Terms Used In Montana Code > Title 2 > Chapter 16 - Public Officers

• action: as used in this chapter , is to be construed, whenever it is necessary to do so, as including a special proceeding of a civil nature. See Montana Code 27-2-101
• Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
• Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
• 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.
• Affidavit: means a sworn written declaration made before an officer authorized to administer oaths or an unsworn written declaration made under penalty of perjury as provided in 1-6-105. See Montana Code 1-1-203
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• 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.
• Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
• Chiropractic physician: means :

  (a)for purposes of the annual assessment under 27-12-206, a person licensed to practice chiropractic under Title 37, chapter 12, who at the time of the assessment:

  (i)has the individual's principal residence or place of chiropractic practice in the state of Montana;

  (ii)is not employed full time by any federal agency or entity; and

  (iii)is not fully retired from the practice of chiropractic; or

  (b)for all other purposes, a person licensed to practice chiropractic under Title 37, chapter 12, who at the time of the occurrence of the incident giving rise to a malpractice claim:

  (i)had the individual's principal residence or place of chiropractic practice in the state of Montana and was not employed full time by any federal agency or entity; or

  (ii)was a professional service corporation, partnership, or other business entity organized under the laws of a state to render chiropractic services and each of whose shareholders, partners, or owners were chiropractic physicians licensed to practice chiropractic under Title 37, chapter 12. See Montana Code 27-12-103

• Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
• 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.
• 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: 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.
• Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• 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.
• Dentist: means :

  (a)for purposes of the assessment of the annual surcharge, an individual licensed to practice dentistry under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 4, who at the time of the assessment:

  (i)has as the individual's principal residence or place of dental practice the state of Montana;

  (ii)is not employed full-time by any federal governmental agency or entity; and

  (iii)is not fully retired from the practice of dentistry; or

  (b)for all other purposes, a person licensed to practice dentistry under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 4, who at the time of the occurrence of the incident giving rise to the claim:

  (i)was an individual who had as the principal residence or place of dental practice the state of Montana and was not employed full-time by any federal governmental agency or entity; or

  (ii)was a professional service corporation, partnership, or other business entity organized under the laws of any state to render dental services and whose shareholders, partners, or owners were individual dentists licensed to practice dentistry under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 4. See Montana Code 27-6-103

• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Director: means the director of the Montana chiropractic legal panel. See Montana Code 27-12-103
• 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:
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Electronic funds transfer: The transfer of money between accounts by consumer electronic systems-such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and electronic payment of bills-rather than by check or cash. (Wire transfers, checks, drafts, and paper instruments do not fall into this category.) ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• 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 Reserve System: The central bank of the United States. The Fed, as it is commonly called, regulates the U.S. monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D.C. (the Board of Governors) and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• 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.
• 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}
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Health care facility: means a facility licensed as a health care facility under Title 50, chapter 5. See Montana Code 27-6-103
• Health care professional: means , for the purposes of this part, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, nursing assistants, chiropractors, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, dentists, dental hygienists, optometrists, medication aides, respiratory therapist practitioners, professional counselors, occupational therapists, midwives, psychologists, and other health care practitioners who are licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized or permitted by the laws of this state to administer health care services in the ordinary course of business or in the practice of a profession, whether paid or unpaid. See Montana Code 27-1-1601
• Health care provider: means and includes, for the purposes of this part, a health care professional, health care facility, home health care facility, assisted living facility, and any other person or facility otherwise authorized or permitted by any federal or state statute, regulation, order, or public health guidance to administer health care services or treatment. See Montana Code 27-1-1601
• Health care provider: means a physician, a dentist, a podiatrist, or a health care facility. See Montana Code 27-6-103
• Hospital: means a hospital as defined in 50-5-101. See Montana Code 27-6-103
• 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}
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• 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}
• Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
• Joint session: When both chambers of a legislature adopt a concurrent resolution to meet together.
• 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.
• Knowingly: means only a knowledge that the facts exist which bring the act or omission within the provisions of this code. See Montana Code 1-1-204
• Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
• Legatee: A beneficiary of a decedent
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Local government: means a city, town, county, consolidated city-county, special district, or school district or a subdivision of one of these entities. See Montana Code 2-6-1002
• Local government records committee: means the committee provided for in 2-6-1201. See Montana Code 2-6-1002
• Malpractice claim: means a claim or potential claim of a claimant against a health care provider for medical or dental treatment, lack of medical or dental treatment, or other alleged departure from accepted standards of health care that proximately results in damage to the claimant, whether the claimant's claim or potential claim sounds in tort or contract, and includes but is not limited to allegations of battery or wrongful death. See Montana Code 27-6-103
• Malpractice claim: means any claim or potential claim against a chiropractic physician for chiropractic treatment, lack of chiropractic treatment, or alleged departure from accepted standards of chiropractic health care that proximately results in damage to the claimant and includes but is not limited to a tort or contract claim or potential claim. See Montana Code 27-12-103
• mental health professional: means :

