CHAPTER 602. ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS - Texas Statutes

GOVERNMENT CODE

TITLE 6. PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES

SUBTITLE A. PROVISIONS GENERALLY APPLICABLE TO PUBLIC OFFICERS

AND EMPLOYEES

CHAPTER 602. ADMINISTRATION OF OATHS

Sec. 602.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "oath" includes the

oath in an affidavit.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1993.

Sec. 602.002. OATH MADE IN TEXAS. An oath made in this state

may be administered and a certificate of the fact given by:

(1) a judge, retired judge, or clerk of a municipal court;

(2) a judge, retired judge, senior judge, clerk, or commissioner

of a court of record;

(3) a justice of the peace or a clerk of a justice court;

(4) a notary public;

(5) a member of a board or commission created by a law of this

state, in a matter pertaining to a duty of the board or

commission;

(6) a person employed by the Texas Ethics Commission who has a

duty related to a report required by Title 15, Election Code, in

a matter pertaining to that duty;

(7) a county tax assessor-collector or an employee of the county

tax assessor-collector if the oath relates to a document that is

required or authorized to be filed in the office of the county

tax assessor-collector;

(8) the secretary of state or a former secretary of state;

(9) an employee of a personal bond office, or an employee of a

county, who is employed to obtain information required to be

obtained under oath if the oath is required or authorized by

Article 17.04 or by Article 26.04(n) or (o), Code of Criminal

Procedure;

(10) the lieutenant governor or a former lieutenant governor;

(11) the speaker of the house of representatives or a former

speaker of the house of representatives;

(12) the governor or a former governor;

(13) a legislator or retired legislator;

(14) the attorney general or a former attorney general;

(15) the secretary or clerk of a municipality in a matter

pertaining to the official business of the municipality; or

(16) a peace officer described by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal

Procedure, if:

(A) the oath is administered when the officer is engaged in the

performance of the officer's duties; and

(B) the administration of the oath relates to the officer's

duties.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1993. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 19, eff.

Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 325, Sec. 1, eff. May

29, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 638, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30,

1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 653, Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 1999;

Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 514, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts

2001, 77th Leg., ch. 986, Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2001; Acts 2003,

78th Leg., ch. 568, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th

Leg., ch. 1171, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg.,

ch. 1276, Sec. 9.015, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

372, Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007.

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch.

907, Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009.

Sec. 602.003. OATH MADE OUTSIDE TEXAS BUT INSIDE UNITED STATES.

An oath made outside this state but inside the United States or

its territories may be administered and a certificate of the fact

given by:

(1) a clerk of a court of record having a seal;

(2) a commissioner of deeds appointed under a law of this state;

or

(3) a notary public.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1993.

Sec. 602.004. OATH MADE OUTSIDE UNITED STATES. An oath made

outside the United States and its territories may be administered

and a certificate of the fact given by:

(1) a minister, commissioner, or charge d'affaires of the United

States who resides in and is accredited to the country where the

oath or affidavit is made;

(2) a consul-general, consul, vice-consul, commercial agent,

vice-commercial agent, deputy consul, or consular agent of the

United States who resides in the country where the oath or

affidavit is made; or

(3) a notary public.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1993.

Sec. 602.005. OATH MADE BY MEMBER OF ARMED FORCES OR BY MEMBER'S

SPOUSE. (a) A commissioned officer of the United States armed

forces or of a United States armed forces auxiliary may

administer an oath made by a member of the armed forces, a member

of an armed forces auxiliary, or a member's spouse and may give a

certificate of the fact.

(b) Unless there is pleading or evidence to the contrary, a

certificate signed under this section that is offered in evidence

establishes that:

(1) the commissioned officer who signed was a commissioned

officer on the date the officer signed; and

(2) the person who made the oath or affidavit was a member of

the armed forces or an armed forces auxiliary or was a member's

spouse when the oath was made.

(c) An oath is not invalid because the commissioned officer who

certified the oath did not attach an official seal to the

certificate.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1993.

Sec. 602.006. OATH OF OFFICE. An oath of office may be

administered and a certificate of the fact given by a member of

the legislature.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1993.