Terms Used In California Codes > Penal Code > Part 6 > Title 4 > Division 6 > Chapter 4 - Crimes Relating to Sale, Lease, or Transfer of Firearms

• Action: includes a civil action and a criminal action. See California Evidence Code 105
• 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.
• 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.
• ammunition: includes , but is not limited to, any bullet, cartridge, magazine, clip, speed loader, autoloader, ammunition feeding device, or projectile capable of being fired from a firearm with a deadly consequence. See California Penal Code 16150
• 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.
• application to purchase: means either of the following:

  California Penal Code 16190

• 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.
• assessed value: means 25 percent of full value to, and including, the 1980-81 fiscal year, and 100 percent of full value for the 1981-82 fiscal year and fiscal years thereafter. See California Government Code 25
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• At large: means the election of members of the board of directors all of whom are elected by the voters of the entire district. See California Government Code 61002
• 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.
• basic firearms safety certificate: means a certificate issued before January 1, 2003, by the Department of Justice pursuant to former Article 8 (commencing with Section 12800) of Chapter 6 of Title 2 of Part 4, as that article read at any time from when it became operative on January 1, 1992, to when it was repealed on January 1, 2003. See California Penal Code 16240
• Beneficiary: means a person to whom a donative transfer of property is made or that person's successor in interest, and:

  California Probate Code 24

• 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}
• Bequest: Property gifted by will.
• Board of directors: means the board of directors of a district that establishes policies for the operation of the district. See California Government Code 61002
• Burden of proof: means the obligation of a party to establish by evidence a requisite degree of belief concerning a fact in the mind of the trier of fact or the court. See California Evidence Code 115
• By divisions: means the election of members of the board of directors who are residents of the division from which they are elected only by voters of the division. See California Government Code 61002
• Charitable purpose: means the relief of poverty, the advancement of education or religion, the promotion of health, the promotion of a governmental purpose, or any other purpose the achievement of which is beneficial to the community. See California Probate Code 18502
• 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" and "incorporated town. See California Streets and Highways Code 15
• Claim: means a demand for payment for any of the following, whether due, not due, accrued or not accrued, or contingent, and whether liquidated or unliquidated:

  California Probate Code 9000

• commission: means the California Transportation Commission. See California Streets and Highways Code 22
• Commissioner: means any county agricultural commissioner. See California Food and Agricultural Code 26
• committee: means the Garlic and Onion Dehydrator Advisory Committee. See California Food and Agricultural Code 41861
• 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.
• Community property: means :

  California Probate Code 28

• compensation: means the remuneration paid out of funds controlled by the employer in payment for the member's services performed during normal working hours or for time during which the member is excused from work because of any of the following:

  California Government Code 20630

• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Conduct: includes all active and passive behavior, both verbal and nonverbal. See California Evidence Code 125
• Construction: includes :

