Terms Used In California Codes > Education Code > Title 1 > Division 1 > Part 13 > Chapter 2 - Definitions

• Act: means the California Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority Act. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
• After-meter services: includes , but is not limited to, leak investigation, inspecting customer piping and appliances, carbon monoxide investigation, pilot relighting, and high bill investigation. See California Public Utilities Code 328.1
• 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.
• 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.
• 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
• 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.
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Authority: means the California Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority established pursuant to Section 3320 and any board, commission, department, or officer succeeding to the functions thereof, or to whom the powers conferred upon the authority by this division shall be given by law. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• 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.
• Basic gas service: includes transmission, storage for reliability of service, and distribution of natural gas, purchasing natural gas on behalf of a customer, revenue cycle services, and after-meter services. See California Public Utilities Code 328.1
• Beneficiary: means a person to whom a donative transfer of property is made or that person's successor in interest, and:

  California Probate Code 24

• 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}
• Board: means the Board of Directors of the California Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• Bond purchase agreement: means a contractual agreement executed between the authority and an underwriter or underwriters and, where appropriate, a participating party, whereby the authority agrees to sell bonds issued pursuant to this division. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• Bonds: means bonds, including structured, senior, and subordinated bonds or other securities. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• bonds: includes both construction and refunding bonds except as otherwise expressly provided. See California Water Code 25200
• Child: means any individual entitled to take as a child under this code by intestate succession from the parent whose relationship is involved. See California Probate Code 26
• City: includes city and county and "incorporated town" but does not include "unincorporated town" or "village. See California Public Utilities Code 19
• Claim: means a demand for payment for any of the following, whether due, not due, accrued or not accrued, or contingent, and whether liquidated or unliquidated:

  California Probate Code 19000

• Codicil: An addition, change, or supplement to a will executed with the same formalities required for the will itself.
• Commission: means the Public Utilities Commission created by §. See California Public Utilities Code 20
• commissioner: means a member of the commission. See California Public Utilities Code 20
• Community property: means :

  California Probate Code 28

• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Conduit: includes ditches, pipelines, and other means of diversion. See California Water Code 22080
• Conservator: includes a limited conservator. See California Probate Code 30
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• contract with the United States: means a contract made under the provisions of the Federal Reclamation Law for any or all of the following purposes:

  California Water Code 23451

• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Core transport agent: includes the unregulated affiliates and subsidiaries of a gas corporation. See California Public Utilities Code 980
• 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.
• County: includes city and county. See California Water Code 14
• County: includes city and county. See California Public Utilities Code 18
• county water district: means a county water district which has heretofore executed or shall hereafter execute a contract with the United States for any or all of the following purposes:

  California Water Code 23300

• Creditor: means a person who may have a claim against the trust property. See California Probate Code 19000
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Debts: means all claims, as defined in subdivision (a), all expenses of administration, and all other proper charges against the trust estate, including taxes. See California Probate Code 19000
• Deceased settlor: means a deceased person who, at the time of his or her death, held the power to revoke the trust in whole or in part. See California Probate Code 19000
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Devisee: means any person designated in a will to receive a devise. See California Probate Code 34
• 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:
• District: means any irrigation district which includes land included within a watermaster service area for which a watermaster has previously been appointed by the Department of Water Resources, but which elects to provide watermaster service pursuant to the provisions of this article. See California Water Code 22080
• districts: means one or more irrigation districts together with one or more county water districts. See California Water Code 23450
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• electric microutility: means any electrical corporation that is regulated by the commission and organized for the purpose of providing sole-source generation, distribution, and sale of electricity exclusively to a customer base of fewer than 2,000 customers. See California Public Utilities Code 2780
• electrical cooperative: means any private corporation or association organized for the purposes of transmitting or distributing electricity exclusively to its stockholders or members at cost. See California Public Utilities Code 2776
• Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. ^{Source: OCC}
• Energy Commission: means the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. See California Public Utilities Code 20
• Enterprise: means a revenue-producing improvement, building, system, plant, works, facilities, or undertaking used for or useful for the generation or production of electric energy for lighting, heating, and power for public or private uses. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• 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.
• Establish: includes establish, construct, complete, acquire, extend or reroute. See California Public Utilities Code 98300
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executive session: A portion of the Senate's daily session in which it considers executive business.
• Existing system: means any transit service or system of a publicly or privately owned public utility situated entirely within the district or at least 75 percent of whose revenue vehicle miles for the preceding calendar year were operated within the district. See California Public Utilities Code 98300
• 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.
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Fund: means the California Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority Fund. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• Germane: On the subject of the pending bill or other business; a strict standard of relevance.
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
• Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. ^{Source: OCC}
• Heir: means any person, including the surviving spouse, who is entitled to take property of the decedent by intestate succession under this code. See California Probate Code 44
• improvements: includes trees, vines, alfalfa, all growing crops, and all buildings and structures. See California Water Code 25501
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Instrument: means a will, a document establishing or modifying a trust, a deed, or any other writing that designates a beneficiary or makes a donative transfer of property. See California Probate Code 45
• 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}
• interested person: includes any of the following:

  California Probate Code 48

• Irrevocable trust: A trust arrangement that cannot be revoked, rescinded, or repealed by the grantor.
• 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.
• 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.
• land: includes city and town lots and excepts improvements. See California Water Code 25500
• 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.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Metering services: includes , but is not limited to, gas meter installation, meter maintenance, meter testing, collecting and processing consumption data, and all related services associated with the meter. See California Public Utilities Code 328.1
• 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.
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• mutual water company: means any private corporation or association organized for the purposes of delivering water to its stockholders and members at cost, including use of works for conserving, treating and reclaiming water. See California Public Utilities Code 2725
• National Bank: A bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. A national bank can be recognized because it must have "national" or "national association" in its name. ^{Source: OCC}
• Oath: includes affirmation. See California Public Utilities Code 15
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• 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.
• operating system: means an integrated water system for the supply of water to a service area of a privately owned public utility. See California Public Utilities Code 1502
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Participating party: means either of the following:

  California Public Utilities Code 3302

• 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 any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, limited liability company, or company. See California Water Code 19
• Person: means an individual, corporation, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, or other entity. See California Probate Code 56
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Personal representative: means executor, administrator, administrator with the will annexed, special administrator, successor personal representative, public administrator acting pursuant to Section 7660, or a person who performs substantially the same function under the law of another jurisdiction governing the person's status. See California Probate Code 58
• 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.
• political subdivision: means a county, city and county, city, municipal water district, county water district, irrigation district, public utility district, or any other public corporation. See California Public Utilities Code 1402
• political subdivision: means a county, city and county, city, municipal water district, county water district, irrigation district, public utility district, California water district, or any other public corporation. See California Public Utilities Code 1502
• Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• private irrigation plant: means a water system which is not operated by a mutual water company or by a public utility as defined in Part 1 (commencing with Section 201) or in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2701). See California Public Utilities Code 2726
• private use: means an entity's use of its own reclaimed water. See California Public Utilities Code 1502
• private utility: means a privately owned public utility providing a water service. See California Public Utilities Code 1502
• Probate: Proving a will
• Probate estate: means a decedent's estate subject to administration pursuant to Division 7 (commencing with Section 7000). See California Probate Code 19000
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Program: means a program that provides financial assistance, as provided in Article 6 (commencing with Section 3365). See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• Project: means plants, facilities, equipment, appliances, structures, expansions, and improvements within the state that serve the purposes of this division as approved by the authority, and all activities and expenses necessary to initiate and complete those projects described in Article 5 (commencing with Section 3350) and Article 7 (commencing with Section 3368), of Chapter 3. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• Property: means anything that may be the subject of ownership and includes both real and personal property and any interest therein. See California Probate Code 62
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
• public entity: has the meaning provided in §. See California Probate Code 19200
• Quasi-community property: means the following property, other than community property as defined in Section 28:

  California Probate Code 66

• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Real property: includes a leasehold interest in real property. See California Probate Code 68
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Recess: A temporary interruption of the legislative business.
• reclaimed water: means reclaimed water as defined in §. See California Public Utilities Code 1502
• 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}
• 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.
• Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• revenue: means all or any part of any source or sources of payment excluding assessments but including the proceeds of any existing or proposed contract or contracts. See California Water Code 25240
• Revenue cycle services: means metering services, billing the customer, collection, and related customer services. See California Public Utilities Code 328.1
• Revenues: means all receipts, purchase payments, loan repayments, lease payments, rents, fees and charges, and all other income or receipts derived by the authority from an enterprise, or by the authority or a participating party from any other financing arrangement undertaken by the authority or a participating party, including, but not limited to, all receipts from a bond purchase agreement, and any income or revenue derived from the investment of any money in any fund or account of the authority or a participating party. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• Revocable trust: A trust agreement that can be canceled, rescinded, revoked, or repealed by the grantor (person who establishes the trust).
• Security: includes any note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in an oil, gas, or mining title or lease or in payments out of production under such a title or lease, collateral trust certificate, transferable share, voting trust certificate or, in general, any interest or instrument commonly known as a security, or any certificate of interest or participation, any temporary or interim certificate, receipt, or certificate of deposit for, or any warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the foregoing. See California Probate Code 70
• service area: means an area served by a privately owned public utility in which the facilities have been dedicated to public use and in which territory the utility is required to render service to the public. See California Public Utilities Code 1502
• 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.
• Spouse: includes domestic partner, as defined in Section 37 of this code, as required by §. See California Probate Code 72
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Water Code 18
• State: includes any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession subject to the legislative authority of the United States. See California Probate Code 74
• State: means the State of California. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• 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.
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• 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 cannot 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 Public Utilities Code 16
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• 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
• Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
• 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.
• Transferee: means the beneficiary, donee, or other recipient of an interest transferred by an instrument. See California Probate Code 81.5
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Trust: means a trust described in Section 18200, or, if a portion of a trust, that portion that remained subject to the power of revocation at the deceased settlor's death. See California Probate Code 19000
• Trust: includes the following:

  California Probate Code 82

• Trust estate: means a decedent's property, real and personal, that is titled in the name of the trustee of the deceased settlor's trust or confirmed by order of the court to the trustee of the deceased settlor's trust. See California Probate Code 19000
• Trustee: includes an original, additional, or successor trustee, whether or not appointed or confirmed by a court. See California Probate Code 84
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Trustor: The person who makes or creates a trust. Also known as the grantor or settlor.
• type of service: means , among other things, domestic, commercial, industrial, fire protection, wholesale, or irrigation service. See California Public Utilities Code 1502
• United States: means the United States of America, and in relation to any particular matter includes the officers, agents, employees, agencies, or instrumentalities authorized to act in relation thereto. See California Water Code 20
• Uphold: The decision of an appellate court not to reverse a lower court decision.
• Variable Rate: Having a "variable" rate means that the APR changes from time to time based on fluctuations in an external rate, normally the Prime Rate. This external rate is known as the "index." If the index changes, the variable rate normally changes. Also see Fixed Rate.
• Will: includes codicil and any testamentary instrument which merely appoints an executor or revokes or revises another will. See California Probate Code 88
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.