Terms Used In California Codes > Water Code > Division 21 > Part 10 > Chapter 5 > Article 2 - Election

• 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.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Special assessment: as used in this chapter , means any assessment levied pursuant to any of the improvement acts of the State of California, whether or not represented by a bond, and which are liens upon a specific parcel of real property. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 3972
• Treasurer: as used in this chapter , means any person who is the custodian of the funds collected on special assessments and/or has the duty to cancel the assessments upon the payment thereof. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 3971