Opinion No.

Office of the Attorney General — State of Texas John Cornyn The Honorable William C. Sowder Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney P.O. Box 10536 Lubbock, Texas 79408-3536

Re: Whether a county or a surviving relative must provide for the disposition of a deceased pauper's remains, and related questions (RQ-0167-JC)

Dear Mr. Sowder:

Section 694.002 of the Health and Safety Code requires a county commissioners court to "provide for the disposition of the body of" a deceased pauper. See Tex. Health Safety Code Ann. § 694.002 (Vernon Supp. 2000). Section 711.002 of the same code requires a person…