Terms Used In California Codes > Code of Civil Procedure > Part 2 > Title 5 > Chapter 4 - Service of Summons

• Abstract of judgment: In a federal criminal proceeding, A certification from a U.S. District Court clerk that a judgment of restitution was entered against the defendant owing to the victim. If the defendant inherits, owns, or sells real property or holdings, these assets can then be attached at the state and local levels as well.
• Access area: means any paved walkway or sidewalk which is within 50 feet of an automated teller machine. See California Financial Code 13020
• Act: means this chapter. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• advertisement: means any communication, disseminated by television or radio, by any print medium, including, but not limited to, newspapers and billboards, or by means of a mailing directed generally to members of the public and not to a specific person, that solicits employment of legal services provided by a licensee, and is directed to the general public and is paid for by, or on the behalf of, an attorney. See California Business and Professions Code 6157
• 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.
• Affiliated company: as used in this division , is a company under substantially the same management or control, directly or indirectly, as the industrial loan company. See California Financial Code 18011
• Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
• Affix: means physically attached to or imprinting an electronic validation to a license document. See California Fish and Game Code 16
• Agency: means the Labor and Workforce Development Agency. See California Labor Code 18.5
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
• Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
• Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
• 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.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• 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
• Approved safety pool cover: means a manually or power-operated safety pool cover that meets all of the performance standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), in compliance with standard F1346-91. See California Health and Safety Code 115921
• Aquaculture: means that form of agriculture devoted to the propagation, cultivation, maintenance, and harvesting of aquatic plants and animals in marine, brackish, and fresh water. See California Fish and Game Code 17
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Assets: as used in this division , means all assets excluding intangibles. See California Financial Code 18017
• Association: means any corporation organized under this part. See California Corporations Code 13202
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Attorney-at-law: A person who is legally qualified and licensed to practice law, and to represent and act for clients in legal proceedings.
• Automated teller machine: means any electronic information processing device located in California which accepts or dispenses cash in connection with a credit, deposit, or convenience account. See California Financial Code 13020
• Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• Baseline: Projection of the receipts, outlays, and other budget amounts that would ensue in the future without any change in existing policy. Baseline projections are used to gauge the extent to which proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would alter current spending and revenue levels.
• Bequest: Property gifted by will.
• Bird: means a wild bird or part of a wild bird. See California Fish and Game Code 22
• Board: means the county board of supervisors acting as the governing authority of a county service area. See California Government Code 25210.2
• Branch office: means any additional physical location, other than the principal place of business of a licensee, where any locksmith service is provided. See California Business and Professions Code 6980
• Bureau: means the Bureau of Household Goods and Services. See California Business and Professions Code 9801
• Bureau: means the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau within the Department of Consumer Affairs, established pursuant to Section 6510. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• Bureau: means the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. See California Business and Professions Code 6980
• Bycatch: includes discards. See California Fish and Game Code 90.5
• Byproduct material: means any radioactive material, except special nuclear material, yielded in, or made radioactive by exposure to the radiation incident to, the process of producing or utilizing special nuclear material. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• Cable television operator: means the person or entity providing cable television services through the cable television system. See California Government Code 53054.2
• Candlefoot power: means the light intensity of candles on a horizontal plane at 36 inches above ground level and five feet in front of the area to be measured. See California Financial Code 13020
• Capital: as used in this division , consists of all of the following:

