Article 1 Government
Article 2 Powers and Duties of Directors
Article 3 Meetings and Legislation
Article 4 Other Officers

Terms Used In California Codes > Public Utilities Code > Division 10 > Part 4 > Chapter 3 - Internal Organization of District

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Commission: means the Public Utilities Commission created by §. See California Public Utilities Code 20
  • commissioner: means a member of the commission. See California Public Utilities Code 20
  • 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.
  • 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: includes "city and county". See California Penal Code 7
  • County: includes city and county. See California Public Utilities Code 18
  • 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.
  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Energy transporter: means and includes every utility and nonutility owner or operator, or both, of a natural gas or electric transmission or distribution system, or both, subject to a franchise agreement executed pursuant to this division, provided that proprietary gas pipelines whose franchise fees are set forth in Article 2 (commencing with Section 6231) of Chapter 2 shall not be covered by this chapter. See California Public Utilities Code 6351
  • 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.
  • Executive authority: means the Governor or any person performing the functions of Governor in a State other than this State. See California Penal Code 1548
  • Extradition: The formal process of delivering an accused or convicted person from authorities in one state to authorities in another state.
  • 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.
  • Governor: means any person performing the functions of Governor by authority of the law of this State. See California Penal Code 1548
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • magistrate: signifies any one of the officers mentioned in Section 808. See California Penal Code 7
  • Municipality: includes counties. See California Public Utilities Code 6351
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • 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.
  • peace officer: signify any one of the officers mentioned in Chapter 4. See California Penal Code 7
  • Person: means any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, limited liability company, or company. See California Water Code 19
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Penal Code 7
  • 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.
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • property: includes property real and personal. See California Civil Code 14
  • 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.
  • Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
  • seal: includes an impression of such seal upon the paper alone, or upon any substance attached to the paper capable of receiving a visible impression. See California Penal Code 7
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
  • State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Water Code 18
  • 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
  • Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which that term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Public Utilities Code 10
  • subscription: includes mark when the signer or subscriber cannot write, such signer's or subscriber's name being written near the mark by a witness who writes his own name near the signer's or subscriber's name. See California Public Utilities Code 16
  • Surcharge: means a municipal surcharge for the use of public lands by a transportation customer as defined in subdivision (c). See California Public Utilities Code 6351
  • Transportation customer: means every person, firm, or corporation, other than the State of California or a political subdivision thereof, transporting gas or electricity on an energy transporter's transmission or distribution system, or both, when the gas or electricity was purchased by the transportation customer from a third party. See California Public Utilities Code 6351
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • will: includes codicil. See California Civil Code 14
  • will: includes codicil. See California Penal Code 7
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
  • writ: signifies an order or precept in writing, issued in the name of the people, or of a court or judicial officer, and the word "process" a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings. See California Penal Code 7