Terms Used In California Codes > Public Utilities Code > Division 10 > Part 3 > Chapter 4 - Retirement System and Employment Benefits

• 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.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Authority: means the California Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority established pursuant to Section 3320 and any board, commission, department, or officer succeeding to the functions thereof, or to whom the powers conferred upon the authority by this division shall be given by law. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• 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.
• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• Board: means the Board of Directors of the California Consumer Power and Conservation Financing Authority. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• City: includes any city, city and county, district, including any enterprise special district, community service district, or community service area engaged in police protection activities as reported to the Controller for inclusion in the 1989-90 edition of the Financial Transactions Report Concerning Special Districts under the heading of Police Protection and Public Safety, authority, or other local agency (other than a county) which employs persons authorized to make arrests or to issue notices to appear or notices of violation which may be filed in court. See California Penal Code 1463
• Commission: means the Public Utilities Commission created by §. See California Public Utilities Code 20
• 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 Water Code 14
• County: means the county in which the arrest took place. See California Penal Code 1463
• county: includes "city and county". See California Penal Code 7
• county water district: means a county water district which has heretofore executed or shall hereafter execute a contract with the United States for any or all of the following purposes:

  California Water Code 23300

• Court: means the superior court or a juvenile forum established under §. See California Penal Code 1463
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• 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.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• District: as used in this part , means the Southern California Rapid Transit District. See California Public Utilities Code 30004
• Energy Commission: means the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. See California Public Utilities Code 20
• 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}
• 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.
• Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• 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.
• Offense: means any infraction, misdemeanor, or felony, and any act by a juvenile leading to an order to pay a financial sanction by reason of the act being defined as an infraction, misdemeanor, or felony, whether defined in this or any other code, except any parking offense as defined in subdivision (i). See California Penal Code 1463
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Participating party: means either of the following:

  California Public Utilities Code 3302

• 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.
• person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Penal Code 7
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Program: means a program that provides financial assistance, as provided in Article 6 (commencing with Section 3365). See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• Public agency: as used in this part , includes the State of California, and any county, city and county, city, district, or other political subdivision or public entity of, or organized under the laws of, this State. See California Public Utilities Code 30007
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Water Code 18
• State: means the State of California. See California Public Utilities Code 3302
• 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 Public Utilities Code 17
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• United States: means the United States of America, and in relation to any particular matter includes the officers, agents, employees, agencies, or instrumentalities authorized to act in relation thereto. See California Water Code 20
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.