§ 2-0.5 Definitions
§ 2-1 “Acquittal”
§ 2-2 “Act”
§ 2-3 “Another”
§ 2-3.5 “Community policing volunteer” means a person who is summoned or …
§ 2-3.6 “Armed with a firearm”
§ 2-4 “Conduct”
§ 2-5 “Conviction”
§ 2-5.1 Day care center
§ 2-5.2 Day care home
§ 2-6 “Dwelling”
§ 2-6.5 Emergency medical technician
§ 2-6.6 Emergency management worker
§ 2-7 “Felony”
§ 2-7.1 “Firearm” and “firearm ammunition”
§ 2-7.5 “Firearm”
§ 2-8 “Forcible felony”
§ 2-8.1 Group day care home
§ 2-9 “Included offense”
§ 2-10 “Includes”
§ 2-10.1 “Person with a severe or profound intellectual disability” means a …
§ 2-10.2 Laser or laser device
§ 2-10.3 Laser gunsight
§ 2-11 “Misdemeanor”
§ 2-11.1 “Motor vehicle”
§ 2-12 “Offense”
§ 2-12.1 Part day child care facility
§ 2-13 “Peace officer”
§ 2-14 “Penal institution”
§ 2-15 “Person”
§ 2-15.5 “Personally discharged a firearm”
§ 2-15a “Person with a physical disability”
§ 2-15b “Place of worship” means a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or …
§ 2-16 “Prosecution”
§ 2-17 “Public employee”
§ 2-18 “Public officer”
§ 2-19 “Reasonable belief”
§ 2-19.5 “School” means a public, private, or parochial elementary or …
§ 2-20 “Solicit”
§ 2-21 “State”
§ 2-22 “Statute”

Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes > 720 ILCS 5 > Title I > Article 2 - General Definitions

  • Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Donor: The person who makes a gift.
  • 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.
  • Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
  • Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.36
  • 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.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Minority leader: See Floor Leaders
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
  • Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
  • State: when applied to different parts of the United States, may be construed to include the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
  • 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.
  • United States: may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14
  • Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.