Terms Used In California Codes > Government Code > Title 8 > Chapter 8 - Superior Courts

• action: as used in this Title is to be construed, whenever it is necessary so to do, as including a special proceeding of a civil nature. See California Code of Civil Procedure 363
• 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.
• Bird: means a wild bird or part of a wild bird. See California Fish and Game Code 22
• Board: means the governing board of the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority established under Section 14074. See California Government Code 14074
• Board: means the governing board of the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority established under Section 14076. See California Government Code 14076
• board: means the California Veterans Board. See California Military and Veterans Code 61
• Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority: means the joint exercise of powers agency formed under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 and specified in subdivision (a) of Section 14070. See California Government Code 14076
• Commercial development project: means any project involving the issuance of a permit by an underlying land use jurisdiction for construction, not including remodeling of an existing property, that is undertaken within the San Francisco Bay area for the development of land for commercial use, but does not include any project involving solely a permit to operate. See California Government Code 64620
• Commercial linkage fee: means a monetary exaction, other than a tax or special assessment, established for a broad class of projects by legislation of general applicability that is charged to an applicant in connection with the approval of a commercial development project by an underlying land use jurisdiction for the purpose of addressing the need for additional housing development necessitated by that commercial development project, as determined pursuant to the nexus study undertaken pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 64621. See California Government Code 64620
• commission: means the California Transportation Commission. See California Government Code 14002.5
• compliance audit: means an audit that ascertains and verifies whether or not funds provided through apportionment, contract, or grant, either federal or state, have been properly disbursed and expended as required by law or regulation or both and includes the verification of each of the following:

  California Education Code 14501

• Construction or alteration: as used in this article includes any construction, reconstruction, or alteration of, or addition to, any school building. See California Education Code 17294
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• corridor: means the Los Angeles-Bakersfield-Fresno-Stockton-Sacramento-Oakland intercity passenger rail corridor. See California Government Code 14074
• corridor: means the Colfax-Sacramento-Suisun City-Oakland-San Jose rail corridor. See California Government Code 14076
• County: includes city and county. See California Health and Safety Code 14
• County: includes "city and county. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• custody: means the legal right to custody of the child unless that right is held jointly by two or more persons, in which case "custody" means the physical custody of the child by one of the persons sharing the right to custody. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 17.1
• 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.
• Department: means the Department of Transportation. See California Government Code 14002.5
• department: means the Department of Veterans Affairs. See California Military and Veterans Code 60
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Director: means the Director of Transportation. See California Government Code 14002.5
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Flag: as used in this division , means the State Flag of California and the Flag of the United States, as defined in this section. See California Military and Veterans Code 611
• Flag of the United States: includes any flag, standard, colors, or ensign authorized by the laws of the United States or any picture or representation of either, or of any part or parts of either, made of any substance or represented on any substance, of any size evidently purporting to be either of said flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America, or a picture or a representation of either, upon which shall be shown the colors, the stars and the stripes, in any number of either thereof, or of any part or parts of either, by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag, standards, colors, or ensign of the United States of America. See California Military and Veterans Code 611
• 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}
• 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.
• Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
• 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.
• 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}
• joint powers board: means the governing board of a joint exercise of powers agency established pursuant to Article 5. See California Government Code 14070
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Mammal: means a wild or feral mammal or part of a wild or feral animal, but not a wild, feral, or undomesticated burro. See California Fish and Game Code 54
• Markup: The process by which congressional committees and subcommittees debate, amend, and rewrite proposed legislation.
• 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.
• Person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• plan: means the south coast district air quality management plan. See California Health and Safety Code 40408
• 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.
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probate: Proving a will
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• 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 law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• Resident: means any person who has resided continuously in the State of California for six months or more immediately prior to the date of application for a license or permit, any person on active military duty with the Armed Forces of the United States or auxiliary branch thereof, or any person enrolled in the Job Corps established pursuant to former Section 2883 of Title 29 of the United States Code. See California Fish and Game Code 70
• Revocable trust: A trust agreement that can be canceled, rescinded, revoked, or repealed by the grantor (person who establishes the trust).
• San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority: means a joint exercise of powers agency formed under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 for purposes of assuming administrative responsibility for the San Joaquin Corridor under an interagency transfer agreement pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 14070). See California Government Code 14074
• School building: as used in this article means and includes any building used, or designed to be used, for elementary or secondary school purposes and constructed, reconstructed, altered, or added to, by the state or by any city or city and county, or by any political subdivision, or by any school district of any kind within the state, or by any regional occupational center or program created by or authorized to act by an agreement under joint exercise of power, or by the United States government, or any agency thereof. See California Education Code 17283
• Secretary: means the Secretary of Transportation. See California Government Code 14070
• 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
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Take: means hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill. See California Fish and Game Code 86
• 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.
• Underlying land use jurisdiction: means any of the following entities, as applicable, that has jurisdiction over the approval of a commercial development project:

  California Government Code 64620

• 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.
• Water distribution operator certificate: means a certificate of competency issued by the state board stating that a person has met the requirements to be certified to operate a water distribution system for a specified grade level. See California Health and Safety Code 106876
• Water treatment operator certificate: means a certificate of competency issued by the state board stating that a person has met the requirements to be certified to operate a water treatment plant for a specific classification and grade level. See California Health and Safety Code 106876
• 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
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• Writing: includes printing and typewriting. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17