  California Financial Code 18018

• Capital Stock: as used in this division , means one-class voting common stock. See California Financial Code 18019
• Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
• Chambers: A judge's office.
• Charges: as used in this division , include the aggregate interest, fees, bonuses, commissions, brokerage, discounts, expenses, and other forms of costs charged, contracted for, or received by an industrial loan company or any other person in connection with the investigating, arranging, negotiating, procuring, guaranteeing, making, servicing, collecting, or enforcing of a loan, or for forbearance of money, credit, goods, things in action, or any other service or services rendered. See California Financial Code 18007
• Chief: means the Chief of the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. See California Business and Professions Code 6980
• City: includes "city and county" and "incorporated town" but does not include "unincorporated town" or "village. See California Government Code 20
• City: includes city and county. See California Business and Professions Code 18
• City: includes incorporated city, city and county, municipal corporation, municipality, town and incorporated town. See California Financial Code 13
• Civil engineer: as used in this chapter means a professional engineer in the branch of civil engineering and refers to one who practices or offers to practice civil engineering in any of its phases. See California Business and Professions Code 6702
• Client: means an individual who is served by a professional fiduciary. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• Commission: means the Fish and Game Commission, and "commissioner" means a member of the Fish and Game Commission. See California Fish and Game Code 30
• Commissioner: means any county agricultural commissioner. See California Food and Agricultural Code 26
• Committee: means the Professional Fiduciaries Advisory Committee, as established pursuant to Section 6511. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• 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.
• company: as used in this division means a premium finance agency as defined in Section 18560. See California Financial Code 18003
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: as used in this part means a corporation which is organized under, or subject to this part, including a central organization. See California Corporations Code 12232
• 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.
• County: includes city and county. See California Government Code 19
• County: includes "city and county. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14
• County: includes city and county. See California Health and Safety Code 14
• County: includes "city and county. See California Labor Code 14
• County: includes city and county. See California Business and Professions Code 17
• County: includes "city and county. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• County: includes "city and county. See California Corporations Code 14
• County: includes city and county. See California Fish and Game Code 32
• County: includes city and county. See California Financial Code 14
• County: includes city and county. See California Food and Agricultural Code 29
• county psychiatric hospital: means the hospital, ward, or facility provided by the county pursuant to the provisions of Section 7100. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 7101
• County service area: means a county service area formed pursuant to this chapter or any of its statutory predecessors. See California Government Code 25210.2
• creditor: means the state or the department or agency of the state seeking to collect the liability. See California Code of Civil Procedure 688.040
• custody: means the legal right to custody of the child unless that right is held jointly by two or more persons, in which case "custody" means the physical custody of the child by one of the persons sharing the right to custody. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 17.1
• Customer: means a natural person to whom an access device has been issued for personal, family, or household use. See California Financial Code 13020
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• debtor: means the debtor from whom the liability is sought to be collected. See California Code of Civil Procedure 688.040
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• decontamination: as used in this chapter , means the reduction of the level of contamination from radioactive material to the level that the department determines is reasonably necessary to eliminate the hazard to public health that is caused by the contamination of any object, building, structure, or premises. See California Health and Safety Code 115180
• 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.
• Defense attorney: Represent defendants in criminal matters.
