AG declines to issue opinion on Johnson County sheriff’s eligibility to serve
The Texas attorney general declined Friday to issue a formal opinion on whether the suspension of Johnson County Sheriff Adam King’s peace officer license disqualifies him from continuing in his role.
Timothy Good, the district attorney for Johnson and Somervell counties, requested an opinion from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Oct. 9 regarding that issue and also on how the loss of King’s license affects his deputies.
“We typically decline to issue attorney general opinions that intersect with pending litigation ... and will not deviate from that practice here,” the reply from Paxton’s office to both queries states.
King, who is in his third term, is accused of making repeated and unwelcome sexually charged remarks toward female employees, showing favoritism to women who spent time alone with him, and threatening his chief deputy to stay quiet about it, according to court documents.
A grand jury indicted the 57-year-old sheriff on two felony counts of retaliation against a witness and one misdemeanor count of abuse of office related to sexual harassment in August. On Oct. 1, he was indicted on one count of aggravated perjury.
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement suspended King’s peace officer license on Sept. 9, according to online records. King placed himself on administrative leave in August, but was given permission by a judge to resume his law enforcement duties on a restricted basis following an Oct. 2 court hearing in the criminal case.
Good argued in a supplemental brief he sent to Paxton on Oct. 20 that the loss of King’s license makes him ineligible to serve as sheriff.
“The Texas legislature sought to specifically disqualify any sheriff from continuing to serve in that position should he be unable to maintain an active permanent peace officer license or qualify by previous service as a federal agent or in the military,” the brief states. “Thus, Johnson County Sheriff Adam King cannot serve as Sheriff as long as his license is suspended.”
King’s attorneys say the sheriff was notified by TCOLE that he’s allowed to continue serving in the role.
“According to TCOLE he retains the ability to perform administrative duties such as the appointment of deputies and is still considered a peace officer,” County Attorney Bill Moore told Johnson County officials in an Oct. 10 email.
King has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
This story was originally published November 21, 2025 at 3:53 PM.
