State National Bank v. Tarrant County

199 S.W.2d 152, 145 Tex. 511
CourtTexas Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 29, 1947
DocketNo. A-1040
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 199 S.W.2d 152 (State National Bank v. Tarrant County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State National Bank v. Tarrant County, 199 S.W.2d 152, 145 Tex. 511 (Tex. 1947).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Sharp

delivered the opinion of the Court.

The cpntrolling question involved here is whether Article 611, Revised Civil Statutes of 1911, empowers a county to call in and redeem funding bonds issued under Article 657, Revised Civil Statutes' of 1911, prior to their respective maturity dates, when the right to redeem before maturity was not reserved either in the bonds themselves or by the orders of the Commismissioners’ Court authorizing their issuance.

The State National Bank of El Paso brought this suit against Tarrant County for a judgment declaring that Tarrant County does not have the right to redeem its 1922 funding bonds prior to their respective maturity dates, and to recover interest accruing from and after April 10, 1944, the date fixed by the County for redemption and discharge of the bonds. The case was tried before the district court without a jury. The judgment of the trial court that plaintiff take nothing by its suit was affirmed by the Court of Civil Appeals. 196 S. W. (2d) 456.

The facts are undisputed. At an election held in Tarrant County on December 12, 1911, the property taxpayers of the county voted to authorize the Commissioners’ Court to issue road and bridge bonds. Pursuant to that authority, the County issued its road and bridge bonds in amount $1,600,000, bearing 5% interest per annum, dated April 10, 1912, maturing April 10, 1952, with option of redemption at any time after April 10, 1922. These bonds were voted and issued under authority of Articles 605-615, Revised Civil Statutes of 1911.

[513]*513In 1922 the County Commissioners’ Court of Tarrant County issued road and bridge funding bonds in the amount of $1,200,-000, for the purpose of redeeming and cancelling the bonds issued April 10, 1912. The funding bonds bore 4 3/4% interest, were dated November 1, 1922, and by their terms matured serially from April 10, 1923, to April 10, 1952. It is undisputed that these bonds were issued under authority of Article 657, Revised Civil Statutes of 1911. They were issued by order of the County Commissioners’ Court, no vote of the taxpayers being required. ,

In 1944 $360,000.00 of the 1922 bonds remained outstanding. On March 7, 1944, the County Commissioners’ Court passed an order calling for the redemption of the outstanding bonds on April 10, 1944, by payment of $210,000.00, which the County had in cash, and by the issuance of $150,000.00 in funding bonds, bearing 1 1/2% interest. The County issued the requisite notices to the bondholders of its intention to call in and pay off the 1922 funding bonds, and did make available the necessary funds with which to redeem all of the outstanding bonds.

Neither the 1922 funding bonds nor the orders of the Commissioners’ Court authorizing their issuance reserved the right to redeem them prior to their maturity dates. If, therefore, the County has a right to redeem them at this time, such authority must be given by statute.

The State National Bank of El Paso refused to surrender the twenty-two $1,000.00 bonds held by it, and which it purchased in 1942 for the sum of $27,564.75, contending that Article 657, under which the 1922 funding bonds were issued, does not give the County the right to redeem them prior to their respective maturity dates. On the other hand, the County contends that Article 611,- Revised Civil Statutes of 1911, gives it the right and power to redeem the funding bonds “at the pleasure of the County at any time” after ten years. Petitioner replied that Article 611, the redemption statute, can have no application to funding bonds issued under Article 657, for the reason that Article 611 applies only to bonds issued under Chapter 1 of Title 18, whereas Article 657, the funding statute, is a part of Chapter 3 of title 18.

The bonds in controversy were issued in 1922, and the law, as it existed at that time, fixed the contract rights of the County and its bondholders. A brief review of the pertinent articles of [514]*514the statutes as they existed in 1922 will be helpful, and is as follows:

Chapter 1 of Title 18, Revised Civil Statutes of 1911, contains the general provisions and regulations as to the issuance of bonds by counties, towns, etc. Article 605 lays down the requisite rule to be followéd in the issuance of bonds, and provides that before any county can issue bonds they must be authorized by a majority of the qualified voters voting in an election held regarding the issuance of such bonds. Article 606 states the form of the ballot to be used. Article 607 describes how the time and place of the election shall be-determined. Article 608 provides: “The preceding articles of this chapter shall not apply to funding bonds issued, or to be issued, for the funding of any valid outstanding bonds of such county * *

Articles 610 and 611 of Chapter 1 are important to a decision of this case, and they are copied in full below:

“Art. 610. Courthouse, jail and bridge bonds, authorized.— The county commissioners’ court of any county in this state is hereby authorized and empowered to issue the bonds of said county for the following purposes:
“1. For the erection of a county courthouse and jail, or either.
“2. For purchasing or constructing bridges for public purposes, within the county or across a stream that constitutes a boundary line of the county, or for the purpose of improving and maintaining the public roads in the county; provided, that this article shall not be construed as authorizing the commissioners’ court to issue bonds for any of the said purposes without submitting the same to a vote of the people of said county as provided in the preceding articles of this chapter; provided, further, that when the commissioners’ court deem it advisable to issue bonds for both the purchase or construction of bridges, and the improvement and maintenance of the public roads, both questions may be submitted and voted on as one proposition. (Acts 1893, p. 112. Acts 1903, 1 S. S., p. 9.)”
“Art. 611. To run not exceeding forty years; redeemable when. — All bonds issued under this chapter shall run not exceeding forty years, and shall be redeemable at the pleasure of the county at any time after five years after the issuance of the bonds, or after any period not exceeding ten years, which may be fixed by the commissioners’ court. (Acts 1893, p. 112.).”
Chapter 3 of Title 18 of the Revised Civil Statutes of 1911 [515]*515prescribe how the funding, refunding, and compromise of indebtedness incurred by counties, towns, etc., may be accomplished.

Article 657 reads:

“Art. 657. Old bonds of legal issue may be substituted by new. — Where bonds have been legally issued, or may be hereafter issued, by any county for any of the purposes named in article 610, new bonds bearing the same or a lower rate of interest may be issued in conformity with existing law, in lieu thereof. (Acts 1893, p. 112. Acts 1901, p. 16.)”

Article 663 reads:

“Art. 663. Classification of bond issues. — Separate classes of bonds shall be issued to refund or settle, respectively, each separate issue of outstanding bonds, and to fund or settle, respectively, the indebtedness against each particular fund.”

Article 668 reads:

“Art. 668. Terms of bonds, etc.

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Bluebook (online)
199 S.W.2d 152, 145 Tex. 511, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-national-bank-v-tarrant-county-tex-1947.