Terms Used In California Codes > Government Code > Title 1 > Division 4 > Chapter 1 - General

• Acquittal:
  1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
  2. A verdict of "not guilty."
   
• act: as used in this division , means the Improvement Bond Act of 1915. See California Streets and Highways Code 9517
• 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.
• Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• at-risk: means there is evidence of, or there are indications of, any of the following:

  California Penal Code 14215

• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Audio-video communication: means being able to see, hear, and communicate with another individual in real time using electronic means in a manner that conforms to the requirements of this article and any rules or regulations adopted by the Secretary of State pursuant to this article. See California Government Code 8231.1
• Audio-video recording: means a recording of the audio-video communication of an online notarial act required by Section 8231. See California Government Code 8231.1
• Authority: means the Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority created under this chapter. See California Public Utilities Code 132651
• 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}
• Board: means the governing board of the authority. See California Public Utilities Code 132651
• board of supervisors: means the board of supervisors of the county within which the city or territory is situated. See California Government Code 34001
• Bona fide association: means an organization of employees and former employees of an agency of the state and the California State University, and which does not have as one of its purposes representing these employees in their employer-employee relations. See California Government Code 1150
• book: signifies the recordation of an arrest in official police records, and the taking by the police of fingerprints and photographs of the person arrested, or any of these acts following an arrest. See California Penal Code 7
• Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
• center: means the Violent Crime Information Center. See California Penal Code 14215
• child: is a ny person under 18 years of age. See California Penal Code 14215
• City: includes city and county and "incorporated town" but does not include "unincorporated town" or "village. See California Public Utilities Code 19
• City: includes "city and county" and "incorporated town. See California Streets and Highways Code 15
• Commission: means the Public Utilities Commission created by §. See California Public Utilities Code 20
• Commissioner: means any county agricultural commissioner. See California Food and Agricultural Code 26
• committee: means the chief administrative officer, auditor, and treasurer, or any other county employee appointed by the board of supervisors. See California Government Code 29831
• 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.
• Concurrent resolution: A legislative measure, designated "S. Con. Res." and numbered consecutively upon introduction, generally employed to address the sentiments of both chambers, to deal with issues or matters affecting both houses, such as a concurrent budget resolution, or to create a temporary joint committee. Concurrent resolutions are not submitted to the President/Governor and thus do not have the force of law.
• Connectivity: means one or more projects necessary to achieve transit connectivity between BART's rapid transit system and the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission's Altamont Corridor Express commuter rail service, and to provide quality, seamless service to riders using the services operating between the Tri-Valley and the San Joaquin Valley. See California Public Utilities Code 132651
• Construction: includes :

  California Streets and Highways Code 29

• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contractor: means the department, division, or other unit of a person or organization responsible for the performance under the contract. See California Government Code 8351
• Controlled substance: means a controlled substance in schedules I through V of Section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U. See California Government Code 8351
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• 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 Government Code 19
• County: includes "city and county. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• County: includes "city and county. See California Streets and Highways Code 14
• County: includes city and county. See California Food and Agricultural Code 29
• Credential: means a government-issued record evidencing an individual's identity that satisfies the requirements of paragraph (3) or (4) of subdivision (b) of §. See California Government Code 8231.1
• Credential analysis: means a process or service operating according to the requirements of this article and any rules or regulations adopted by the Secretary of State pursuant to this article, through which a third party affirms the validity of a credential through review of public and proprietary data sources. See California Government Code 8231.1
• 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.
• Department: means the Department of Transportation of this state. See California Streets and Highways Code 20
• Department: means the Department of Food and Agriculture. See California Food and Agricultural Code 32
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• 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.
• Depository: means an individual or entity that has an active registration with the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 8231. See California Government Code 8231.1
• 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 agency of the state formed pursuant to general law or special act, for the local performance of governmental or proprietary functions within limited boundaries. See California Government Code 1090
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Drug-free workplace: means a site for the performance of work done in connection with a specific grant or contract described in Article 2 (commencing with Section 8355) of an entity at which employees of the entity are prohibited from engaging in the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. See California Government Code 8351
• Electronic: means relating to technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities. See California Government Code 8231.1
• Electronic journal: means an active sequential record of official acts performed while using an online notarization system performed by a person acting as a notary public authorized to perform online notarization maintained in a secure electronic format according to the requirements of this article and any rules or regulations adopted by the Secretary of State pursuant to this article. See California Government Code 8231.1
• Electronic online notarial certificate: means the part of, or attachment to, an electronic record that is completed by the notary public authorized to perform online notarization and contains both of the following:

