Terms Used In New York Laws > Debtor and Creditor > Article 9 - Payment of Debts of Incompetent Person or Conservatee

• 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.
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Commissioner: means the head of the office of mental health. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 7.03
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• director of community services: means the director of community services for the mentally disabled appointed pursuant to article forty-one of this chapter. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 9.01
• 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.
• in need of involuntary care and treatment: means that a person has a mental illness for which care and treatment as a patient in a hospital is essential to such person's welfare and whose judgment is so impaired that he is unable to understand the need for such care and treatment. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 9.01
• 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.
• likely to result in serious harm: means (a) a substantial risk of physical harm to the person as manifested by threats of or attempts at suicide or serious bodily harm or other conduct demonstrating that the person is dangerous to himself or herself, or (b) a substantial risk of physical harm to other persons as manifested by homicidal or other violent behavior by which others are placed in reasonable fear of serious physical harm. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 9.01
• Office: means the office of mental health. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 7.03
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• qualified psychiatrist: means a physician licensed to practice medicine in New York state who: (a) is a diplomate of the American board of psychiatry and neurology or is eligible to be certified by that board; or (b) is certified by the American osteopathic board of neurology and psychiatry or is eligible to be certified by that board. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 9.01
• 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.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.