Terms Used In California Codes > Government Code > Title 7 > Division 2 > Chapter 3 - Procedure

• Acquisition: means the acquisition of a fee interest or any other interest in real property including easements, leases and development rights. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• 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.
• 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.
• 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
• 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.
• Baseline: Projection of the receipts, outlays, and other budget amounts that would ensue in the future without any change in existing policy. Baseline projections are used to gauge the extent to which proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would alter current spending and revenue levels.
• 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 Wildlife Conservation Board. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• California Water Plan: means the California Water Plan Update Bulletin 160-05 and subsequent revisions and amendments. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• candidate: includes any officeholder who is subject to a recall election. See California Elections Code 305
• Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses.
• 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
• City: includes "city and county" and "incorporated town" but does not include "unincorporated town" or "village. See California Government Code 20
• City: includes city and county. See California Business and Professions Code 18
• Clerk: means the county elections official, registrar of voters, city clerk, or other officer or board charged with the duty of conducting any election. See California Elections Code 307
• 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
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• County: includes city and county. See California Government Code 19
• County: includes city and county. See California Health and Safety Code 14
• County: includes city and county. See California Business and Professions Code 17
• County: includes "city and county. See California Public Resources 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
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• 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.
• Defendant: means that person whose election or nomination is contested or those persons receiving an equal and highest number of votes, other than the contestant, where, in other than primary elections, the body canvassing the returns declares that no one person has received the highest number of votes for the contested office. See California Elections Code 16002
• Delta: means the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• department: means State Department of Health Services. See California Health and Safety Code 20
• Department: means the Department of Water Resources. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• Department: means the Department of Human Resources. See California Government Code 19815
• Department: means the Department of Justice. See California Business and Professions Code 17511.2
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Development: includes , but is not limited to the physical improvement of real property including the construction of facilities or structures. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• 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.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Division: means the Division of Labor Relations. See California Government Code 19815
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Election: means any election including a primary that is provided for under this code. See California Elections Code 318
• Electioneering: means the visible display or audible dissemination of information that advocates for or against any candidate or measure on the ballot within the 100 foot limit specified in subdivision (b). See California Elections Code 319.5
• Elections official: means any of the following:

  California Elections Code 320

• Elector: means a person who is a United States citizen 18 years of age or older and, except as specified in subdivision (b), is a resident of an election precinct in this state on or before the day of an election. See California Elections Code 321
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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}
• Fund: means the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Fund of 2006. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• General election: means either of the following:

  California Elections Code 324

• 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,
• Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Intangible property: Property that has no intrinsic value, but is merely the evidence of value such as stock certificates, bonds, and promissory notes.
• Interpretation: includes , but is not limited to, a visitor serving amenity that educates and communicates the significance and value of natural, historical, and cultural resources in a way that increases the understanding and enjoyment of these resources and that may utilize the expertise of a naturalist or other specialist skilled at educational interpretation. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• Item: means any goods and services, and includes coupon books which are to be used with businesses other than the seller's business. See California Business and Professions Code 17511.2
• 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.
• Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
• 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}
• Legacy: A gift of property made by will.
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• license: means license, certificate, registration, or other means to engage in a business or profession regulated by this code or referred to in Section 1000 or 3600. See California Business and Professions Code 23.7
• 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.
• Measure: means any constitutional amendment or other proposition submitted to a popular vote at any election. See California Elections Code 329
• 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.
• Nonpartisan office: means an office, except for a voter-nominated office, for which no party may nominate a candidate. See California Elections Code 334
• Nonprofit organization: means any nonprofit corporation qualified to do business in California, and qualified under Section 501?(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• 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.
• Outlays: Outlays are payments made (generally through the issuance of checks or disbursement of cash) to liquidate obligations. Outlays during a fiscal year may be for payment of obligations incurred in prior years or in the same year.
• Owner: means a person who owns or controls 10 percent or more of the equity of, or otherwise has claim to 10 percent or more of the net income of, a telephonic seller. See California Business and Professions Code 17511.2
• 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.
• Party: means a political party or organization that has qualified for participation in any primary or presidential general election. See California Elections Code 338
• Person: includes any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, or company. See California Government Code 17
• 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
• Person: includes an individual, firm, association, corporation, partnership, joint venture, or any other business entity. See California Business and Professions Code 17511.2
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Police protective equipment: means equipment or attire worn by law enforcement personnel for the purpose of protecting themselves or the public from overt actions of others or to assist in the carrying out of related duties, for example, handgun, baton, billy, handcuffs, flashlight, whistle, leather belt, holster and cases or attachments. See California Government Code 19850
• 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
• Preservation: means rehabilitation, stabilization, restoration, development, and reconstruction, or any combination of those activities. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• Primary election: includes all primary nominating elections provided for by this code. See California Elections Code 341
• Principal: means an owner, an executive officer of a corporation, a general partner of a partnership, a sole proprietor of a sole proprietorship, a trustee of a trust, or any other individual with similar supervisory functions with respect to any person. See California Business and Professions Code 17511.2
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• 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
• prospective purchaser: means a person who is solicited to become or does become obligated to a telephonic seller. See California Business and Professions Code 17511.2
• 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
• 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.
• 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.
• Restoration: means the improvement of physical structures or facilities and, in the case of natural systems and landscape features includes, but is not limited to, projects for the control of erosion, the control and elimination of exotic species, prescribed burning, fuel hazard reduction, fencing out threats to existing or restored natural resources, road elimination, and other plant and wildlife habitat improvement to increase the natural system value of the property. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• Safety equipment: means equipment or attire worn over, in place of, or in addition to, regular clothing, which is necessary to protect the employees' health and welfare, for example, helmets, goggles, safety harnesses, and fireman "turnout gear. See California Government Code 19850
• School building: as used in this article shall be limited to any physical structure capable of being occupied by pupils, but shall exclude, (a) any bleacher or grandstand with less than six rows of seats, (b) any building which is used exclusively for warehouse, storage, garage, or districtwide administrative office purposes, into which pupils are not required to enter, and buildings utilized by adult schools for off-campus, voluntary adult education courses or registered apprentice courses, (c) any swimming pool, or (d) any yard or lighting poles or flagpoles or playground equipment which does not exceed 35 feet in height. See California Education Code 17368
• Secretary: means the Secretary of the Resources Agency. See California Public Resources Code 75005
• 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
• seller: means a person who, on their own behalf or through salespersons or through the use of an automatic dialing-announcing device, as defined in §. See California Business and Professions Code 17511.1
• Sequester: To separate. Sometimes juries are sequestered from outside influences during their deliberations.
• 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

• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Government Code 12.2
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Health and Safety Code 23
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Business and Professions Code 21
• state agency: includes every state office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, and commission. See California Government Code 11000
• State employees: means employees of the state and its agencies, but does not include employees of the University of California or the California State University. See California Government Code 19850
• Statewide election: is a n election held throughout the state. See California Elections Code 357
• 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 Business and Professions Code 15
• Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which the term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Government Code 10
• supervised financial institution: means any commercial bank, trust company, savings and loan association, credit union, industrial loan company, finance lender or broker, or insurer, provided that the institution is subject to supervision by an official or agency of this state or of the United States. See California Business and Professions Code 17511.1
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• 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.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Uniform: means outer garments, excluding shoes, which are required to be worn exclusively while carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the position and which are different from the design or fashion of the general population. See California Government Code 19850
• 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.
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• 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
• Voting system: means a mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic system and its software, or any combination of these used for casting a ballot, tabulating votes, or both. See California Elections Code 362
• Work clothes: means attire that is worn over, or in place of, regular clothing and is necessary to protect the employee's clothing from damage or stains which would be present in the normal performance of his or her duties, for example, aprons, lab smocks, shop coats, or coveralls. See California Government Code 19850
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.