Terms Used In California Codes > Health and Safety Code > Division 20 > Chapter 6.5 > Article 2 - Definitions

• abuse or neglect in out-of-home care: includes physical injury or death inflicted upon a child by another person by other than accidental means, sexual abuse as defined in Section 11165. See California Penal Code 11165.5
• alcohol and drug counselor: is a person providing counseling, therapy, or other clinical services for a state licensed or certified drug, alcohol, or drug and alcohol treatment program. See California Penal Code 11165.7
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Animal control officer: means a person employed by a city, county, or city and county for the purpose of enforcing animal control laws or regulations. See California Penal Code 11165.7
• 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
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• 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.
• child: means a person under the age of 18 years. See California Penal Code 11165
• child abuse or neglect: includes physical injury or death inflicted by other than accidental means upon a child by another person, sexual abuse as defined in Section 11165. See California Penal Code 11165.6
• child visitation monitor: means a person who, for financial compensation, acts as a monitor of a visit between a child and another person when the monitoring of that visit has been ordered by a court of law. See California Penal Code 11165.7
• clergy member: means a priest, minister, rabbi, religious practitioner, or similar functionary of a church, temple, or recognized denomination or organization. See California Penal Code 11165.7
• commercial computer technician: means a person who works for a company that is in the business of repairing, installing, or otherwise servicing a computer or computer component, including, but not limited to, a computer part, device, memory storage or recording mechanism, auxiliary storage recording or memory capacity, or any other material relating to the operation and maintenance of a computer or computer network system, for a fee. See California Penal Code 11165.7
• commercial film and photographic print or image processor: means a person who develops exposed photographic film into negatives, slides, or prints, or who makes prints from negatives or slides, or who prepares, publishes, produces, develops, duplicates, or prints any representation of information, data, or an image, including, but not limited to, any film, filmstrip, photograph, negative, slide, photocopy, videotape, video laser disc, computer hardware, computer software, computer floppy disk, data storage medium, CD-ROM, computer-generated equipment, or computer-generated image, for compensation. See California Penal Code 11165.7
• Commercial sexual exploitation: refers to either of the following:

  California Penal Code 11165.1

• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• 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 Health and Safety Code 14
• county: includes "city and county". See California Penal Code 7
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Humane society officer: means a person appointed or employed by a public or private entity as a humane officer who is qualified pursuant to Section 14502 or 14503 of the Corporations Code. See California Penal Code 11165.7
• 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.
• 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
• license: shall include a permit or a certificate issued by a state agency. See California Penal Code 23
• licensing agency: means the State Department of Social Services office responsible for the licensing and enforcement of the California Community Care Facilities Act (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1500) of Division 2 of . See California Penal Code 11165.11
• neglect: means the negligent treatment or the maltreatment of a child by a person responsible for the child's welfare under circumstances indicating harm or threatened harm to the child's health or welfare. See California Penal Code 11165.2
• 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.
• peace officer: signify any one of the officers mentioned in Chapter 4. See California Penal Code 7
• person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Penal Code 7
• 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.
• property: includes both real and personal property. See California Penal Code 7
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Reasonably suspects: means that it is objectively reasonable for a person to entertain a suspicion, based upon facts that could cause a reasonable person in a like position, drawing, when appropriate, on his or her training and experience, to suspect. See California Penal Code 11162.5
• Record: means the state summary criminal history information as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 11105, or a copy thereof, maintained under a person's name by the Department of Justice. See California Penal Code 11140
• 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).
• 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.
• Severe neglect: means the negligent failure of a person having the care or custody of a child to protect the child from severe malnutrition or medically diagnosed nonorganic failure to thrive. See California Penal Code 11165.2
• sexual abuse: means sexual assault or sexual exploitation as defined by the following:

  California Penal Code 11165.1

• sexual assault: includes , but is not limited to, all of the following:

  California Penal Code 11165.1

• Sexual exploitation: refers to any of the following:

  California Penal Code 11165.1

• spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Penal Code 7
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Health and Safety Code 23
• 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 agency: shall include any state board, commission, bureau, or division created pursuant to the provisions of the Business and Professions Code, the Education Code, or the Chiropractic Initiative Act to license and regulate individuals who engage in certain businesses and professions. See California Penal Code 23
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Substantiated report: means a report that is determined by the investigator who conducted the investigation to constitute child abuse or neglect, as defined in Section 11165. See California Penal Code 11165.12
• 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.
• unlawful corporal punishment or injury: means a situation where any person willfully inflicts upon any child any cruel or inhuman corporal punishment or injury resulting in a traumatic condition. See California Penal Code 11165.4
• victim: means any person alleged or found, upon the record, to have sustained physical or financial injury to person or property as a direct result of the crime charged. See California Penal Code 11158
• Victim advocate: work with prosecutors and assist the victims of a crime.
• will: includes codicil. See California Penal Code 7
• willful harming or injuring of a child or the endangering of the person or health of a child: means a situation in which any person willfully causes or permits any child to suffer, or inflicts thereon, unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering, or having the care or custody of any child, willfully causes or permits the person or health of the child to be placed in a situation in which his or her person or health is endangered. See California Penal Code 11165.3
• 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