2009 California Government Code - Section 24100-24105 :: Chapter 3. Deputies

24100.  Whenever the official name of any principal officer is used
in any law conferring power or imposing duties or liabilities, it
includes deputies.

24101.  Every county or district officer, except a supervisor or
judicial officer, may appoint as many deputies as are necessary for
the prompt and faithful discharge of the duties of his office.

24102.  An appointee shall not act as deputy until:
   (a) A written appointment by the deputy's principal is filed with
the county clerk.
   (b) A copy of the appointment is filed with the county auditor, if
the auditor has so requested.
   (c) The deputy has taken the oath of office.
   A revocation of the appointment of any deputy shall be made and
filed in the same manner as the appointment.
   Five years after the date of revocation of appointment of a
deputy, the written oath of office subscribed to by such deputy may
be destroyed and no reproduction thereof need be made or preserved.

24104.  A county officer shall not be appointed or act as a deputy
of another officer of the same county for compensation, except if his
pay is less than one hundred fifty ($150) a month.

24105.  If the office of any of the county officers enumerated in
Section 24000 of this code is vacant the duties of such office may be
temporarily discharged by a chief deputy, assistant or deputy of
such officer, as the case may be, next in authority to such county
officer in office at the time the vacancy occurs, with like authority
and subject to the same obligations and penalties as such county
officer, until the vacancy in the office is filled in the manner
provided by law; provided that if the vacancy occurs in the office of
sheriff, the duties of such office shall be discharged by the
undersheriff, or if that position is vacant, by the assistant
sheriff, or if that position is also vacant, by the chief deputy next
in line of authority.