Terms Used In Florida Statutes > Chapter 732 > Part V - Wills

• Advance directive: means a witnessed written document or oral statement in which instructions are given by a principal or in which the principal's desires are expressed concerning any aspect of the principal's health care or health information, and includes, but is not limited to, the designation of a health care surrogate, a living will, or an anatomical gift made pursuant to part V of this chapter. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• 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.
• Agency: means the Agency for Health Care Administration. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• 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.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• 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.
• 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.
• Attending physician: means the physician who has primary responsibility for the treatment and care of the patient while the patient receives such treatment or care in a hospital as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• 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}
• Bequest: Property gifted by will.
• body part: means an organ, eye, or tissue of a human being. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Caregiver: means a parent, adult household member, or other person responsible for a child's welfare. See Florida Statutes 827.01
• Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
• Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
• Child: means any person under the age of 18 years. See Florida Statutes 827.01
• clearinghouse: means the entity within the Institute for Family Violence Studies in the School of Social Work of the Florida State University, which serves as a statewide resource on supervised visitation issues by providing technical assistance, training, and research. See Florida Statutes 753.01
• Close personal friend: means any person 18 years of age or older who has exhibited special care and concern for the patient, and who presents an affidavit to the health care facility or to the primary physician stating that he or she is a friend of the patient; is willing and able to become involved in the patient's health care; and has maintained such regular contact with the patient so as to be familiar with the patient's activities, health, and religious or moral beliefs. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Codicil: An addition, change, or supplement to a will executed with the same formalities required for the will itself.
• Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• 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.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Death: means the absence of life as determined, in accordance with currently accepted medical standards, by the irreversible cessation of all respiration and circulatory function, or as determined, in accordance with…. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Decedent: means a deceased individual whose body or body parts may be, or are, the source of an anatomical gift. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• declaration: means :
  (a) A witnessed document in writing, voluntarily executed by the principal in accordance with…. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• 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.
• Department: means the Department of Children and Families. See Florida Statutes 753.01
• Department: means the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• Disabled adult: means a person 18 years of age or older who suffers from a condition of physical or mental incapacitation due to a developmental disability, organic brain damage, or mental illness, or who has one or more physical or mental limitations that restrict the person's ability to perform the normal activities of daily living. See Florida Statutes 825.101
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Disinterested witness: means a witness other than a person listed in…. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Document of gift: means any of the documents or mechanisms used in making an anatomical gift under…. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Donee: The recipient of a gift.
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Donor: means an individual who makes an anatomical gift of all or part of his or her body. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Donor registry: means a database that contains records of anatomical gifts and amendments to, or revocations of, such gifts. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Elderly person: means a person 60 years of age or older who is suffering from the infirmities of aging as manifested by advanced age or organic brain damage, or other physical, mental, or emotional dysfunctioning, to the extent that the ability of the person to provide adequately for the person's own care or protection is impaired. See Florida Statutes 825.101
• End-stage condition: means an irreversible condition that is caused by injury, disease, or illness which has resulted in progressively severe and permanent deterioration, and which, to a reasonable degree of medical probability, treatment of the condition would be ineffective. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• 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}
• Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
• 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.
• Eye bank: means an entity that is accredited by the Eye Bank Association of America or otherwise regulated under federal or state law to engage in the retrieval, screening, testing, processing, storage, or distribution of human eye tissue. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
• Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• gift: means a donation of all or part of a human body to take effect after the donor's death and to be used for transplantation, therapy, research, or education. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• 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.
