Terms Used In Arizona Laws > Title 44 > Chapter 12 > Article 18 - Private Securities Litigation

• Action: includes any matter or proceeding in a court, civil or criminal. See Arizona Laws 1-215
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• 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.
• 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 securities division of the commission. See Arizona Laws 44-1801
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• 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.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
• Issuer: means any person who issues or proposes to issue any security, except:

  (a) With respect to certificates of deposit, voting-trust certificates, collateral-trust certificates, certificates of interest or shares in an unincorporated investment trust, whether or not of the fixed, restricted management or unit type, issuer means the person or persons performing the acts and assuming the duties of depositor or manager pursuant to the provisions of the trust or other agreement or instrument under which such securities are issued. See Arizona Laws 44-1801

• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• 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, partnership, association, joint stock company or trust, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency or any other unincorporated organization. See Arizona Laws 44-1801
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• SEC: means the United States securities and exchange commission. See Arizona Laws 44-1801
• 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.
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• 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.
• Underwriter: means a person who has acquired from an issuer with a view to, or sells for an issuer in connection with, the distribution of any securities or participates or has a direct or indirect participation in such undertaking, or participates or has a participation in the direct or indirect underwriting of such undertaking. See Arizona Laws 44-1801
• United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Arizona Laws 1-215