Wisconsin Statutes > Chapter 49 – Public assistance and children and family services
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Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes > Chapter 49 - Public assistance and children and family services
- Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
- Administrator: means the administrator of the division. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03
- 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.
- Affected commodity: means any agricultural commodity for which the production, marketing, processing, handling, sale or distribution of is included under the terms of a marketing order or marketing agreement or a proposed marketing order or marketing agreement. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01
- 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.
- Affirmative action: means specific actions in employment which are designed and taken for the purposes of all of the following:
(a) Ensuring equal opportunities. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03Agency: means any board, commission, committee, council, or department in state government or a unit thereof created by the constitution or statutes if such board, commission, committee, council, department, unit, or the head thereof, is authorized to appoint subordinate staff by the constitution or statute, except the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, a legislative or judicial board, commission, committee, council, department, or unit thereof or an authority created under subch. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 Agricultural commodity: means any agricultural, horticultural (excepting floricultural), viticultural, vegetable, poultry, and livestock products produced in this state, including for use as a bioenergy feedstock, including milk and milk products, bees and honey, or any class, variety or utilization thereof, either in their natural state or as processed by a producer for the purpose of marketing such product or by a processor, but not including timber and wood products, except timber and wood products used as a bioenergy feedstock. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01 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. American Indian: means a person who is recognized by an elected tribal governing body in this state as a member of a federally recognized Wisconsin tribe or band of Indians. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 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. Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal. appointing authority: means the chief administrative officer of an agency unless another person is authorized to appoint subordinate staff in the agency by the constitution or statutes. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 Appraisal: A determination of property value. Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority. Assent: means a signed statement of affected producers or handlers consenting to the terms of a marketing agreement. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01 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. 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. Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC Bioenergy feedstock: means biomass used to produce energy, including transportation fuel, heat, or electricity. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01 Bureau: means the bureau of merit recruitment and selection in the division. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts. Chambers: A judge's office. Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority. Chiropractor: means a person holding a license issued by the chiropractic examining board. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Civil forfeiture: The loss of ownership of property used to conduct illegal activity. Civil service: means all offices and positions of trust or employment in the service of the state, except offices and positions in the organized militia and the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 Classified service: means the classified service of the civil service. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 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. Collar: means a band, strip or chain placed around the neck of a dog. See Wisconsin Statutes 174.001 Commission: means the employment relations commission. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 Committee jurisdiction: The subjects and functions assigned to a committee by rule, resolution, precedent, or practice, including legislative matters, oversight and investigations, and nominations of executive officers. 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. Communicable disease: means any disease that the department of health services determines, by rule, to be communicable in fact. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 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. Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant. Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff. Court reporter: A person who makes a word-for-word record of what is said in court and produces a transcript of the proceedings upon request. Credit report: A detailed report of an individual's credit history prepared by a credit bureau and used by a lender in determining a loan applicant's creditworthiness. Source: OCC 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. Department: means the department of health services. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 Department: means the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection. See Wisconsin Statutes 174.001 Dependent person: means an individual who is eligible for relief under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial. Director: means the director of the bureau. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 Disabled veteran: means a veteran who has a service-connected disability. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source: Division: means the division of personnel management in the department of administration. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 Division of equal rights: means the division of equal rights in the department of workforce development. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 Domestic animal: means any of the following:
1. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001Domestic animal: includes livestock, dogs and cats. See Wisconsin Statutes 174.001 Donor: The person who makes a gift. 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 Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met. 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 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. Farm-raised deer: means a cervid that is kept in captivity or a cervid that is present in the wild and that has an ear tag or other mark identifying it as being raised on a farm. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001 Farm-raised fish: means any fish egg that is present on a fish farm or any fish that is reared on a fish farm. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001 Farm-raised game bird: has the meaning given in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001 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 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 farm: means a facility at which a person hatches fish eggs or rears fish for the purpose of introduction into the waters of the state, human or animal consumption, permitting fishing, use as bait or fertilizer or any other purpose specified by the department by rule or for sale to another person to rear for one of those purposes. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001 Fixed Rate: Having a "fixed" rate means that the APR doesn't change based on fluctuations of some external rate (such as the "Prime Rate"). In other words, a fixed rate is a rate that is not a variable rate. A fixed APR can change over time, in several circumstances: 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. 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 Germane: On the subject of the pending bill or other business; a strict standard of relevance. Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. Source: Federal Reserve Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage, Grantor: includes every person from or by whom any freehold estate or interest passes in or by any deed; and "grantee" includes every person to whom any such estate or interest passes in like manner. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it. Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted. Handler: means any person engaged in the business of distributing or placing an agricultural commodity in commercial channels, or any person engaged in the business of processing an agricultural commodity. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01 Health care services: means such emergency and nonemergency medical, surgical, dental, hospital, nursing and optometric services as are reasonable and necessary under the circumstances, as determined by the county or tribal governing body. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 Hearsay: Statements by a witness who did not see or hear the incident in question but heard about it from someone else. Hearsay is usually not admissible as evidence in court. Heretofore: means any time previous to the day on which the statute containing it takes effect; "hereafter" means the time after the statute containing such word takes effect. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 homestead: means the dwelling and so much of the land surrounding it as is reasonably necessary for use of the dwelling as a home, but not less than one-fourth acre, if available, and not exceeding 40 acres. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 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 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. Intangible property: Property that has no intrinsic value, but is merely the evidence of value such as stock certificates, bonds, and promissory notes. 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 Intergovernmental commission: means an intergovernmental commission formed by contract under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 174.001 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. Irrevocable trust: A trust arrangement that cannot be revoked, rescinded, or repealed by the grantor. Joint resolution: A legislative measure which requires the approval of both chambers. Joint tenancy: A form of property ownership in which two or more parties hold an undivided interest in the same property that was conveyed under the same instrument at the same time. A joint tenant can sell his (her) interest but not dispose of it by will. Upon the death of a joint tenant, his (her) undivided interest is distributed among the surviving joint tenants. Juror: A person who is on the jury. Jury instructions: A judge's directions to the jury before it begins deliberations regarding the factual questions it must answer and the legal rules that it must apply. Source: U.S. Courts 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. Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity. Licensed practical nurse: includes a licensed practical/vocational nurse who holds a multistate license, as defined in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Life estate: A property interest limited in duration to the life of the individual holding the interest (life tenant). Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants. Live birth: means the complete expulsion or extraction from his or her mother, of a human being, at any stage of development, who, after the expulsion or extraction, breathes or has a beating heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, regardless of whether the umbilical cord has been cut, and regardless of whether the expulsion or extraction occurs as a result of natural or induced labor, a cesarean section, or an abortion, as defined in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Livestock: means any horse, bovine, sheep, goat, pig, llama, alpaca, domestic rabbit, farm-raised deer, as defined in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 174.001 Marital child: means either of the following:
- You are late making a payment or commit some other default, triggering an increase to a penalty rate
- The bank changes the terms of your account and you do not reject the change.
- The rate expires (if the rate was fixed for only a certain period of time).
