Terms Used In Delaware Code > Title 9 > Chapter 49 - Zoning

• Acquittal:
  1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
  2. A verdict of "not guilty."
   
• Administration of criminal justice: shall mean performance of any of the following activities: Detection, apprehension, detention, pretrial release, posttrial release, prosecution, adjudication, correction supervision, or rehabilitation of accused persons or criminal offenders, criminal identification activities, and the collection, storage and dissemination of criminal history record information. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 8502
• Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
• 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.
• Alcohol: means ethyl alcohol produced by the distillation of any fermented liquid, whether rectified or diluted with water or not, whatever may be the origin thereof, and includes synthetic ethyl alcohol, but it does not mean ethyl alcohol, diluted or not, that has been denatured or otherwise rendered unfit for beverage purposes. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• alcoholic liquors: include the 5 varieties of liquor defined in this section (alcohol, spirits, wine, beer and alcoholic cider) as well as every liquid or solid, patented or not, containing alcohol, spirits, wine, beer or alcoholic cider and capable of being consumed by a human being, and any liquid or solid containing more than 1 of the 5 varieties defined in this section is considered as belonging to that variety which usually has the higher percentage of alcohol. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• 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.
• Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
• 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.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• 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
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• 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.
• Beer: means any beverage containing more than 1/2 of 1% of ethyl alcohol by volume, obtained by the alcoholic fermentation of any infusion or decoction of barley malt and hops in water and includes, among other things, ale, porter, stout and other malt or brewed liquors. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• 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}
• Bottle: means any vessel that is corked, capped or stopped or arranged so to be and intended to contain or to convey liquids. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Caterer: means any proprietorship, partnership or corporation engaged in the business of providing food and beverages at social gatherings such as weddings, dinners, benefits, banquets or other similar events for consideration on a regular basis and duly licensed by the State as caterers with at least 60% of its gross receipts resulting from the sale of food. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Child: means a person who has not reached the age of 18 years. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Club: means a corporation or association created by competent authority, which is the owner, lessee or occupant of premises operated solely for objects of national, social, patriotic, political or athletic nature, or the like, whether or not for pecuniary gain, and the property as well as the advantages of which belong to or are enjoyed by the stockholders or by the members of such corporation or association. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Commission: means the Delaware Harness Racing Commission. See Delaware Code Title 3 Sec. 10001
• Commissioner: means the person appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate who serves as the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner for the State. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Concert hall: shall mean an indoor facility used to host live entertainment that is owned, leased, under easement, and/or operated by any person and that has capacity for at least 600 patrons for any single event. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Conviction data: means any criminal history record information relating to an arrest which has led to a conviction or other disposition adverse to the subject. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 8502
• Coordination: as used in this chapter means, in general terms, to act jointly, concurrently, and/or harmoniously toward a common end or purpose. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• 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: means Kent County. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Criminal history background check: means the acquisition of state or federal criminal history record information for an individual. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 8502
• Criminal history record information: shall mean information collected by state or federal criminal justice agencies on individuals consisting of identifiable descriptions and notations of arrests, detentions, indictments, informations or other formal criminal charges and any disposition arising therefrom, sentencing, correctional supervision and release. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 8502
• Criminal justice agency: shall mean :

  a. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 8502

• Criminal Justice Information System: shall mean the computer hardware, software and communications network managed, operated and/or maintained for the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 8502
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Defense attorney: Represent defendants in criminal matters.
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Developer: means any person, including a governmental agency, undertaking any development as defined in this subchapter. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Development: means any construction or reconstruction of any new or existing commercial or residential building(s) or structure(s) upon lands which are not owned by the State or its agencies or its political subdivisions, or are not within the jurisdictional control of the State or its agencies or its political subdivisions. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Development order: means any order granting, denying or granting with conditions an application for a development permit. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Development permit: includes any building permit, zoning permit, subdivision approval, rezoning, certificate of occupancy, special exception, variance or any other official action of local government having the effect of permitting the development of land. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Disposition: shall include , but not be limited to, trial verdicts of guilty or not guilty, nolle prosequis, Attorney General probations, pleas of guilty or nolo contendere, dismissals, incompetence to stand trial, findings of delinquency or nondelinquency and initiation and completion of appellate proceeding. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 8502
• Dissemination: shall mean the transmission of criminal history record information, or the confirmation of the existence or nonexistence of such information. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 8502
• dollars: means lawful money of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Establishment: means any place located physically in this State where alcoholic liquor of 1 or more varieties is stored, sold or used by authority of any law of this State, including a hotel, restaurant, tavern, beer garden, or club as defined in this section, or where alcoholic liquor of 1 or more varieties is manufactured by virtue of any law of this State. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• 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.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. ^{Source: OCC}
• Governing body: means the chief governing body of county government, however designated, or the combination of such bodies where joint utilization of the provision of this subchapter is accomplished as provided herein. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Governmental agency: means :

