that the nemee of H. F. Pochyla, JohannaPochyla,StansellBryan, Truetee,J. Ii.Torrance,0. D. Sanders,and Joe HonorableHolvey Williams,Page 4 (0-2630) Headenwere aI1 Pietedas defendantain the jud@mnt the districts1.sb c,f DallasCounty had beforeher when ehe preparedthe abstract. 1,'; f~i',;~$.s and you are advieedthat under Article 5448 the namea of all e,l;ch defe:&c:s shouldbe indexedby the countyclerk. Very truly yaurs mls 0PRi10Ly COlmDRBml Am APPEOVEDm IaMTrED CORFERERCE JE3:Z-W EIVCIDSURE APF'ROVED SEP SDS1940 /a/GeraldC. Mann ATPCFQTEYGEXERALOFTEUS