• Defined parking area: means that portion of any parking area open for customer parking which is (1) contiguous to an access area with respect to an automated teller machine. See California Financial Code 13020
• department: means State Department of Health Services. See California Health and Safety Code 20
• Department: means Department of Industrial Relations. See California Labor Code 19
• Department: means the Department of Consumer Affairs. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• Department: means the Department of Consumer Affairs. See California Business and Professions Code 6980
• Department: means the Department of Fish and Wildlife. See California Fish and Game Code 37
• Department: means the State Department of Health Services. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• Department: means the Department of Food and Agriculture. See California Food and Agricultural Code 32
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• depressed: means the condition of a fishery that exhibits declining fish population abundance levels below those consistent with maximum sustainable yield. See California Fish and Game Code 90.7
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• Digital signature: means an electronic identifier, created by computer, intended by the party using it to have the same force and effect as the use of a manual signature. See California Government Code 16.5
• Director: means "State Director of Health Services. See California Health and Safety Code 21
• Director: means the Director of Consumer Affairs. See California Business and Professions Code 9801
• Director: means Director of Industrial Relations. See California Labor Code 20
• Director: means the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs. See California Business and Professions Code 6980
• Director: means the Director of Fish and Wildlife. See California Fish and Game Code 39
• Director: means the State Director of Health Services. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• Directors: means natural persons, designated in the articles or bylaws or elected by the incorporators, and their successors and natural persons designated, elected, or appointed by any other name or title to act as members of the governing body of the corporation. See California Corporations Code 12233
• 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:
• District: means fish and game district. See California Fish and Game Code 41
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Electrical engineer: as used in this chapter means a professional engineer in the branch of electrical engineering and refers to one who practices or offers to practice electrical engineering in any of its phases. See California Business and Professions Code 6702.1
• 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}
• Employee: means an individual who works for an employer, is listed on the employer's payroll records, and is under the employer's direction and control. See California Business and Professions Code 6980
• Employer: means a person who employs an individual for wages or salary, lists the individual on the employer's payroll records, and withholds all legally required deductions and contributions. See California Business and Professions Code 6980
• Enclosure: means a fence, wall, or other barrier that isolates a swimming pool from access to the home. See California Health and Safety Code 115921
• Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Escheat: Reversion of real or personal property to the state when 1) a person dies without leaving a will and has no heirs, or 2) when the property (such as a bank account) has been inactive for a certain period of time. ^{Source: OCC}
• Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
• escrow agent: as used in this division includes joint control agents and Internet escrow agents. See California Financial Code 17005.6
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executive session: A portion of the Senate's daily session in which it considers executive business.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Exit alarms: means devices that make audible, continuous alarm sounds when any door or window, that permits access from the residence to the pool area that is without any intervening enclosure, is opened or is left ajar. See California Health and Safety Code 115921
• Fair Credit Reporting Act: A federal law, established in 1971 and revised in 1997, that gives consumers the right to see their credit records and correct any mistakes. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: A government corporation that insures the deposits of all national and state banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Fish: means a wild fish, mollusk, crustacean, invertebrate, amphibian, or part, spawn, or ovum of any of those animals. See California Fish and Game Code 45
• Fishery: means both of the following:

