Terms Used In California Codes > Welfare and Institutions Code > Division 5 > Part 1 > Chapter 6.2 > Article 4 - Access to Clients

• Advocacy: means those activities undertaken on behalf of persons who are receiving or have received mental health services to protect their rights or to secure or upgrade treatment or other services to which they are entitled. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 5500
• 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.
• City: includes "city and county" and "incorporated town. See California Streets and Highways Code 15
• client: means a person who is receiving or has received services from a mental health facility, service, or program and who has personally or through a guardian ad litem, entered into an agreement with a county patients' rights advocate for the provision of advocacy services. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 5500
• County: includes "city and county. See California Welfare and Institutions Code 14
• 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.
• 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.