Terms Used In California Codes > Government Code > Title 11 > Chapter 1 - General Provisions and Definitions

• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• 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.
• 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}
• Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
• charity: shall include any person who, or any nonprofit community organization, fraternal, benevolent, educational, philanthropic, or service organization, or governmental employee organization which, solicits or obtains contributions solicited from the public for charitable purposes or holds any assets for charitable purposes. See California Business and Professions Code 17510.2
• Commission: means the Fish and Game Commission, and "commissioner" means a member of the Fish and Game Commission. See California Fish and Game Code 30
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• contestant: means any person initiating an election contest. See California Elections Code 16002
• County: includes city and county. See California Health and Safety Code 14
• Customer-owned gas piping: means all parts of the gas piping system downstream of the gas utility point of delivery, including, but not limited to, downstream of the gas utility meter and service tee (also known as a bypass tee). See California Health and Safety Code 19201
• 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.
• Delta: means the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• Department: means the Department of Human Resources. See California Government Code 19815
• Department: means the Department of Fish and Wildlife. See California Fish and Game Code 37
• Director: means "State Director of Health Services. See California Health and Safety Code 21
• Director: means the Director of the Department of Human Resources. See California Government Code 19815
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Division: means the Division of Labor Relations. See California Government Code 19815
• Election: means any election including a primary that is provided for under this code. See California Elections Code 318
• Elections official: means any of the following:

  California Elections Code 320

• Fish: means a wild fish, mollusk, crustacean, invertebrate, amphibian, or part, spawn, or ovum of any of those animals. See California Fish and Game Code 45
• 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}
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• 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.
• 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 Health and Safety Code 19
• person: includes any individual, partnership, firm, association, or corporation. See California Business and Professions Code 17506
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Polling place: means a location where a voter casts a ballot and includes the following terms, as applicable: poll, polling location, and vote center. See California Elections Code 338.5
• 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.
• Precinct: means a geographical area within a county that is made up of voters and is formed pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12200) of Division 12. See California Elections Code 338.6
• Probate: Proving a will
• Process: includes a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings of either a civil or criminal nature. See California Government Code 22
• Protection: means those actions necessary to prevent harm or damage to persons, property or natural resources or those actions necessary to allow the continued use and enjoyment of property or natural resources and includes acquisition, development, restoration, preservation and interpretation. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• 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).
• Seismic gas shutoff device: means a seismic gas shutoff device installed on customer-owned gas piping certified by the State Architect pursuant to Section 19202. See California Health and Safety Code 19201
• 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.
• solicitation for charitable purposes: means any request, plea, entreaty, demand, or invitation, or attempt thereof, to give money or property, in connection with which any of the following applies:

  California Business and Professions Code 17510.2

• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Health and Safety Code 23
• state agency: includes every state office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, and commission. See California Government Code 11000
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Vote center: means a location established for holding elections that offers the services described in Sections 2170 and 4005. See California Elections Code 357.5
• Voter: means any elector who is registered under this code. See California Elections Code 359
• Wildlife: means and includes all wild animals, birds, plants, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and related ecological communities, including the habitat upon which the wildlife depends for its continued viability. See California Fish and Game Code 89.5