  California Fish and Game Code 94

• Fishery products: includes fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and marine products for human consumption. See California Corporations Code 13202
• Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. ^{Source: OCC}
• Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Funded debt: as used in this chapter , means all interest-bearing indebtedness of a corporation not maturing within one year of the date the indebtedness was incurred. See California Financial Code 800
• Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• High-level radioactive waste: means either of the following:

  California Health and Safety Code 114985

• Hours of darkness: means the period that commences 30 minutes after sunset and ends 30 minutes before sunrise. See California Financial Code 13020
• In forma pauperis: In the manner of a pauper. Permission given to a person to sue without payment of court fees on claim of indigence or poverty.
• 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.
• Instrument: as used in this chapter , means a written paper signed by a person or persons transferring the title to, or giving a lien on real property, or giving a right to a debt or duty. See California Government Code 27279
• Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. ^{Source: OCC}
• Interrogatories: Written questions asked by one party of an opposing party, who must answer them in writing under oath; a discovery device in a lawsuit.
• Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
• Ionizing radiation: means gamma rays and X-rays. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
• 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.
• Juror: A person who is on the jury.
• Lawyer: means a licensee of the State Bar or a person who is admitted in good standing and eligible to practice before the bar of any United States court or the highest court of the District of Columbia or any state, territory, or insular possession of the United States, or is licensed to practice law in, or is admitted in good standing and eligible to practice before the bar of the highest court of, a foreign country or any political subdivision thereof, and includes any agent of the lawyer, law firm, or law corporation doing business in the state. See California Business and Professions Code 6157
• 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}
• legislative body: means the board of supervisors in the case of a county or a city and county, the city council or board of trustees in the case of a city, and the board of directors or other governing body in the case of a district or other public agency, unless the context otherwise requires. See California Government Code 53000
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• license: means license, certificate, registration, or other means to engage in a business or profession regulated by this code or referred to in Section 1000 or 3600. See California Business and Professions Code 23.7
• Licensee: means a licensee in good standing of the State Bar and includes any agent of the licensee and any law firm or law corporation doing business in the State of California. See California Business and Professions Code 6157
• Licensee: means any person authorized by a license, certificate, registration, or other means to engage in a business or profession regulated by this code or referred to in Sections 1000 and 3600. See California Business and Professions Code 23.8
• Licensee: means a person who is licensed under this chapter as a professional fiduciary. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• Licensee: means a business entity, whether an individual, partnership, or corporation, licensed under this chapter. See California Business and Professions Code 6980
• Licensing board: means any board, as defined in Section 22, the State Bar of California, and the Department of Real Estate. See California Business and Professions Code 30
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• lifeguard service: as used in this article , means the attendance at a public swimming pool, during periods of use, of one or more lifeguards who possess, as minimum qualifications, current certificates from an American Red Cross or YMCA of the U. See California Health and Safety Code 116028
• Lifeguard services: includes the supervision of the safety of participants in water-contact activities by lifeguards who are providing swimming lessons, coaching or overseeing water-contact sports, or providing water safety instructions to participants when no other persons are using the facilities unless those persons are supervised by separate lifeguard services. See California Health and Safety Code 116028
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• local agency formation commission: means a local agency formation commission that operates in the county pursuant to the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000, Division 3 (commencing with Section 56000) of Title 5. See California Government Code 25210.2
• Lock: means any mechanical, electromechanical, electronic, or electromagnetic device, or similar device, including any peripheral hardware, that is designed to control access from one area to another, or that is designed to control the use of a device, including, but not limited to, a safe, vault, or safe deposit box. See California Business and Professions Code 6980
• Locksmith: means any person who, for any consideration or compensation whatsoever, engages, directly or indirectly and as a primary or secondary object, in the business of rekeying, installing, repairing, opening, modifying locks, or who originates keys for locks, including, but not limited to, electronic cloning of transponder keys and any other electronic programming of automotive keys and electronic operating devices, such as key fobs, door and ignition key devices, and successive electronic and other high-security key technology. See California Business and Professions Code 6980
• Mammal: means a wild or feral mammal or part of a wild or feral animal, but not a wild, feral, or undomesticated burro. See California Fish and Game Code 54
• Mammogram: means an X-ray image of the human breast. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• Mammography: means the procedure for creating a mammogram. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• Mammography quality assurance: means the detection of a change in X-ray and ancillary equipment that adversely affects the quality of films and the glandular radiation dose, and the correction of this change. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• Marine living resources: includes all wild mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and plants that normally occur in or are associated with salt water, and the marine habitats upon which these animals and plants depend for their continued viability. See California Fish and Game Code 96
• Mechanical engineer: as used in this chapter means a professional engineer in the branch of mechanical engineering and refers to one who practices or offers to practice mechanical engineering in any of its phases. See California Business and Professions Code 6702.2
• Member: includes members of associations without capital stock and holders of common stock in associations organized with shares of stock. See California Corporations Code 13202
• Mile: means either a statute mile (5,280 feet) or a nautical mile (6,077 feet) depending on the application. See California Fish and Game Code 55
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgage loan: A loan made by a lender to a borrower for the financing of real property. ^{Source: OCC}
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• Native reptiles: as used in this chapter means snakes, lizards, turtles, or any other members of the class reptilia native to California. See California Fish and Game Code 5060
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• Notice: includes all papers and orders required to be served in any proceedings before any court, board, or officer, or when required by law to be served independently of such proceeding. See California Government Code 26660
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Oath: includes affirmation. See California Financial Code 16
• 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.
• Official record: means the permanent archival record of all instruments, papers, and notices as accepted for recording by a county recorder. See California Government Code 27300
• Operator: means any bank, savings association, credit union, industrial loan company, savings bank, or other business entity, or any person who operates an automated teller machine. See California Financial Code 13020
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• owner of land: means all of the following:

  California Government Code 25210.2

• 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 any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, or company. See California Government Code 17
• Person: means any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, limited liability company, or company. See California Health and Safety Code 19
• Person: means any person, association, organization, partnership, business trust, limited liability company, or corporation. See California Labor Code 18
• Person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Person: means any individual, firm, company, association, organization, partnership, or corporation. See California Business and Professions Code 6980
• Person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Corporations Code 18
• Person: means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm, association, trust, estate, public or private institution, group, agency, political subdivision of this state, any other state or political subdivision or agency thereof, and any legal successor, representative, agent, or agency of the foregoing, other than the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the United States Department of Energy, or any successor thereto, and other than federal government agencies licensed by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, under prime contract to the United States Department of Energy, or any successor thereto. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• Person: includes any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, limited liability company, syndicate, estate, trust, business trust, or organization of any kind. See California Financial Code 18
• Person: means any natural person or any partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust, or other type of association. See California Fish and Game Code 67
• Person: means any individual, partnership, association, corporation, limited liability company, or any organized group of persons whether incorporated or not. See California Food and Agricultural Code 38
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
• pool: means any structure intended for swimming or recreational bathing that contains water over 18 inches deep. See California Health and Safety Code 115921
• Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
• 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.
• Process: includes a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings of either a civil or criminal nature. See California Government Code 22
• Process: signifies a writ or summons issued in the course of a judicial proceeding. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Process: includes all writs, warrants, summons, and orders of courts of justice, or judicial officers. See California Government Code 26660
• Professional fiduciary: means either of the following:

  California Business and Professions Code 6501

• Property: includes both personal and real property. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
• Public entity: means the state, a county, city, district, public authority, public agency, and any other political subdivision in the state. See California Code of Civil Procedure 708.710
• Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• Public record: means a record that is in an electronic format and is an exact copy of an official record except that any social security number contained in the copied record is truncated. See California Government Code 27300
• Public swimming pool: as used in this article , means any public swimming pool, bathhouse, public swimming and bathing place and all related appurtenances. See California Health and Safety Code 116025
• Purchase: means "buy" as defined in Section 24. See California Fish and Game Code 68
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Radiologic Technology Act: means Sections 106965 to 107115, inclusive, and Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 114840) of Part 9 of Division 104. See California Health and Safety Code 27
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Registrant: means an employee registered pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. See California Business and Professions Code 6980
• Registration: means the reporting of possession of a source of radiation and the furnishing of information with respect thereto, in accordance with subdivision (b) of Section 115060. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• related: means related by blood, adoption, marriage, or registered domestic partnership. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• 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.
• Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
• Resident: means any person who has resided continuously in the State of California for six months or more immediately prior to the date of application for a license or permit, any person on active military duty with the Armed Forces of the United States or auxiliary branch thereof, or any person enrolled in the Job Corps established pursuant to former Section 2883 of Title 29 of the United States Code. See California Fish and Game Code 70
• Resort: as used in this article , means a resort, bathhouse, or other public place for the purpose of accommodating bathers, bordering upon or adjoining the seacoast or a lake where the public resort for the purpose of bathing in the open sea or lake. See California Health and Safety Code 115975
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• season: means "open season. See California Fish and Game Code 62
• Secretary: means the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development. See California Labor Code 19.5
• Secretary: means the Secretary of the Resources Agency. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• Secretary: means the Secretary of Food and Agriculture. See California Food and Agricultural Code 35
• Sell: includes offer for sale, expose for sale, possess for sale, exchange, barter, or trade. See California Food and Agricultural Code 44
• Sell: includes offer or possess for sale, barter, exchange, or trade. See California Fish and Game Code 75
• Service contractor: means a service contract administrator or a service contract seller. See California Business and Professions Code 9855
• Service dealer: means a person who, for compensation, engages in, or holds themselves out to the public as offering services in the business of:

  California Business and Professions Code 9801

• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
• Sheriff: includes marshal. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Special nuclear material: means (1) plutonium, uranium 233, uranium enriched in the isotope 233 or in the isotope 235, and any other material which the department declares by rule to be special nuclear material after the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or any successor thereto, has determined the material to be such, but does not include source material. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• Specific license: means a license, issued after application, to use, manufacture, produce, transfer, receive, acquire, own, or possess quantities of, or devices or equipment utilizing, byproduct, source, or special nuclear materials or other radioactive material occurring naturally or produced artificially. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• Spent nuclear fuel: means fuel that has been withdrawn from a nuclear reactor following irradiation, the constituent elements of which have not been separated by reprocessing. See California Health and Safety Code 114985
• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 12.2
• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Business and Professions Code 14.2
• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Government Code 18
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Health and Safety Code 23
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Education Code 77
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Business and Professions Code 21
• State: includes the District of Columbia and the territories when applied to the different parts of the United States, and the words "United States" may include the district and territories. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• State: means the State of California. See California Code of Civil Procedure 708.710
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Fish and Game Code 83
• State agency: means a state office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, commission or agency claims against which are paid by warrants drawn by the Controller. See California Code of Civil Procedure 708.710
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which that term occurs, unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Business and Professions Code 15
• Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which that term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Fish and Game Code 73
• Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which that term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Food and Agricultural Code 49
• Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which the term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Government Code 10
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• subscription: includes mark when the signer or subscriber can not write, such signer's or subscriber's name being written near the mark by a witness who writes his own name near the signer's or subscriber's name. See California Labor Code 17
• Suction outlet: means a fitting or fixture typically located at the bottom or on the sides of a swimming pool that conducts water to a recirculating pump. See California Health and Safety Code 115921
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Swimming pool: includes in-ground and aboveground structures and includes, but is not limited to, hot tubs, spas, portable spas, and nonportable wading pools. See California Health and Safety Code 115921
• Take: means hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill. See California Fish and Game Code 86
• Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
• Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
• Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
• Transport: includes offer or receive for transportation. See California Fish and Game Code 88
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Trial jury: A group of citizens who hear the evidence presented by both sides at trial and determine the facts in dispute. Federal criminal juries consist of 12 persons. Federal civil juries consist of six persons.
• Truncate: means to redact the first five digits of a social security number. See California Government Code 27300
• Truncated social security number: means a social security number that displays only the last four digits of the number. See California Government Code 27300
• Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Trustor: The person who makes or creates a trust. Also known as the grantor or settlor.
• Truth in Lending Act: The Truth in Lending Act is a federal law that requires lenders to provide standardized information so that borrowers can compare loan terms. In general, lenders must provide information on ^{Source: OCC}
• Uniform Commercial Code: A set of statutes enacted by the various states to provide consistency among the states' commercial laws. It includes negotiable instruments, sales, stock transfers, trust and warehouse receipts, and bills of lading. ^{Source: OCC}
• Uphold: The decision of an appellate court not to reverse a lower court decision.
• User fees: Fees charged to users of goods or services provided by the government. In levying or authorizing these fees, the legislature determines whether the revenue should go into the treasury or should be available to the agency providing the goods or services.
• Usury: Charging an illegally high interest rate on a loan. ^{Source: OCC}
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Video provider: means any person, company, or service which provides one or more channels of video programming to a residence, including a home, condominium, apartment, or mobilehome, where some fee is paid, whether directly or as included in dues or rental charges, for that service, whether or not public rights-of-way are utilized in the delivery of the video programming. See California Government Code 53054.2
• Voter: means a voter as defined by §. See California Government Code 25210.2
• Wildlife: means and includes all wild animals, birds, plants, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and related ecological communities, including the habitat upon which the wildlife depends for its continued viability. See California Fish and Game Code 89.5
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• Writing: includes any form of recorded message capable of comprehension by ordinary visual means. See California Financial Code 8
• Zone: means a zone formed pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 25217). See California Government Code 25210.2