Terms Used In California Codes > Health and Safety Code > Division 102 > Part 1 > Chapter 5 - Certificates of Birth Following Adoption, Legitimation, Court Determination of Parentage, and Acknowledgment

• 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.
• 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.
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• 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.
• child: means a person under 18 years of age. See California Penal Code 25000
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• county: includes "city and county". See California Penal Code 7
• County: includes city and county. See California Family Code 67
• court-appointed investigator: means a probation officer, domestic relations investigator, or court-appointed evaluator directed by the court to conduct an investigation pursuant to this chapter. See California Family Code 3110
• 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
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• department: means State Department of Health Services. See California Health and Safety Code 20
• Director: means "State Director of Health Services. See California Health and Safety Code 21
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• 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.
• firearm: includes the frame or receiver of the weapon, including both a completed frame or receiver, or a firearm precursor part:

  California Penal Code 16520

• firearm safety device: means a device other than a gun safe that locks and is designed to prevent children and unauthorized users from firing a firearm. See California Penal Code 16540
• 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.
• 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.
• gun safe: means a locking container that fully contains and secures one or more firearms, and that meets the standards for gun safes adopted pursuant to Section 23650. See California Penal Code 16610
• 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}
• locked container: means a secure container that is fully enclosed and locked by a padlock, keylock, combination lock, or similar locking device. See California Penal Code 16850
• Marketing of illegal controlled substances: means the possession for sale, sale, or distribution of a specified illegal controlled substance, and shall include all aspects of making such a controlled substance available, including, but not limited to, its manufacture. See California Health and Safety Code 11703
• order: include a decree, as appropriate under the circumstances. See California Family Code 100
• 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.
• peace officer: signify any one of the officers mentioned in Chapter 4. See California Penal Code 7
• Person: means an individual, governmental entity, corporation, firm, trust, partnership, or incorporated or unincorporated association, existing under or authorized by the laws of this state, another state, or a foreign country. See California Health and Safety Code 11703
• 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 a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Penal Code 7
• Person: includes a natural person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, limited liability company, or public entity. See California Family Code 105
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Petitioner: includes plaintiff, where appropriate. See California Family Code 126
• Pro per: A slang expression sometimes used to refer to a pro se litigant. It is a corruption of the Latin phrase "in propria persona." ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• 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.
• Probation officers: Screen applicants for pretrial release and monitor convicted offenders released under court supervision.
• Proceeding: includes an action. See California Family Code 110
• 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.
• safety: is a utomatically applied by the pistol, this feature shall not be defeated. See California Penal Code 31900
• 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 "registered domestic partner" as required by Section 297. See California Family Code 143
• 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: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the district and territories. See California Penal Code 7
• State: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, or a commonwealth, territory, or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See California Family Code 145
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Support: refers to a support obligation owing on behalf of a child, spouse, or family, or an amount owing pursuant to Section 17402. See California Family Code 150
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Writing: includes printing and typewriting. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17