Terms Used In Oregon Statutes > Chapter 249 > Major Political Party Nominations and Nominations to Nonpartisan Office > Generally

• 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.
• Candidate: means an individual whose name is or is expected to be printed on the official ballot or a write-in candidate. See Oregon Statutes 249.002
• City: includes any incorporated village or town. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• 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.
• County clerk: means the county clerk or the county official in charge of elections. See Oregon Statutes 249.002
• 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.
• Elector: means an individual qualified to vote under Article II, section 2, Oregon Constitution. See Oregon Statutes 249.002
• 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.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Member: means an individual who is registered as being affiliated with the political party. See Oregon Statutes 249.002
• Nonpartisan office: means the office of judge, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries, any elected office of a metropolitan service district under ORS Chapter 268, justice of the peace, county clerk, county assessor, county surveyor, county treasurer, county judge who exercises judicial functions, sheriff, district attorney or any office designated nonpartisan by a home rule charter. See Oregon Statutes 249.002
• 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: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Prospective petition: means the information, except signatures and other identification of petition signers, required to be contained in a completed petition. See Oregon Statutes 249.002
• Public office: means any national, state, county, city or district office or position, except a political party office, filled by the electors. See Oregon Statutes 249.002
• 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.
• State office: means Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Attorney General, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries, judge, state Senator, state Representative or district attorney. See Oregon Statutes 249.002
• 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.
• 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.
• United States: includes territories, outlying possessions and the District of Columbia. See Oregon Statutes 174.100