Terms Used In California Codes > Revenue and Taxation Code > Division 2 > Part 24 > Chapter 3 - Determinations

• Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
• 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.
• Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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
• Attorney-in-fact: A person who, acting as an agent, is given written authorization by another person to transact business for him (her) out of court.
• 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}
• Beneficiary: means any person who has received benefits or will be provided benefits under this chapter because of an injury for which another person or party may be liable. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14124.70
• Benefit corporation: means a corporation organized under the General Corporation Law that has elected to become subject to this part and whose status as a benefit corporation has not been terminated as provided in this part. See California Corporations Code 14601
• Carrier: includes any insurer as defined in §. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14124.70
• Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
• City: includes "city and county" and "incorporated town. See California Streets and Highways Code 15
• Coastal resources: means those land and water areas within the coastal zone, as defined in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 31006, and within the Santa Monica Mountains Zone, as described in Section 33105, which are suitable for public park, beach, or recreational purposes, including, but not limited to, areas of historical significance and areas of open space that complement park, beach, or recreational areas, or which are suitable for the preservation of coastal resource values. See California Public Resources Code 5096.228
• commission: means the California Transportation Commission. See California Streets and Highways Code 22
• Communication service: means the transmission of intelligence by electrical means, including, but not limited to, telephone, telegraph, messenger-call, clock, police, fire alarm, and traffic control circuits, and circuits for the transmission of television or radio signals. See California Streets and Highways Code 5896.2
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Construction: includes :

  California Streets and Highways Code 29

• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• conversion: means the removal of all, or any part, of any existing overhead electric or communication facilities and the replacement thereof with underground electric or communication facilities constructed at the same or different locations. See California Streets and Highways Code 5896.2
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: as used in this part means a corporation which is organized under, or subject to this part, including a central organization. See California Corporations Code 12232
• 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 Welfare and Institutions Code 14
• County: includes "city and county. See California Corporations Code 14
• County: includes "city and county. See California Public Resources Code 14
• County: includes "city and county. See California Streets and Highways Code 14
• custody: means the legal right to custody of the child unless that right is held jointly by two or more persons, in which case "custody" means the physical custody of the child by one of the persons sharing the right to custody. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 17.1
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• dealer: includes a retailer. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14125.1
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• department: means the Department of Parks and Recreation and "director" means the Director of Parks and Recreation. See California Public Resources Code 5001.1
• department: means the State Department of Health Services. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14062
• Department: means the State Department of Health Services. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14125.1
• Department: means the Department of Transportation of this state. See California Streets and Highways Code 20
• 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 12233
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• District: means any district authorized to provide park, recreational, or open-space services, or a combination of those services, except a school district. See California Public Resources Code 5096.228
• Electric or communication facilities: means any works or improvements used or useful in providing electrical, cable television, or communication service, including, but not limited to, poles, supports, tunnels, manholes, vaults, conduits, pipes, wires, conductors, guys, stubs, platforms, crossarms, braces, transformers, insulators, cutouts, switches, capacitors, meters, communication circuits, appliances, attachments, and appurtenances, other than those owned or used by, or provided for, any railroad or pipeline, and located upon or above the right-of-way of the railroad or pipeline. See California Streets and Highways Code 5896.2
• Electric service: means the distribution of electricity for heat, light, or power. See California Streets and Highways Code 5896.2
• Electronic funds transfer: The transfer of money between accounts by consumer electronic systems-such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and electronic payment of bills-rather than by check or cash. (Wire transfers, checks, drafts, and paper instruments do not fall into this category.) ^{Source: OCC}
• 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}
• 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: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• 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.
• Fund: means the Parklands Fund of 1980. See California Public Resources Code 5096.144
• Fund: means the Parklands Fund of 1984. See California Public Resources Code 5096.228
• General public benefit: means a material positive impact on society and the environment, taken as a whole, as assessed against a third-party standard, from the business and operations of a benefit corporation. See California Corporations Code 14601
• 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.
• highway: includes bridges, culverts, curbs, drains, and all works incidental to highway construction, improvement, and maintenance. See California Streets and Highways Code 23
• Historical resource: includes , but is not limited to, any building, structure, site, area, or place which is historically or archaeologically significant, or is significant in the architectural, engineering, scientific, economic, agricultural, educational, social, political, military, or cultural annals of California. See California Public Resources Code 5096.228
• Incontinence medical supplies: means disposable medical supplies that are covered benefits under the Medi-Cal program pursuant to subdivision (s) of Section 14132 when prescribed by a physician for the treatment of individuals who are incontinent. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14125.1
• 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.
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Inland resources: means those land and water areas not included in the definition of coastal resources. See California Public Resources Code 5096.228
• 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}
• Joint resolution: A legislative measure which requires the approval of both chambers.
• 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.
• Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Lien: means the director's claim for recovery, from a beneficiary's tort action or claim, of the reasonable value of benefits provided on behalf of the beneficiary. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14124.70
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Maintenance: as used in this chapter in relation to lighting systems, includes the replacement of any obsolete equipment with new modern equipment found by the board of supervisors or legislative body of a city to be necessary for the proper operation of the district. See California Streets and Highways Code 5835.3
• Manufacturer: means any person, partnership, or corporation who assembles or combines the components of incontinence supplies into a final product sold to dealers. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14125.1
• Markup: The process by which congressional committees and subcommittees debate, amend, and rewrite proposed legislation.
• Medi-Cal: means the California Medical Assistance Program. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14063
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• 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.
• 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 Corporations Code 18
• Person: means any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, organization, limited liability company, or business trust. See California Streets and Highways Code 19
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
• 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}
• Principal labeler: means any person, partnership, or corporation who purchases from a manufacturer an assembled product which is sold to dealers under the principal labeler's label. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14125.1
• 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.
• Program: means the Parklands Acquisition and Development Program established by this chapter. See California Public Resources Code 5096.144
• Program: means the Parklands Acquisition and Development Program of 1984 established by this chapter. See California Public Resources Code 5096.228
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public agency: means any city, county, district, or public corporation (other than the one conducting the proceedings) that provides electric or communication service to the public by means of electric or communication facilities. See California Streets and Highways Code 5896.2
• Public utility: means any person or corporation that provides electric or communication service to the public by means of electric or communication facilities. See California Streets and Highways Code 5896.2
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Reasonable value of benefits: means both of the following:

  California Welfare and Institutions Code 14124.70

• Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: means those land and water areas defined in §. See California Public Resources Code 5096.228
• 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.
• Sewers: as used in this chapter includes lateral and collecting sewers, septic tanks, and all other means of handling, gathering, and disposing of sewage in the district. See California Streets and Highways Code 5835.1
• Specific public benefit: includes all of the following:

  California Corporations Code 14601

• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 12.2
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Education Code 77
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Stewardship: means the development and implementation of major programs for the protection, rehabilitation, restoration, and enhancement of the basic natural systems and outstanding scenic features of the state park system. See California Public Resources Code 5096.228
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• subscription: includes mark when the signer or subscriber can not 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 Welfare and Institutions Code 17
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• surgical center: means a surgical clinic that is licensed under §. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14132.1
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Third-party standard: means a standard for defining, reporting, and assessing overall corporate social and environmental performance to which all of the following apply:

  California Corporations Code 14601

• Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Underground electric or communication facilities: means electrical, cable television, or communication facilities located, in whole or in part, beneath the surface of the ground. See California Streets and Highways Code 5896.2
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.