Terms Used In California Codes > Public Contract Code > Division 2 > Part 1 > Chapter 9 - Claims and Disputes

• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• 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 Public Utilities Code 18
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• directors: as used in this part , means the board of directors of the district. See California Public Utilities Code 28508
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• 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.
• Public entity: as used in this part , means the state, county, city, city and county, district, public authority, public agency, municipal corporation, or any other political subdivision or public corporation in the state. See California Public Contract Code 1100
• Public works contract: as used in this part , means an agreement for the erection, construction, alteration, repair, or improvement of any public structure, building, road, or other public improvement of any kind. See California Public Contract Code 1101
• 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.
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.