  California Government Code 8231.1

• Electronic record: means a record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means. See California Government Code 8231.1
• Electronic seal: means information within a notarized electronic record that corresponds to information in notary seals used on paper records and that, where applicable, conforms to the requirement of this article, including, but not limited to, subdivision (b) of Section 8231. See California Government Code 8231.1
• Electronic signature: means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or logically associated with an electronic record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the electronic record. See California Government Code 8231.1
• 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}
• Employee: means the employee of a grantee or contractor directly engaged in the performance of work pursuant to the grant or contract described in Article 2 (commencing with Section 8355) . See California Government Code 8351
• Employee organization: means an organization which represents employees of a public employer and that has been recognized or certified by the public employer or the Public Employment Relations Board as the exclusive representative of the employees. See California Government Code 1150
• encrypted: means rendered unusable, unreadable, or indecipherable to an unauthorized person through a security technology or methodology generally accepted in the field of information security. See California Government Code 8231.1
• 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.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Express written request: means a request made in writing and initiated by a principal to access, use, share, sell, disclose, produce, provide, release, transfer, disseminate, or otherwise communicate the specified information for a specific purpose. See California Government Code 8231.1
• 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
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• Grantee: means the department, division, or other unit of a person or organization responsible for the performance under the grant. See California Government Code 8351
• Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
• 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.
• highway: includes bridges, culverts, curbs, drains, and all works incidental to highway construction, improvement, and maintenance. See California Streets and Highways Code 23
• Identity proofing: means a process or service operating according to the requirements of this article and any rules or regulations adopted by the Secretary of State pursuant to this article through which a third party affirms the identity of an individual through review of personal information from public or proprietary data sources. See California Government Code 8231.1
• 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.
• 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}
• 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.
• 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.
• knowingly: import s only a knowledge that the facts exist which bring the act or omission within the provisions of this code. See California Penal Code 7
• law: means any federal law relating to internal revenue. See California Government Code 1170
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• license: shall include a permit or a certificate issued by a state agency. See California Penal Code 23
• 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.
• Local agency: as used in this article , means a county, city, city and county, political subdivision, district, or municipal corporation. See California Government Code 1125
• magistrate: signifies any one of the officers mentioned in Section 808. See California Penal Code 7
• maintenance: includes any of the following:

  California Streets and Highways Code 27

• maliciously: import a wish to vex, annoy, or injure another person, or an intent to do a wrongful act, established either by proof or presumption of law. See California Penal Code 7
• mandatory supervision: shall mean the portion of a defendant's sentenced term during which time he or she is supervised by the county probation officer pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (h) of Section 1170. See California Penal Code 19.9
• mayor: includes president of the legislative body. See California Government Code 34002
• missing person: includes , but is not limited to, any of the following:

  California Penal Code 14215

• month: means a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed. See California Penal Code 7
• 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.
• 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}
• 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.
• Notarial act: means the performance of an act by an individual that is authorized under the laws of this state, including acts described in Sections 8202, 8205, this article, and Sections 1185 and 1195 of the Civil Code. See California Government Code 8231.1
• Notice: includes all papers and orders required to be served in any proceedings before any court, board, or officer, or when required by law to be served independently of such proceeding. See California Government Code 26660
• Noxious weed seed: means the seed or propagule of any species of noxious weed, as defined in Section 5004. See California Food and Agricultural Code 52256
• Oath: includes an affirmation or declaration. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Oath: includes affirmation. See California Government Code 15
• Online notarization platform: means an individual or entity that has an active registration with the Secretary of State pursuant to Section 8231. See California Government Code 8231.1
• Online notarization system: means the computer hardware and software that enable a notary public to do both of the following:

  California Government Code 8231.1

• Open format: means information that is formatted in a manner that is platform independent, machine readable, and made available to the public without restrictions that would impede the reuse of that information. See California Government Code 8231.1
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• peace officer: signify any one of the officers mentioned in Chapter 4. See California Penal Code 7
• Person: includes any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, or company. See California Government Code 17
• Person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Person: means any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, organization, limited liability company, or business trust. See California Streets and Highways Code 19
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• personal property: include money, goods, chattels, things in action, and evidences of debt. See California Penal Code 7
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Principal: means an individual, other than a credible witness pursuant to §. See California Government Code 8231.1
• Private law: A private bill enacted into law. Private laws have restricted applicability, often addressing immigration and naturalization issues affecting individuals.
• Private treaty transaction: as used in this division , means the transfer of ownership of cattle or livestock by agreement or contract, at a point other than a destination point. See California Food and Agricultural Code 20026
• 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.
• 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
• Process: signifies a writ or summons issued in the course of a judicial proceeding. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Property: includes both personal and real property. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public agency: includes counties, cities, municipal corporations, political subdivisions, public districts, and other public agencies of the state. See California Government Code 1150
• public body: means any county, city and county, city, municipal corporation, political subdivision, school district, or any other public district or public corporation, any public authority, or any agency of any thereof. See California Government Code 1101
• Public employer: means the state, the Regents of the University of California, the Trustees of the California State University and the California State University, the Judicial Council, a trial court, a county, city, district, public authority, including transit district, public agency, or any other political subdivision or public corporation of the state, except as provided in paragraph (2). See California Government Code 1150
• Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• public securities: means any issue of bonds, notes, warrants, or other evidences of indebtedness and the interest coupons, if any, attached thereto, issued by any public body. See California Government Code 1100
• Qualified representative of the commissioner: means a deputy commissioner or inspector who holds an appropriate certificate of qualification issued by the director as provided in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2101) of Division 2 of this code. See California Food and Agricultural Code 39
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in both physical and electronic form. See California Government Code 8231.1
• Records of online notarial acts: means , collectively, the electronic journal entries required by Section 8231. See California Government Code 8231.1
• 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.
• Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
• remote interest: means any of the following:

  California Government Code 1091

• Remote presentation: means transmission to the notary public through audio-video communication of an image of a government-issued identification that complies with paragraph (3) or (4) of subdivision (b) of §. See California Government Code 8231.1
• 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).
• 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.
• seal: includes an impression of such seal upon the paper alone, or upon any substance attached to the paper capable of receiving a visible impression. See California Penal Code 7
• Secretary: means the Secretary of Food and Agriculture. See California Food and Agricultural Code 35
• Sell: includes offer for sale, expose for sale, possess for sale, exchange, barter, or trade. See California Food and Agricultural Code 44
• 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.
• Sheriff: includes marshal. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• State: includes the District of Columbia and the territories when applied to the different parts of the United States, and the words "United States" may include the district and territories. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• State employee: means all persons who receive wages for services through the uniform payroll system established and administered by the Controller under Section 12470. See California Government Code 1150
• 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 Food and Agricultural Code 49
• Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which the term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Government Code 10
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Subpoena duces tecum: A command to a witness to produce documents.
• 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 Government Code 16
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• United States: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See California Government Code 8231.1
• 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.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• vessel: means a vessel as defined in subdivision (c) of §. See California Penal Code 7
• Veto: 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.
• Weeds: as used in this article , includes any of the following:

  California Government Code 39561.5

• Will: includes codicil. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• willfully: when applied to the intent with which an act is done or omitted, implies simply a purpose or willingness to commit the act, or make the omission referred to. See California Penal Code 7
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• Writ: means an order or precept in writing, issued in the name of the people, or of a court or judicial officer. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Writing: includes printing and typewriting. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17