§11-81-222. Contents of complaint; order and notice of hearing to show cause why obligations not valid.

(a) The complaint by appropriate allegations, references or exhibits shall briefly state the following: the authority for issuing such obligations; the resolution or resolutions authorizing their issuance and the fact of their adoption and all essential proceedings had or taken in connection therewith; the amount of the obligations to be issued; the maximum rate of interest they are to bear; when principal and interest are to be paid and the place of payment (unless the successful bidder at public sale will have the right to name, designate, request or suggest the place of payment, which shall be stated if this is the case); the taxes, other revenues or other means provided for their payment; and, in the case of obligations payable from taxes, the amount of outstanding indebtedness payable or secured by the same taxes and the assessed valuation for the then preceding tax year of the taxable property in the territory in which said taxes are or will be levied.

(b) The judge of said court shall, on the filing and presentation of said complaint, issue an order against the taxpayers and citizens of each organizing subdivision requiring them to show cause, at a time and place to be designated in said order, which time shall be not less than 20 days nor more than 40 days after the issuance of such order and which place shall be within the county in which the complaint is filed, why said obligations should not be validated and confirmed.

(c) A copy of said complaint and order shall be served (at least 18 days before the date fixed in such order for the hearing) on the district attorney of the county in which such proceedings are pending and on the district attorney of each county which may constitute an organizing subdivision or in which an organizing subdivision may be located. It shall be the duty of each district attorney so served to examine such complaint carefully and, if it appears to him or if he has any reason to believe that such complaint is defective, insufficient or untrue or if it is his opinion that the obligations in question have not been properly authorized or would be in violation of law or that the tax, revenues or other means provided for their payment would not be valid or that any pledge or other covenant or provision for the benefit of said obligations would not be valid, then he shall make such defense thereto as to him shall seem proper. Any officer, agent or employee who has charge, possession, custody or control of any of the books, papers or records of said unit shall, on demand of each such district attorney, exhibit to him for examination said books, papers and records and shall, without cost, furnish to him duly authenticated copies of such books, papers and records which pertain to the proceedings for the issuance of such obligations or which might affect the legality of same or the validity of the tax, revenues or other means provided for their payment, as he shall demand.

(d) Prior to the hearing of said case, the register or clerk of said court shall publish in a newspaper published in each organizing subdivision once each week for at least three weeks before the hearing, the first publication to be at least 18 days before such hearing, a notice addressed to the taxpayers and citizens of each such organizing subdivision requiring them at the time and place specified in the order providing for the hearing of such case to show cause, if any they have, why said obligations, the taxes, revenues or other means provided for their payment and any pledges or other covenants, provisions or agreements for the benefit of said obligations that may be referred to in the complaint should not be validated and confirmed; provided, that if no newspaper shall be published in any organizing subdivision then such notice shall be published as aforesaid in a newspaper published in the county or, if no newspaper is published in the county, then in a newspaper published within the state and having a general circulation in such organizing subdivision. By the publication of such notice all taxpayers and citizens of each organizing subdivision shall become parties defendant to said proceedings, and the court shall have jurisdiction of them the same as if each of them were named individually as party defendants in said complaint and personally served with process.

(Acts 1953, No. 859, p. 1148, §3; Acts 1971, No. 973, p. 1736, §2.)