  California Streets and Highways Code 29

• consultant-evaluator: means a consultant or evaluator who, in the course of that person's profession is loaned firearms from a person licensed pursuant to Chapter 44 (commencing with Section 921) of Title 18 of the United States Code and the regulations issued pursuant thereto, for research or evaluation, and has a current certificate of eligibility issued pursuant to Section 26710. See California Penal Code 16410
• 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.
• costs incurred by the county: means all costs, except normal salaries and expenses, incurred by the county in bringing to trial or trials, including the trial or trials of, a person or persons for the offense of homicide, including costs, except normal salaries and expenses, incurred by the district attorney in investigation and prosecution, by the sheriff in investigation, by the public defender or court-appointed attorney or attorneys in investigation and defense, and all other costs, except normal salaries and expenses, incurred by the county in connection with bringing the person or persons to trial including the trial itself, which include extraordinary expenses for such services as witness fees and expenses, court-appointed expert witness fees and expenses, reporter fees, and costs in preparing transcripts. See California Government Code 15201
• County: includes city and county. See California Government Code 19
• county: includes "city and county". See California Penal Code 7
• County: includes "city and county. See California Corporations Code 14
• County: includes "city and county. See California Streets and Highways Code 14
• County: includes city and county. See California Food and Agricultural Code 29
• 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.
• 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.
• directors: means natural persons, designated in the articles or bylaws or elected by the incorporators, and their successors and natural persons designated, elected, or appointed by any other name or title to act as members of the governing body of the corporation. See California Corporations Code 5047
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• District: means a community services district created pursuant to this division or any of its statutory predecessors. See California Government Code 61002
• Donee: The recipient of a gift.
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• elective officer: includes any officer of the Senate or Assembly who is elected by vote of the members of either or both of the houses of the Legislature, and any appointive officer of a city or county occupying a fixed term of office, as well as officers of the state or contracting agencies elected by the people, and persons elected to a city council or a county board of supervisors. See California Government Code 20322
• 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}
• Endowment fund: means an institutional fund or part thereof that, under the terms of a gift instrument, is not wholly expendable by the institution on a current basis. See California Probate Code 18502
• Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
• 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}
• Escheat: Reversion of real or personal property to the state when 1) a person dies without leaving a will and has no heirs, or 2) when the property (such as a bank account) has been inactive for a certain period of time. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Evidence: means testimony, writings, material objects, or other things presented to the senses that are offered to prove the existence or nonexistence of a fact. See California Evidence Code 140
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• expert: means a physician and surgeon, including a psychiatrist, or any person described by subdivision (b), (c), or (e) of Section 1010. See California Evidence Code 240
• 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: means personal representative, trustee, guardian, conservator, attorney-in-fact under a power of attorney, custodian under the California Uniform Transfer To Minors Act (Part 9 (commencing with Section 3900) of Division 4), or other legal representative subject to this code. See California Probate Code 39
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• 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 certificate: means a certificate issued by the Department of Justice pursuant to Sections 31610 to 31700, inclusive, or pursuant to former Article 8 (commencing with Section 12800) of Chapter 6 of Title 2 of Part 4, as that article was operative at any time from January 1, 2003, until it was repealed by the Deadly Weapons Recodification Act of 2010. See California Penal Code 16535
• 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
• 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}
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• From divisions: means the election of members of the board of directors who are residents of the division from which they are elected by the voters of the entire district. See California Government Code 61002
• General manager: means the highest level management appointee who is directly responsible to the board of directors for the implementation of the policies established by the board of directors. See California Government Code 61002
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• gift: means a transfer of personal property made voluntarily and without consideration. See California Probate Code 5700
• Gift instrument: means a record or records, including an institutional solicitation, under which property is granted to, transferred to, or held by an institution as an institutional fund. See California Probate Code 18502
• Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. ^{Source: Federal Reserve}
• 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
• gunsmith: means any person who is licensed as a dealer pursuant to Chapter 44 (commencing with Section 921) of Title 18 of the United States Code and the regulations issued pursuant thereto, who is engaged primarily in the business of repairing firearms, or making or fitting special barrels, stocks, or trigger mechanisms to firearms, or the agent or employee of that person. See California Penal Code 16630
• handgun: means any pistol, revolver, or firearm capable of being concealed upon the person. See California Penal Code 16640
• handgun safety certificate: means a certificate issued by the Department of Justice pursuant to Sections 31610 to 31700, inclusive, or pursuant to former Article 8 (commencing with Section 12800) of Chapter 6 of Title 2 of Part 4, as that article was operative at any time from January 1, 2003, until it was repealed by the Deadly Weapons Recodification Act of 2010. See California Penal Code 16670
• hearing: means the hearing at which a question under this code arises, and not some earlier or later hearing. See California Evidence Code 145
• highway: includes bridges, culverts, curbs, drains, and all works incidental to highway construction, improvement, and maintenance. See California Streets and Highways Code 23
• hunting license: means a hunting license issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 3031) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 4 of . See California Penal Code 16685
• immediate family member: means either of the following relationships:

  California Penal Code 16720

• 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.
• Institution: means any of the following:

  California Probate Code 18502

• Institutional fund: means a fund held by an institution exclusively for charitable purposes. See California Probate Code 18502
• Instrument: means a will, a document establishing or modifying a trust, a deed, or any other writing that designates a beneficiary or makes a donative transfer of property. See California Probate Code 45
• 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}
• interested person: includes any of the following:

  California Probate Code 48

• Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
• 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
• Latent power: means those services and facilities authorized by Part 3 (commencing with Section 61100) that the local agency formation commission has determined, pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 56425, that a district did not provide prior to January 1, 2006. See California Government Code 61002
• Law: includes constitutional, statutory, and decisional law. See California Evidence Code 160
• 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}
• 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.
• 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
• machinegun: means any weapon that shoots, is designed to shoot, or can readily be restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. See California Penal Code 16880
• maintenance: includes any of the following:

  California Streets and Highways Code 27

• malfunction: means a failure to properly feed, fire, or eject a round, or failure of a pistol to accept or eject the magazine, or failure of a pistol's slide to remain open after the magazine has been expended. See California Penal Code 31905
• missing person: means a person who is presumed to be dead under Section 12401. See California Probate Code 12400
• 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.
• Oral argument: An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court and also to answer the judges' questions.
• Original: means the writing itself or any counterpart intended to have the same effect by a person executing or issuing it. See California Evidence Code 255
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• 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
• Per stirpes: The legal means by which the children of a decedent, upon the death of an ancestor at a level above that of the decedent, receive by right of representation the share of the ancestor
• Perceive: means to acquire knowledge through one's senses. See California Evidence Code 170
• Person: includes any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, or company. See California Government Code 17
• Person: means an individual, corporation, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, or other entity. See California Probate Code 56
• Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity. See California Probate Code 18502
• person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Penal Code 7
• Person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Corporations Code 18
• Person: includes a natural person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, limited liability company, or public entity. See California Evidence Code 175
• Person: means any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, organization, limited liability company, or business trust. See California Streets and Highways Code 19
• Person: means any individual, partnership, association, corporation, limited liability company, or any organized group of persons whether incorporated or not. See California Food and Agricultural Code 38
• personal firearm importer: means an individual who meets all of the following criteria:

  California Penal Code 17000

• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Personal representative: means executor, administrator, administrator with the will annexed, special administrator, successor personal representative, public administrator acting pursuant to Section 7660, or a person who performs substantially the same function under the law of another jurisdiction governing the person's status. See California Probate Code 58
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
• Principal county: means the county having all or the greatest portion of the entire assessed valuation, as shown on the last equalized assessment roll of the county or counties, of all taxable property in the district. See California Government Code 61002
• 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
• Property: means anything that may be the subject of ownership and includes both real and personal property and any interest therein. See California Probate Code 62
• property: includes both real and personal property. See California Penal Code 7
• Property: includes both real and personal property. See California Evidence Code 185
• 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.
• Public employee: means an officer, agent, or employee of a public entity. See California Evidence Code 195
• Public entity: includes a nation, state, county, city and county, city, district, public authority, public agency, or any other political subdivision or public corporation, whether foreign or domestic. See California Evidence Code 200
• Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• 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.
• Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See California Probate Code 18502
• 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.
• 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).
• responsible adult: means a person at least 21 years of age who is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing, receiving, owning, or purchasing a firearm. See California Penal Code 17070
• safety: is a utomatically applied by the pistol, this feature shall not be defeated. See California Penal Code 31900
• Secretary: means the secretary of the board of directors. See California Government Code 61002
• Secretary: means the Secretary of Food and Agriculture. See California Food and Agricultural Code 35
• Security: includes any note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in an oil, gas, or mining title or lease or in payments out of production under such a title or lease, collateral trust certificate, transferable share, voting trust certificate or, in general, any interest or instrument commonly known as a security, or any certificate of interest or participation, any temporary or interim certificate, receipt, or certificate of deposit for, or any warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the foregoing. See California Probate Code 70
• 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.
• Spouse: includes domestic partner, as defined in Section 37 of this code, as required by §. See California Probate Code 72
• 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 Government Code 18
• State: includes any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession subject to the legislative authority of the United States. See California Probate Code 74
• 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 the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Evidence Code 220
• 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
• state agency: includes every state office, officer, department, division, bureau, board, and commission. See California Government Code 11000
• State highway: means any highway which is acquired, laid out, constructed, improved or maintained as a State highway pursuant to constitutional or legislative authorization. See California Streets and Highways Code 24
• State Highway Account: means the State Highway Account in the State Transportation Fund. See California Streets and Highways Code 30
• Statement: means (a) oral or written verbal expression or (b) nonverbal conduct of a person intended by him as a substitute for oral or written verbal expression. See California Evidence Code 225
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Statute: includes a treaty and a constitutional provision. See California Evidence Code 230
• 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
• Testate: To die leaving a will.
• Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
• 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.
• Trier of fact: includes (a) the jury and (b) the court when the court is trying an issue of fact other than one relating to the admissibility of evidence. See California Evidence Code 235
• Trust: includes the following:

  California Probate Code 82

• Trustee: includes an original, additional, or successor trustee, whether or not appointed or confirmed by a court. See California Probate Code 84
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Voter: means a voter as defined by §. See California Government Code 61002
• wholesaler: means any person who is licensed as a dealer pursuant to Chapter 44 (commencing with Section 921) of Title 18 of the United States Code and the regulations issued pursuant thereto, who sells, transfers, or assigns firearms, or parts of firearms, to persons who are licensed as manufacturers, importers, or gunsmiths pursuant to Chapter 44 (commencing with Section 921) of Title 18 of the United States Code, or persons licensed pursuant to Sections 26700 to 26915, inclusive, and includes persons who receive finished parts of firearms and assemble them into completed or partially completed firearms in furtherance of that purpose. See California Penal Code 17340
• Will: includes codicil and any testamentary instrument which merely appoints an executor or revokes or revises another will. See California Probate Code 88
• will: includes codicil. See California Penal Code 7
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• Writing: means handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostating, photographing, photocopying, transmitting by electronic mail or facsimile, and every other means of recording upon any tangible thing, any form of communication or representation, including letters, words, pictures, sounds, or symbols, or combinations thereof, and any record thereby created, regardless of the manner in which the record has been stored. See California Evidence Code 250
• Zone: means a zone formed pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 61140) of Part 3. See California Government Code 61002