Tennessee § 67-1-1624 - Willful failure of county clerk to perform duties — Assumption of duties by commissioner.

§ 67-1-1624. Willful failure of county clerk to perform duties — Assumption of duties by commissioner.

Whenever the commissioner has reason to believe that any county clerk or the county clerk's agent or employee has failed, neglected or refused to perform any duty enjoined upon the county clerk by law relative to the collection, accounting for or paying over of any state revenue with the collection of which the county clerk is charged by law, the commissioner shall so notify the comptroller of the treasury and request in writing that an audit be made of such clerk's accounts, whereupon the comptroller of the treasury shall cause such audit to proceed within thirty (30) days. When any audit made by the comptroller of the treasury, whether under this section or otherwise, shall reveal willful failure upon the part of a county clerk to collect lawful state revenue, or to account for or pay over such revenue within the time allowed by law, the comptroller of the treasury shall certify such fact to the commissioner. Thereupon, the commissioner may issue to such clerk a citation by registered mail to appear within ten (10) days before the commissioner and show cause why the county clerk should not be relieved of the duties of collecting, reporting and paying over of such revenue, and all emoluments flowing from those duties. The commissioner is empowered to compel the appearance of witnesses and their testimony, and all parties to such proceeding shall have the right to have issued subpoenas for that purpose. All testimony and exhibits shall be preserved. Witnesses shall be allowed the same fees for attendance and travel as are allowed for witnesses before the circuit court. The commissioner shall provide a transcript of the proceedings before the commissioner in such cases. In the event that it is determined by the commissioner that a county clerk has willfully failed to collect, account for or pay over any such revenue, the commissioner may issue an order divesting such clerk of any or all duties respecting the handling of such revenue during such time as the office of county clerk may be held by such person, together with all emoluments appertaining to the office of county clerk. A copy of such order shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the courthouse of the county served by such clerk, and published for four (4) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in such county. Such order of the commissioner shall be reviewable de novo within ten (10) days upon a petition for statutory certiorari addressed to the chancery court of the county where such county clerk resides, and shall not be superseded pending judicial review. Upon delivery of such order, the clerk shall immediately deliver to the commissioner or the commissioner's agent all state property, moneys, records, reports, forms and the like in the clerk's possession. Failure to do so is a Class C misdemeanor. Each day of such refusal is a separate offense. Following such order, the commissioner shall proceed through the commissioner's own agents and employees to collect state revenues formerly collected by the county clerk, to issue licenses, registrations and the like, and to be solely accountable therefor, as in the case of revenues collectible solely by the commissioner. All statutory fees and emoluments ordinarily inuring to the clerk shall be retained by the commissioner as expendable receipts and used to defray the expenses of collecting state revenues ordinarily collectible by county clerks, and providing public services incidental thereto. Acts 1963, ch. 95, § 1; impl. am. Acts 1978, ch. 934, §§ 22, 36; T.C.A., §§ 67-1628 — 67-1632; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 113. Cross-References. Certified mail in lieu of registered mail, § 1-3-111 . Penalty for Class C misdemeanor, § 40-35-111 . Law Reviews. Criminal Law and Procedure — 1963 Tennessee Survey (Robert E. Kendrick), 17 Vand. L. Rev. 977 (1964).