(a) A child who is conceived or born while his or her parents are lawfully intermarried. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01Marketing agreement: means an agreement entered into by the secretary under this chapter. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01 Marketing order: means an order issued by the secretary under this chapter. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01 Minority leader: See Floor Leaders 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. Motorcycle: has the meaning given in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 National Credit Union Administration: The federal regulatory agency that charters and supervises federal credit unions. (NCUA also administers the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, which insures the deposits of federal credit unions.) Source: OCC Net salvage value: means the salvage value of an animal plus any federal indemnity paid for the animal. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001 Nonmarital child: means a child who is neither conceived nor born while his or her parents are lawfully intermarried, who is not adopted and whose parents do not subsequently intermarry under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Oath: includes affirmation in all cases where by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Oath: A promise to tell the truth. Officer: has the meaning designated under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 174.001 Official vaccinate: means any female bovine animal officially reported to the department as having been vaccinated by an approved veterinarian at an age and in accordance with the procedures the department prescribes and which was properly tattooed at the time of vaccination as required by law or rules of the department. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001 Optical disc: means a rotating circular plate on which information or images are placed in storage, and which is recorded and read by laser beams focused on the plate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Oral argument: An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court and also to answer the judges' questions. Original bill: A bill which is drafted by a committee. It is introduced by the committee or subcommittee chairman after the committee votes to report it. Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program. Owner: includes any person who owns, harbors or keeps a dog. See Wisconsin Statutes 174.001 Paratuberculosis: means the disease of domestic ruminants, commonly known as Johne's disease, that is caused by mycobacterium paratuberculosis. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001 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. Personal property: includes money, goods, chattels, things in action, evidences of debt and energy. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Personal property: All property that is not real property. Petit 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. Physician assistant: means a person licensed as a physician assistant under subch. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 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. Police department: includes a department under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Police officer: includes a person serving under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Position: means a group of duties and responsibilities in either the classified or the unclassified divisions of the civil service, which require the services of an employee on a part-time or full-time basis. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 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. Pretrial conference: A meeting of the judge and lawyers to discuss which matters should be presented to the jury, to review evidence and witnesses, to set a timetable, and to discuss the settlement of the case. 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. Producer: means any person engaged in the business of producing or causing to be produced for market in commercial quantities any agricultural commodity. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01 Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government. Psychologist: means a psychologist who is licensed under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters. Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide. Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business. railroad company: include any person managing, maintaining, operating or in possession of a railroad, whether as owner, contractor, lessee, mortgagee, trustee, assignee or receiver. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Ranking minority member: The highest ranking (and usually longest serving) minority member of a committee or subcommittee. real property: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments and all rights thereto and interests therein. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land. Referendum: means any voting procedure under which affected producers or handlers may, by secret ballot, vote for or against the issuance, amendment or termination of a marketing order. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01 Registered nurse: includes a registered nurse who holds a multistate license, as defined in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Relief: means assistance that is provided to a dependent person and funded by a relief block grant. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 Relief agency: means a tribal governing body or an agency under contract with a tribal governing body to administer relief if the tribal governing body operates a relief program funded by a relief block grant. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings. Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals). Resident of this state: means a person who, on the date an application under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action. Revocable trust: A trust agreement that can be canceled, rescinded, revoked, or repealed by the grantor (person who establishes the trust). seal: includes the word "seal" the letters "L S" and a scroll or other device intended to represent a seal, if any is affixed in the proper place for a seal, as well as an impression of a seal on the instrument. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Sequester: To separate. Sometimes juries are sequestered from outside influences during their deliberations. 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. state employee: means an employee of an agency. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 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. Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system. Sworn: includes "affirmed" in all cases where by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Tax-free land: means land in this state within the boundaries of a federally recognized reservation or within the bureau of Indian affairs service area for the Winnebago tribe, which is not subject to assessment or levy of a real property tax either as a general tax or as a payment in lieu of taxes. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 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. Tenancy in common: A type of property ownership in which two or more individuals have an undivided interest in property. At the death of one tenant in common, his (her) fractional percentage of ownership in the property passes to the decedent 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. Town board: means the town board of supervisors. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 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. Tribal governing body: means an elected tribal governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. Source: OCC Unclassified service: means the unclassified service of the civil service. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03 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. Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried. Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge. veteran: means any of the following:
(a) A person who served on active duty under honorable conditions in the U. See Wisconsin Statutes 230.03Veto: The procedure established under the Constitution by which the President/Governor refuses to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevents its enactment into law. A regular veto occurs when the President/Governor returns the legislation to the house in which it originated. The President/Governor usually returns a vetoed bill with a message indicating his reasons for rejecting the measure. In Congress, the veto can be overridden only by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House. Victim advocate: work with prosecutors and assist the victims of a crime. Vote: means to cast a ballot in a referendum or an election. See Wisconsin Statutes 96.01 Week: means 7 consecutive days. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act. Writ of certiorari: An order issued by the Supreme Court directing the lower court to transmit records for a case for which it will hear on appeal.