TITLE attorney-general

Opinion

Opinion No. JC-0404.

The Honorable Michael A. McDougal, Montgomery County District Attorney, 301 North Thompson, Suite 106, Conroe, Texas 77301-2824, regarding meaning of the term "recording" in Code of Criminal Procedure article 27.18, providing for acceptance of pleas and waivers by closed circuit video teleconferencing (RQ-0348-JC) .

S U M M A R Y.

When a court accepts a plea or waiver of a defendant's right by closed circuit video teleconferencing pursuant to Code of Criminal Procedure article 27.18, a video recording of the communication must be made and preserved until all appellate proceedings have been disposed of. The record preservation requirement for video recordings in article 27.18(c) does not conflict with the record preservation requirements for court reporters' notes in Government Code section 52.046 and rule 13.6 of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, because the latter two provisions deal with different records. Both the recording required by article 27.18 and the court reporter's stenographic notes must be kept. However, the official court reporter need not attend the portion of the proceedings conducted by video conferencing to make a written record of it if the parties decide that this is unnecessary.

For further information, please contact the Opinion Committee at (512) 463-2110.

TRD-200104754

Rick Gilpin

Assistant Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

Filed: August 15, 2001


Request for Opinions

RQ-0408-JC.

The Honorable John F. Healey, Fort Bend County District Attorney, 301 Jackson, Room 101, Richmond, Texas 77469, regarding authority of a justice of the peace to sentence a juvenile to detention for contempt, and related questions (Request No. 0408-JC).

Briefs requested by September 7, 2001.

RQ-0409-JC.

Ms. Daisy Stiner, Executive Director, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, 507 Sabine, Suite 400, Austin, Texas 78711-3941, regarding constitutionality of amendments to chapter 2306, Government Code, which relate to conflicts of interest and ex parte communications involving officials of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (Request No. 0409-JC).

Briefs requested by September 8, 2001.

RQ-0410-JC.

The Honorable Charles D. Penick, Criminal District Attorney, Bastrop County, 804 Pecan Street Bastrop, Texas 78602, regarding whether a county that contracts with an attorney for the collection of delinquent taxes may accept a gift from that attorney (Request No. 0410-JC).

Briefs requested by September10, 2001.

RQ-0411-JC.

The Honorable Kim Brimer Chair, Business & Industry Committee, Texas House of Representatives, P.O. Box 2910, Austin, Texas 78768-2910, regarding constitutionality of a ban on testimonials in advertising by health care professionals (Request No. 0411-JC).

Briefs requested by September 8, 2001.

For further information, please call the Opinion Committee at (512) 463-2110.

TRD-200104755

Susan D. Gusky

Assistant Attorney General

Office of the Attorney General

Filed: August 15, 2001