§ 13A-8-1 Definitions
§ 13A-8-2 Theft of property – Definition; limitations period
§ 13A-8-2.1 Aggravated theft by deception
§ 13A-8-3 Theft of property in the first degree
§ 13A-8-4 Theft of property in the second degree
§ 13A-8-4.1 Theft of property in the third degree
§ 13A-8-5 Theft of property in the fourth degree
§ 13A-8-6 Theft of lost property – Definition
§ 13A-8-7 Theft of lost property in the first degree
§ 13A-8-8 Theft of lost property in the second degree
§ 13A-8-8.1 Theft of lost property in the third degree
§ 13A-8-9 Theft of lost property in the fourth degree
§ 13A-8-10 Theft of services – Definition
§ 13A-8-10.1 Theft of services in the first degree
§ 13A-8-10.2 Theft of services in the second degree
§ 13A-8-10.25 Theft of services in the third degree
§ 13A-8-10.3 Theft of services in the fourth degree
§ 13A-8-10.4 Theft of trademarks or trade secrets
§ 13A-8-10.5 Theft of valor
§ 13A-8-10.6 Cargo theft
§ 13A-8-10.7 Fifth wheel tampering
§ 13A-8-11 Unauthorized use of vehicle; unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle
§ 13A-8-12 Defenses to prosecutions for theft and unauthorized use of vehicle
§ 13A-8-13 Extortion – Definition
§ 13A-8-14 Extortion in the first degree
§ 13A-8-15 Extortion in the second degree
§ 13A-8-16 Receiving stolen property – Definition
§ 13A-8-17 Receiving stolen property in the first degree
§ 13A-8-18 Receiving stolen property in the second degree
§ 13A-8-18.1 Receiving stolen property in the third degree
§ 13A-8-19 Receiving stolen property in the fourth degree
§ 13A-8-20 Bringing stolen property into this state
§ 13A-8-21 Bringing into state property obtained by false pretense elsewhere
§ 13A-8-22 Obscuring identity of vehicle
§ 13A-8-22.1 Advertisement for purchase of a salvage or junk branded motor vehicle
§ 13A-8-23 Tampering with availability of gas, electricity, or water
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Terms Used In Alabama Code > Title 13A > Chapter 8 > Article 1 - Theft and Related Offenses

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Appraisal: A determination of property value.
  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • circuit: means judicial circuit. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
  • Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. Source: OCC
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • following: means next after. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
  • Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. Source: FDIC
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
  • juries: include courts or judges in all cases when a jury trial is waived, or when the court or judge is authorized to ascertain and determine the facts as well as the law. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • month: means a calendar month. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • National Bank: A bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. A national bank can be recognized because it must have "national" or "national association" in its name. Source: OCC
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.
  • personal property: includes money, goods, chattels, things in action and evidence of debt, deeds and conveyances. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
  • preceding: means next before. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • property: includes both real and personal property. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • Puffing: means an exaggerated commendation of wares or services. See Alabama Code 13A-8-1
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • real property: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
  • state: includes any state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See Alabama Code 13A-8-1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • United States: includes the territories thereof and the District of Columbia. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
  • writing: includes typewriting and printing on paper. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • year: means a calendar year; but, whenever the word "year" is used in reference to any appropriations for the payment of money out of the treasury, it shall mean fiscal year. See Alabama Code 1-1-1