  (1)a certified professional person as defined in 53-21-106;

  (2)a physician licensed under Title 37, chapter 3;

  (3)a professional counselor licensed under Title 37, chapter 39;

  (4)a psychologist licensed under Title 37, chapter 17;

  (5)a clinical social worker licensed under Title 37, chapter 39;

  (6)an advanced practice registered nurse, as provided for in 37-8-202, with a clinical specialty in psychiatric mental health nursing; or

  (7)a marriage and family therapist licensed under Title 37, chapter 39. See Montana Code 27-1-1101

• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• Oath: includes an affirmation or declaration. See Montana Code 1-1-201
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• 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.
• Panel: means the Montana medical legal panel provided for in 27-6-104. See Montana Code 27-6-103
• Panel: means the Montana chiropractic legal panel created in 27-12-104. See Montana Code 27-12-103
• 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: means an individual, corporation, nonprofit corporation, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, business or similar trust, association, joint venture, place of worship, personal representative, trustee, or any other legal or commercial entity. See Montana Code 27-1-1601
• Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Personal property: means money, goods, chattels, things in action, and evidences of debt. See Montana Code 1-1-205
• Personal protective equipment: includes protective clothing, gloves, face shields, goggles, face masks, respirators, gowns, aprons, coveralls, and other equipment designed to protect the wearer from injury or spread of infection or illness. See Montana Code 27-1-1601
• Physician: means :

  (a)for purposes of the assessment of the annual surcharge, an individual licensed to practice medicine under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 3, who at the time of the assessment:

  (i)has as the individual's principal residence or place of medical practice the state of Montana or practices telemedicine as defined in 37-3-102;

  (ii)is not employed full-time by any federal governmental agency or entity; and

  (iii)is not fully retired from the practice of medicine; or

  (b)for all other purposes, a person licensed to practice medicine under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 3, who at the time of the occurrence of the incident giving rise to the claim:

  (i)was an individual who had as the principal residence or place of medical practice the state of Montana or practiced telemedicine as defined in 37-3-102 and was not employed full-time by any federal governmental agency or entity; or

  (ii)was a professional service corporation, partnership, or other business entity organized under the laws of any state to render medical services and whose shareholders, partners, or owners were individual physicians licensed to practice medicine under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 3. See Montana Code 27-6-103

• 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.
• Plea agreement: An arrangement between the prosecutor, the defense attorney, and the defendant in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for special considerations. ^Source:
• 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.
• Podiatrist: means :

  (a)for purposes of the assessment of the annual surcharge, an individual licensed to practice podiatry under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 6, who at the time of the assessment:

  (i)has as the individual's principal residence or place of podiatric practice the state of Montana;

  (ii)is not employed full-time by any federal governmental agency or entity; and

  (iii)is not fully retired from the practice of podiatry; or

  (b)for all other purposes, a person licensed to practice podiatry under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 6, who at the time of the occurrence of the incident giving rise to the claim:

  (i)was an individual who had as the principal residence or place of podiatric practice the state of Montana and was not employed full-time by any federal governmental agency or entity; or

  (ii)was a professional service corporation, partnership, or other business entity organized under the laws of any state to render podiatric services and whose shareholders, partners, or owners were individual podiatrists licensed to practice podiatry under the provisions of Title 37, chapter 6. See Montana Code 27-6-103