• Guardian: means a person appointed pursuant to chapter 744. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Health care: means care, services, or supplies related to the health of an individual and includes, but is not limited to, preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, rehabilitative, maintenance, or palliative care, and counseling, service, assessment, or procedure with respect to the individual's physical or mental condition or functional status or that affect the structure or function of the individual's body. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Health care decision: means :
  (a) Informed consent, refusal of consent, or withdrawal of consent to any and all health care, including life-prolonging procedures and mental health treatment, unless otherwise stated in the advance directives. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Health care facility: means a hospital, nursing home, hospice, home health agency, or health maintenance organization licensed in this state, or any facility subject to part I of chapter 394. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Health information: means any information, whether oral or recorded in any form or medium, as defined in 45 C. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Hospital: means a hospital licensed, accredited, or approved under the laws of any state and includes a hospital operated by the United States Government or a state, or a subdivision thereof, although not required to be licensed under state laws. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Identification card: means an official identification card issued by a governmental entity, state agency, or subdivision thereof. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• incompetent: means the patient is physically or mentally unable to communicate a willful and knowing health care decision. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Informed consent: means consent voluntarily given by a person after a sufficient explanation and disclosure of the subject matter involved to enable that person to have a general understanding of the treatment or procedure and the medically acceptable alternatives, including the substantial risks and hazards inherent in the proposed treatment or procedures, and to make a knowing health care decision without coercion or undue influence. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. ^{Source: OCC}
• Interrogatories: Written questions asked by one party of an opposing party, who must answer them in writing under oath; a discovery device in a lawsuit.
• 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.
• Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
• 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}
• minor: includes any person who has not attained the age of 18 years. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• 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.
• Organ procurement organization: means an entity that is designated as an organ procurement organization by the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and that engages in the retrieval, screening, testing, processing, storage, or distribution of human organs. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• 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.
• Persistent vegetative state: means a permanent and irreversible condition of unconsciousness in which there is:
  (a) The absence of voluntary action or cognitive behavior of any kind. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Physician: means a person licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or chapter 459. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• 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.
• political subdivision: include counties, cities, towns, villages, special tax school districts, special road and bridge districts, bridge districts, and all other districts in this state. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Primary physician: means a physician designated by an individual or the individual's surrogate, proxy, or agent under a durable power of attorney as provided in chapter 709, to have primary responsibility for the individual's health care or, in the absence of a designation or if the designated physician is not reasonably available, a physician who undertakes the responsibility. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Principal: means a competent adult executing an advance directive and on whose behalf health care decisions are to be made or health care information is to be received, or both. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probate: Proving a will
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Procurement: means any retrieval, recovery, processing, storage, or distribution of human organs or tissues for transplantation, therapy, research, or education. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Procurement organization: means an organ procurement organization, eye bank, or tissue bank. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Property: means anything of value and includes:
  (a) Real property, including things growing on, affixed to, and found in land. See Florida Statutes 825.101
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• provider: means any person licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized by law to administer health care in the ordinary course of business or practice of a profession. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Proxy: means a competent adult who has not been expressly designated to make health care decisions for a particular incapacitated individual, but who, nevertheless, is authorized pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Reasonably available: means able to be contacted by a procurement organization in a timely manner without undue effort, and willing and able to act in a manner consistent with existing medical protocols necessary for the making of an anatomical gift. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Reasonably available: means readily able to be contacted without undue effort and willing and able to act in a timely manner considering the urgency of the patient's health care needs. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• registered mail: include certified mail with return receipt requested. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• 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.
• Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• 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.
• signed: means , with the present intent to authenticate or adopt a record, to execute or adopt a tangible symbol, or attach to or logically associate an electronic symbol, sound, or process with the record. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• storage facility: means a facility licensed, accredited, or approved under the laws of any state for storage of human bodies or body parts. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Supervised visitation program: means a program created to offer structured contact between a parent or caregiver and one or more children in the presence of a third person responsible for observing and ensuring the safety of those involved. See Florida Statutes 753.01
• Surgeon: includes dental or oral surgeon. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Surrogate: means any competent adult expressly designated by a principal to make health care decisions and to receive health information. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Terminal condition: means a condition caused by injury, disease, or illness from which there is no reasonable medical probability of recovery and which, without treatment, can be expected to cause death. See Florida Statutes 765.101
• Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Tissue bank: means an entity that is accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks or otherwise regulated under federal or state law to engage in the retrieval, screening, testing, processing, storage, or distribution of human tissue. See Florida Statutes 765.511
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01