Terms Used In Texas Transportation Code 601.002

  • 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.
  • 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
  • Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
  • 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 corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
  • Property: means real and personal property. See Texas Government Code 311.005
  • United States: includes a department, bureau, or other agency of the United States of America. See Texas Government Code 311.005

In this chapter:
(1) “Department” means the Department of Public Safety.
(2) “Driver’s license” has the meaning assigned by § 521.001.
(3) “Financial responsibility” means the ability to respond in damages for liability for a collision that:
(A) occurs after the effective date of the document evidencing the establishment of the financial responsibility; and
(B) arises out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle.
(4) “Highway” means the entire width between property lines of a road, street, or way in this state that is not privately owned or controlled and:
(A) some part of which is open to the public for vehicular traffic; and
(B) over which the state has legislative jurisdiction under its police power.
(5) “Motor vehicle” means a self-propelled vehicle designed for use on a highway, a trailer or semitrailer designed for use with a self-propelled vehicle, or a vehicle propelled by electric power from overhead wires and not operated on rails. The term does not include:
(A) a traction engine;
(B) a road roller or grader;
(C) a tractor crane;
(D) a power shovel;
(E) a well driller;
(F) an implement of husbandry; or
(G) an electric personal assistive mobility device, as defined by § 551.201.
(6) “Nonresident” means a person who is not a resident of this state.
(7) “Nonresident’s operating privilege” means the privilege conferred on a nonresident by the laws of this state relating to the operation of a motor vehicle in this state by the nonresident or the use in this state of a motor vehicle owned by the nonresident.
(8) “Operator” means the person in actual physical control of a motor vehicle.
(9) “Owner” means:
(A) the person who holds legal title to a motor vehicle;
(B) the purchaser or lessee of a motor vehicle subject to an agreement for the conditional sale or lease of the vehicle, if the person has:
(i) the right to purchase the vehicle on performing conditions stated in the agreement; and
(ii) an immediate right to possess the vehicle; or
(C) a mortgagor of a motor vehicle who is entitled to possession of the vehicle.
(10) “Person” means an individual, firm, partnership, association, or corporation.
(11) “State” means:
(A) a state, territory, or possession of the United States; or
(B) the District of Columbia.

Text of subdivision effective until July 01, 2025

(12) “Vehicle registration” means:
(A) a registration certificate, registration receipt, or number plate issued under Chapter 502; or
(B) a dealer’s license plate or temporary tag issued under Chapter 503.

Text of subdivision effective on July 01, 2025

(12) “Vehicle registration” means:
(A) a registration certificate, registration receipt, or number plate issued under Chapter 502; or
(B) a dealer’s license plate issued under Chapter 503.

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