Terms Used In Delaware Code > Title 17 > Chapter 13 - Vacating Public Roads and Bridges

• Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
• 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.
• Construction: means the first complete building or rebuilding of a highway after it has been converted into a state highway upon a modern engineering design with a permanent foundation of cement, concrete or other equally hard and permanent material and a top dressing of suitable material to economically withstand the wear of the particular traffic to which such highway will probably be subject with an adequate drainage system so that such highway, with reasonable maintenance, can reasonably be expected to endure for upwards of 40 years. See Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 101
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Delaware byway: is a transportation route which is adjacent to or runs along or next to an area that has particular intrinsic scenic, historic, recreational, cultural or archaeological qualities and for which such transportation route is managed in order to protect such characteristics and to encourage development of tourism and recreational resources. See Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 101
• Department: means the Department of Transportation. See Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 101
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• 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}
• 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.
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• highway: include any public way or road or portion thereof and any sewer, drain or drainage system connected therewith and any bridge, culvert, viaduct or other construction or artificial way used in connection therewith and anything which is accessory to any of the same or to the use thereof. See Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 101
• 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}
• Railroad: means a road, the cars, carriages and coaches on which are propelled by steam power, electricity, cable, motor or any improved motive power. See Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 101
• real property: is synonymous with the phrase "lands, tenements and hereditaments. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• 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.
• Secretary: means the Secretary of Transportation. See Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 101
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• State highway: includes any road or highway or portion thereof which the Department has constructed or of which the Department has taken or assumed control or jurisdiction. See Delaware Code Title 17 Sec. 101