• Political subdivision: means a local government unit including but not limited to a county, city, or town established under authority of Article XI, section 1, of The Constitution of the State of Montana or a school district. See Montana Code 2-16-602
• 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.
• Premises: includes any real property and any appurtenant building or structure, as well as any other location, vehicle, or place, serving a commercial, residential, educational, religious, governmental, cultural, charitable, or health care purpose. See Montana Code 27-1-1601
• 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.
• 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.
• Printing: means the act of reproducing a design on a surface by any process. See Montana Code 1-1-203
• Process: means a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings. See Montana Code 1-1-202
• Property: means real and personal property. See Montana Code 1-1-205
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public agency: means the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of Montana state government, a political subdivision of the state, a local government, and any agency, department, board, commission, office, bureau, division, or other public authority of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the state of Montana. See Montana Code 2-6-1002
• Public health guidance: includes guidance related to covid-19 issued by the following:

  (a)the centers for disease control and prevention of the U. See Montana Code 27-1-1601

• Public information: means information prepared, owned, used, or retained by any public agency relating to the transaction of official business, regardless of form, except for confidential information that must be protected against public disclosure under applicable law. See Montana Code 2-6-1002
• Public office: means a position of duty, trust, or authority created by the constitution or by the legislature or by a political subdivision through authority conferred by the constitution or the legislature that meets the following criteria:

  (a)the position must possess a delegation of a portion of the sovereign power of government to be exercised for the benefit of the public;

  (b)the powers conferred and the duties to be discharged must be defined, directly or impliedly, by the constitution, the legislature, or by a political subdivision through legislative authority;

  (c)the duties must be performed independently and without control of a superior power other than the law, unless the legislature has created the position and placed it under the general control of a superior office or body; and

  (d)the position must have some permanency and continuity and not be only temporary or occasional. See Montana Code 2-16-602

• Public officer: means any person who has been elected or appointed as an officer of state or local government. See Montana Code 2-6-1002
• Public record: means public information that is:

  (a)fixed in any medium and is retrievable in usable form for future reference; and

  (b)designated for retention by the state records committee, judicial branch, legislative branch, or local government records committee. See Montana Code 2-6-1002

• Qualified product: means and includes:

  (a)personal protective equipment and supplies used to treat covid-19 or to prevent the spread of covid-19;

  (b)medical devices, equipment, and supplies used to treat covid-19, including medical devices, equipment, and supplies that are used or modified for an unapproved use to treat covid-19 or to prevent the spread of covid-19;

  (c)medical devices, equipment, and supplies used outside of their normal use to treat covid-19 or to prevent the spread of covid-19;

  (d)medications used to treat covid-19, including medications prescribed or dispensed for off-label use to attempt to treat covid-19;

  (e)tests to diagnose or determine immunity to covid-19; and

  (f)a component of an item described in subsections (8)(a) through (8)(e). See Montana Code 27-1-1601

• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Real property: means lands, tenements, hereditaments, and possessory title to public lands. See Montana Code 1-1-205
• Recess: A temporary interruption of the legislative business.
• 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.
• 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.
• Several: means two or more. See Montana Code 1-1-201
• State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
• State records committee: means the state records committee provided for in 2-6-1107. See Montana Code 2-6-1002
• State-district: means a public service commission district, a legislative representative or senatorial district, or a judicial district. See Montana Code 2-16-602
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Subscribing witness: means a person who sees a writing executed or hears it acknowledged and at the request of the party signs the person's name as a witness. See Montana Code 1-1-203
• subscription: includes the mark of a person who cannot write if the person's name is written near the mark by another person who also signs that person's own name as a witness. See Montana Code 1-1-203
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• 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.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Third persons: means all persons who are not parties to the obligation or transaction concerning which the phrase is used. See Montana Code 1-1-206
• 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.
• 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.
• 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}
• United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
• Usual: means according to usage. See Montana Code 1-1-206
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Willfully: when applied to the intent with which an act is done or omitted, means a purpose or willingness to commit the act or make the omission referred to. See Montana Code 1-1-204
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• Writ: means an order in writing issued in the name of the state or of a court or judicial officer. See Montana Code 1-1-202
• Writing: includes printing. See Montana Code 1-1-203