Transportation code 502.181 states that if the person pays for plates with a bad check, that the license plates may be seized if that person is in that county.

What if the person lives and works in another county, can that county seize the plates on behalf of the county to which the bad check was issued?

I have filed theft by check on these type cases before when the defendant lives in another county and have had good success at either gettting the money or the plates back. It's amazing how the issuance of a warrant often motivates some folks who would otherwise ignore the situation.

My tax collector told me she uses out of county law officers on occassion to collect tags paid for with hot checks in our county. Our sheriff usually calls the other county most often with positive results.

I answered the sheriff in line with your first answer which was also our thoughts in this office. I believe the statute is specific that the person must be in the county the tax collector is in order for it to apply. I also asked Shannon Edmunds, he agreed that a statutory contruction analysis does not seem to lend itself that another county can act on behalf of the county with the bad check. So for now we will tell the sheriff to file theft by check and we will issue a warrant. Thanks for you information.