  a. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952

• 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.
• Hotel: means any establishment, provided with special space and accommodation, where, in consideration of payment, food and lodging are habitually furnished to travelers. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Import: means the transporting or ordering or arranging for the transportation or shipment of alcoholic liquor into the State whether by a resident of the State or otherwise. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Importer: means the person transporting or ordering, authorizing or arranging the transportation or shipment of alcoholic liquors into this State, whether the person is a resident or citizen of this State or not, said person being permitted to sell said alcoholic liquors only to those persons licensed to resell alcoholic liquors; provided, however, that nothing contained in this definition shall be construed as prohibiting an importer from selling such alcoholic liquors to either an active owner of that business for that person's use and not for resale or to a full-time, bona fide employee of that business for that person's use and not for resale; and provided further, that nothing contained in this definition shall be construed as prohibiting an importer from selling beer in "half-barrel" or "quarter-barrel" containers to the holders of a personal license. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• 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.
• 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.
• Juror: A person who is on the jury.
• Land: means the earth, water and air, above, below or on the surface, and includes any improvements or structures customarily regarded as land. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Land development regulation commission: means a commission designated by a county government to develop and recommend, to the local governing body, land development regulations which implement the adopted comprehensive plan and to review land development regulations, or amendments thereto, for consistency with the adopted plan and to report to the governing body regarding its findings. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Land development regulations: means ordinances enacted by governing bodies for the regulation of any aspect of development and includes any county government zoning, rezoning, subdivision, building construction or sign regulations or any other regulations controlling the development of land. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Land use: means the development that has occurred on the land, the development that is proposed by a developer on the land or the use that is permitted or permissible on the land under an adopted comprehensive plan. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Law-enforcement officer: shall include police officers, special investigators pursuant to § 9016 of Title 29, the Attorney General and the Attorney General's deputies, state fire marshals, municipal fire marshals that are graduates of a Delaware Police Academy which is accredited/authorized by the Council on Police Training, sworn members of the City of Wilmington Fire Department who have graduated from a Delaware Police Academy which is authorized/accredited by the Council on Police Training, environmental protection officers, enforcement agents of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, environmental protection officers, enforcement agents of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, sheriffs and their regular deputies, agents of the State Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement, correctional officers, animal welfare officers of the Office of Animal Welfare, and constables. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 8502
• Lawful age: means the age of 18 years or older. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• 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}
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• License: means any license or permit to manufacture, to sell, to purchase, to transport, to import or to possess alcoholic liquor authorized or issued by the Commissioner under the provisions of Chapter 5 of this title. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Local government: means any municipality. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Local planning agency: means the agency designated to prepare the comprehensive plan required by this subchapter. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Manufacture: means distill, rectify, ferment, brew, make, mix, concoct or process any substance or substances capable of producing a beverage containing more than 1/2 of 1% of alcohol by volume and includes blending, bottling or other preparation for sale. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Manufacturer: means any person engaged in the manufacture of any alcoholic liquor and among others includes a distiller, a rectifier, a wine maker, a brewer, and includes a bottler or one who prepares alcoholic liquor for sale. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Mead: means an alcoholic beverage that is naturally fermented (not distilled or frozen) wherein the major source of fermentable sugars comes from honey. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• minor child: means a person who has not reached the age of 18 years. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Month: means a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Motorsports speedway: shall mean a motorsports speedway (including any contiguous land when being used in connection with its events) that is owned, leased, under easement, and/or operated by any person and having a seating capacity of at least 5,000 seats. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Movie theater: shall mean an indoor facility used to host showings of motion pictures and that has a capacity of at least 500 patrons for any single movie showing or for showing of multiple movies in separate theaters at the same time. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Multi-purpose sports facility: shall mean a stadium, featuring sporting events where admission fees are charged to the public and having a seating capacity of at least 2,500 seats, and excludes stadia which are operated and maintained by educational institutions, including, but not limited to, high schools, colleges or universities. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Multiple activity club: is a club as to which, in the determination of the Commissioner, the service of spirits, wine or beer is not the principal activity in the premises of the club as established by the following:

  a. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101

• newspaper of general circulation: means a newspaper published at least on a weekly basis and printed in the language most commonly spoken in the area within which it circulates, but does not include a newspaper intended primarily for members of a particular professional or occupational group, a newspaper whose primary function is to carry legal notices or a newspaper that is given away primarily to distribute advertising. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• 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.
• Off-site caterer: means any proprietorship, partnership or corporation engaged in the business of providing food and beverages at social gatherings, such as weddings, dinners, benefits, banquets or other similar events, that are held off the site of the caterer's business for consideration and on a regular basis. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• 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: means an individual, corporation, governmental agency, statutory trust, business trust, estate/trust, partnership, association, 2 or more persons having a joint or common interest or any other legal entity. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• Person: includes an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a club or any other association of individuals. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• 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.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public facilities: means major capital improvements over which the County has jurisdiction. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• public meeting: means publication of notice of the time, place and purpose of such hearing at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the area. See Delaware Code Title 9 Sec. 4952
• 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.
• Release status: shall mean information concerning whether or not an individual is incarcerated and the reason therefor, which shall include but is not limited to information concerning releases on bail, or on own recognizance, commitments in default of bail, referrals to other agencies, decision of prosecutors not to commence or to postpone criminal proceedings, release from institutions and any conditions imposed concerning those released. See Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 8502
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
• Restaurant: means any establishment which is regularly used and kept open principally for the purpose of serving complete meals to persons for consideration and which has seating at tables for 12 or more persons and suitable kitchen facilities connected therewith for cooking an assortment of foods under the charge of a chef or cook. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Retailer: means the person permitted to sell alcoholic liquors in a store in the State, not for consumption on the premises. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Sale: means every act of selling as defined in this section. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Sell: means : solicit or receive an order for; keep or expose for sale; deliver for value or in any other way than purely gratuitously; keep with intent to sell; keep or transport in contravention of this title; traffic in; or for any valuable consideration, promised or obtained, directly or indirectly, or under any pretext or by any means whatsoever, procure or allow to be procured for any other person, to carry alcoholic liquors on one's person or to transport with one and with intent to sell the same, but not in any establishment where the sale thereof is allowed. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• 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.
• Spirits: means any beverage containing more than 1/2 of 1% of ethyl alcohol by volume mixed with water and other substances in solution, and includes, among other things, brandy, rum, whiskey and gin. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Taproom: means an establishment provided with special space and accommodations and operated primarily for the sale by the glass and for consumption on the premises of alcoholic liquors with the sale of food as a secondary object as distinguished from a restaurant where the sale of food is the primary object. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Tavern: means any establishment with special space and accommodation for sale of beer and wine as defined in this section to be sold to each customer in single servings. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• 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.
• United States: includes its territories and possessions and the District of Columbia. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Wine: means any beverage containing more than 1/2 of 1% ethyl alcohol by volume obtained by the fermentation of the natural contents of fruits, vegetables or other products and other vinous liquors, and also includes such beverages when fortified by the addition of alcohol or spirits as defined in this section. See Delaware Code Title 4 Sec. 101
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• Writ of certiorari: An order issued by the Supreme Court directing the lower court to transmit records for a case for which it will hear on appeal.
• Year: means a calendar year, and is equivalent to the words "year of our Lord. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302