Terms Used In Delaware Code > Title 11 > Chapter 5 > Subchapter II - Offenses Against the Person

• Administrative tribunal: means a body appointed by the Sussex County Council for the purpose of hearing violations of any ordinance, rule, or regulation enacted pursuant to this chapter. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 7101
• 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.
• 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.
• 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
• 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.
• Building: means a structure having a roof, and intended to shelter persons, animals, property, or business activity. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 7101
• Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses.
• Child: means a person who has not reached the age of 18 years. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Commission: means "County Planning and Zoning Commission of Sussex County" created by this chapter. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 6801
• 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.
• County: means Sussex County. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 6701
• County Engineer: means "County Engineer of Sussex County. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 6801
• County government: means "the county governing body of Sussex County. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 6801
• Criminal youth gang: shall mean a group of 3 or more persons with a gang name or other identifier which either promotes, sponsors, assists in, participates in or requires as a condition of membership submission to group initiation that results in any felony or any class A misdemeanor set forth in this title or Title 16. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 617
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• District: means "corporate boundaries of Sussex County including municipalities which choose to be included in the planning and zoning district. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 6801
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• 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}
• 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.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• 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.
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• 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.
• Identifier: shall mean common identifying signs, symbols, tattoos, markings, graffiti, or attire or other distinguishing characteristics or indicia of gang membership. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 617
• 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.
• minor child: means a person who has not reached the age of 18 years. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Month: means a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• 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.
• Person responsible: means the owner and any other person or persons who have control over the property or are responsible for the violation. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 7101
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Plan: means "comprehensive development plan of the district. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 6801
• President pro tempore: A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Property: means a lot, plot, or parcel of land, including any structures thereon. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 7101
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• real property: is synonymous with the phrase "lands, tenements and hereditaments. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• Revenue bonds: means bonds to the payment of which all or any part of the revenues derived from the operation of any water or sewerage system are pledged in accordance with this chapter. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 6701
• Road: includes any "road" "street" "highway" "freeway" "parkway" or other public thoroughfare. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 6801
• Service charges: means rents, rates, fees or other charges charged or collected under § 6709 of this title. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 6701
• Sewerage system: means the plants, structures and other real and personal property acquired, constructed or operated or to be acquired, constructed or operated by the County for the collection, treatment, purification or disposal in a sanitary manner of any sewage, liquid or solid wastes, night soil or industrial wastes, garbage and storm water, including sewers, conduits, pipelines, mains, pumping and ventilating stations, sewage treatment or disposal system, plants and works, connections and outfalls, and other plants, structures, boats, conveyances, and other real and personal property, and rights therein, appurtenances necessary or useful and convenient for such purposes. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 6701
• State: means the State of Delaware; and when applied to different parts of the United States, it includes the District of Columbia and the several territories and possessions of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Structure: means a manmade object having an ascertainable stationary location on land or in water, whether or not affixed to the land. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 7101
• Student: shall mean any person enrolled in a school grades preschool through 12. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 617
• Sussex County Council: means the Council for Sussex County. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 7101
• 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.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• United States: includes its territories and possessions and the District of Columbia. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Water system: means all real and personal property necessary or useful in the collection, acquisition, treatment, purification, and distribution of water, together with any principal or ancillary rights appurtenant thereto. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 6701
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• Year: means a calendar year, and is equivalent to the words "year of our Lord. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302