Terms Used In California Codes > Code of Civil Procedure > Part 3 > Title 7 > Chapter 2 > Article 2 - Words and Phrases Defined

• Accredited state: means a state in which the insurance department or regulatory agency having jurisdiction over the business of insurance has qualified as meeting the minimum financial regulatory standards promulgated and established from time to time by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' (NAIC) Financial Regulation Standards and Accreditation Program. See California Insurance Code 1216.1
• Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
• 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.
• Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
• Alcohol: means any form or derivative of ethyl alcohol (ethanol). See California Harbors and Navigation Code 651
• 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.
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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}
• Bequest: Property gifted by will.
• Boat: means any vessel that is any of the following:

  California Harbors and Navigation Code 651

• City: includes city and county. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 15
• City: includes "city and county. See California Insurance Code 15
• Civil forfeiture: The loss of ownership of property used to conduct illegal activity.
• Commission: means the Public Utilities Commission created by §. See California Public Utilities Code 20
• Commissioner: means the Insurance Commissioner of the state and any assistant to the Insurance Commissioner designated and authorized by the commissioner while acting under their designation as the Insurance Commissioner. See California Insurance Code 1215
• Commissioner: means the Insurance Commissioner of this State. See California Insurance Code 20
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Consent: means agreement to administrative supervision by the insurer. See California Insurance Code 1077
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• control: includes the terms "controlling" "controlled by" and "under common control with" and means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract other than a commercial contract for goods or nonmanagement services, or otherwise, unless the power is the result of an official position with or corporate office held by the person. See California Insurance Code 1215
• controlled: has the meaning ascribed in Section 1215. See California Insurance Code 1216.1
• Controlled insurer: means an admitted insurer which is controlled, directly or indirectly, by a producer. See California Insurance Code 1216.1
• Controlling producer: means a producer who, directly or indirectly, controls an insurer. See California Insurance Code 1216.1
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• County: includes city and county. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 14
• County: includes city and county. See California Health and Safety Code 14
• County: includes "city and county. See California Insurance Code 14
• County: includes city and county. See California Public Utilities Code 18
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• 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 State Department of Health Services. See California Health and Safety Code 20
• Department: means the Department of Boating and Waterways. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 651
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• Director: means "State Director of Health Services. See California Health and Safety Code 21
• Director: means the Director of Boating and Waterways. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 651
• 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:
• Domestic: means organized under the laws of this State, whether or not admitted. See California Insurance Code 26
• Drug: means any substance or combination of substances other than alcohol that could so affect the nervous system, brain, or muscles of a person as to impair to an appreciable degree the person's ability to operate a vessel in the manner that an ordinarily prudent person, in full possession of their faculties, using reasonable care, would operate a similar vessel under like conditions. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 651
• Energy Commission: means the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. See California Public Utilities Code 20
• Enterprise risk: means any activity, circumstance, or event or series of events involving one or more affiliates of an insurer that, if not remedied promptly, is likely to have a material adverse effect upon the financial condition or liquidity of the insurer or its insurance holding company system as a whole, including, but not limited to, anything that would cause the insurer's risk-based capital to fall into company action level as set forth in Article 4. See California Insurance Code 1215
• 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.
• 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.
• Exceeded its powers: means any of the following conditions:

  California Insurance Code 1077

• 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.
• 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}
• Foreign: means not organized under the laws of this State, whether or not admitted. See California Insurance Code 27
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Group capital calculation instructions: means the group capital calculation instructions as adopted by the NAIC and as amended by the NAIC in accordance with the procedures adopted by the NAIC. See California Insurance Code 1215
• Groupwide supervisor: means the insurance official authorized to engage in conducting and coordinating groupwide supervision activities who is determined or acknowledged by the commissioner pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 1215. See California Insurance Code 1215
• 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.
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Insurance broker: means a person who, for compensation and on behalf of another person, transacts insurance other than life, disability, or health with, but not on behalf of, an insurer. See California Insurance Code 33
• insurance holding company system: consists of two or more affiliated persons, one or more of which is an insurer. See California Insurance Code 1215
• insurer: means any person, firm, association, or corporation admitted to transact any property or casualty insurance business in this state. See California Insurance Code 1216.1
• Insurer: means and includes every person engaged as indemnitor, surety, or contractor in the business of entering into contracts of life or disability insurance or of annuities. See California Insurance Code 1077
• 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}
• Internationally active insurance group: means an insurance holding company system that includes an insurer registered pursuant to Section 1215. See California Insurance Code 1215
• isomer: includes optical and geometrical (diastereomeric) isomers. See California Health and Safety Code 11033
• 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}
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• licensee: means an insurer, agent, broker, or any other person who is required to be licensed by the department. See California Insurance Code 38.6
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Manufacturer: means any person engaged in any of the following:

  California Harbors and Navigation Code 651

• Mortgage: includes a trust deed, "mortgagor" includes a trustor under such trust deed, "mortgagee" includes a beneficiary under such trust deed, or a trustee exercising powers or performing duties granted to or imposed upon him thereunder, and "lien" in respect to real or personal property includes a charge or incumbrance arising out of a trust deed. See California Insurance Code 29
• 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.
• NAIC: means the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. See California Insurance Code 1215
• NAIC Liquidity Stress Test Framework: is a n NAIC publication that includes a history of the NAIC's development of regulatory liquidity stress testing, the scope criteria applicable for a specific data year, and the liquidity stress test instructions and reporting templates for a specific data year. See California Insurance Code 1215
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• 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.
• Operator: means the person aboard a vessel who meets any of the following:

  California Harbors and Navigation Code 651

• 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: is a person having all the incidents of ownership, including the legal title, of a vessel whether or not that person lends, rents, or pledges the vessel. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 651
• 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, partnership, firm, corporation, limited liability company, association, or other entity, but does not include the United States, the state, or a municipality or subdivision thereof. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 651
• Person: is a n individual, a corporation, a limited liability company, a partnership, an association, a joint stock company, a business trust, an unincorporated organization, or any similar entity, or any combination thereof acting in concert. See California Insurance Code 1215
• Person: means any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, limited liability company, or company. See California Health and Safety Code 19
• Person: means any person, association, organization, partnership, business trust, limited liability company, or corporation. See California Insurance Code 19
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Personal watercraft: means a vessel 13 feet in length or less, propelled by machinery, that is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel, rather than in the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vessel. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 651
• 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.
• 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.
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Producer: means a fire and casualty licensee or licensees or any other person, firm, association, or corporation, when, for any compensation, commission, or other thing of value, the person, firm, association, or corporation acts or aids in any manner in soliciting, negotiating, or procuring the making of any insurance contract on behalf of an insured other than the person, firm, association, or corporation. See California Insurance Code 1216.1
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Recreational vessel: means a vessel that is being used only for pleasure. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 651
• 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.
• 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: means a state of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the District of Columbia. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 651
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Health and Safety Code 23
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Insurance Code 28
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Public Utilities Code 17
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which that term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Public Utilities Code 10
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• subscription: includes mark when the signer or subscriber can not write, such signer's or subscriber's name being written near the mark by a witness who writes his own name near the signer's or subscriber's name. See California Insurance Code 18
• 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.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• 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.
• Use: means operate, navigate, or employ. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 651
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Vessel: includes every description of a watercraft or other artificial contrivance used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water, except either of the following:

  California Harbors and Navigation Code 651

• Voting security: shall include any security convertible into or evidencing a right to acquire a voting security. See California Insurance Code 1215
• Waters of this state: means any waters within the territorial limits of this state. See California Harbors and Navigation Code 651
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.