Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes > Chapter 805 > Nonprofit Corporations
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.
Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Asset forfeiture: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
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.
Attorney-in-fact: A person who, acting as an agent, is given written authorization by another person to transact business for him (her) out of court.
Authority: means the "(Name of City) School Finance Authority"; (b) "Board" means any board of education to which this Article is applicable; (c) "Budget" means the budget of the Board as defined in Section 34-43 of this Act, as from time to time in effect; (d) "Chairman" means the chairman of the Authority appointed pursuant to paragraph (c) of Section 34A-301 of this Article; (e) "City" means the city wherein the school district of such Board is located; (f) "Financial Plan" means the financial plan of the Board to be developed pursuant to Section 34A-403 of this Article, as from time to time in effect; (g) "Fiscal Year" means the fiscal year of the Board; (h) "Governor" means the Governor of the State of Illinois; (i) "School year" means the school year of the Board; (j) "Approved System-Wide Educational Reform Goals and Objectives Plan" means the system-wide educational reform goals and objectives plan that has been accepted and approved by the Authority; (k) "Investment Obligations" means any of the following which at the time of investment are legal investments under the laws of the State for the money proposed to be invested therein: (i) Direct obligations of, or obligations the
principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America;
(ii) Bonds, debentures or notes or other evidence of
indebtedness issued or guaranteed by any of the following agencies: Bank for Cooperatives; Federal Intermediate Credit Banks; Federal Land Banks; Federal Home Loan Banks; the Federal National Mortgage Association; the United States Postal Service; the Government National Mortgage Association; the Federal Financing National Mortgage Association; the Federal Financing Bank; or any other agency or instrumentality of the United States of America now existing or hereafter created;
(iii) New Housing Authority Bonds issued by public
agencies or municipalities and fully secured as to the payment of both principal and interest by a pledge of annual contributions under an Annual Contributions Contract or Contracts with the United States of America, or Project Notes issued by public agencies or municipalities and fully secured as to the payment of both principal and interest by a requisition or payment agreement with the United States of America;
(iv) Direct and general obligations of, or
obligations guaranteed by, the State, to the payment of the principal of and interest on which the full faith and credit of the State is pledged;
(v) Negotiable or non-negotiable time deposits
evidenced by certificates of deposit issued by banks, trust companies or national banking associations (which may include the trustee) which are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and savings and loan associations which are members of the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation, provided that such time deposits in any such bank, trust company, national banking association or savings and loan association are continuously secured by obligations described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) of this definition, provided further that such obligations at all times have a market value at least equal to the maturity value of the deposits so secured, including accrued interest; and
(vi) Repurchase agreements with banks (which may
include the trustee) described in clause (v) of this definition and government bond dealers reporting to, trading with, and recognized as primary dealers by a Federal Reserve Bank, the underlying securities of which are obligations described in clauses (i) or (ii) of this definition, provided that the underlying securities are required to be continuously maintained at a market value not less than the amount so invested;
(l) "Mayor" means the Mayor of the City; (m) "Obligations" means bonds and notes of the Authority; (n) "State" means the State of Illinois. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 105 ILCS 5/34A-103
Balanced budget: A budget in which receipts equal outlays.
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
Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
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.
Concurrent resolution: A legislative measure, designated "S. Con. Res." and numbered consecutively upon introduction, generally employed to address the sentiments of both chambers, to deal with issues or matters affecting both houses, such as a concurrent budget resolution, or to create a temporary joint committee. Concurrent resolutions are not submitted to the President/Governor and thus do not have the force of law.
Consumer lease: means a lease that a lessor
regularly engaged in the business of leasing or selling makes to a lessee who is an individual and who takes under the lease primarily for a personal, family, or household purpose, if the total payments to be made under the lease contract, excluding payments for options to renew or buy, do not exceed $40,000. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/2A-103
Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
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.
Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
County board: means the board of county commissioners in counties not under township organization, and the board of supervisors in counties under township organization, and the board of commissioners of Cook County. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.07
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.
Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
Devise: To gift property by will.
Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
District: means any school district having a population of not more than 500,000 that prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly has had a Financial Oversight Panel established for the district under Section 1B-4 of this Code following the district's petitioning of the State Board of Education for the creation of the Financial Oversight Panel and for which the Financial Oversight Panel has been in existence for at least one year. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 105 ILCS 5/1E-10
District: means any elementary school district having a population of not more than 500,000 that prior to December 1, 2002 has had a Financial Oversight Panel established for the district under Section 1B-4 of this Code following the district's petitioning of the State Board of Education for the creation of the Financial Oversight Panel. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 105 ILCS 5/1F-10
Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
Donor: The person who makes a gift.
Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
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.
Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
Executive session: A portion of the Senate's daily session in which it considers executive business.
Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
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.
Federal Reserve System: The central bank of the United States. The Fed, as it is commonly called, regulates the U.S. monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D.C. (the Board of Governors) and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. Source: OCC
Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
Felony: A crime carrying a penalty of more than a year in prison.
Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
Finance lease: means a lease with respect to
which:
(i) the lessor does not select, manufacture, or
supply the goods;
(ii) the lessor acquires the goods or the right
to possession and use of the goods in connection with the lease; and
(iii) one of the following occurs: (A) the lessee receives a copy of the
contract by which the lessor acquired the goods or the right to possession and use of the goods before signing the lease contract;
(B) the lessee's approval of the contract by
which the lessor acquired the goods or the right to possession and use of the goods is a condition to effectiveness of the lease contract;
(C) the lessee, before signing the lease
contract, receives an accurate and complete statement designating the promises and warranties, and any disclaimers of warranties, limitations or modifications of remedies, or liquidated damages, including those of a third party, such as the manufacturer of the goods, provided to the lessor by the person supplying the goods in connection with or as part of the contract by which the lessor acquired the goods or the right to possession and use of the goods; or
(D) if the lease is not a consumer lease, the
lessor, before the lessee signs the lease contract, informs the lessee in writing (a) of the identity of the person supplying the goods to the lessor, unless the lessee has selected that person and directed the lessor to acquire the goods or the right to possession and use of the goods from that person, (b) that the lessee is entitled under this Article to the promises and warranties, including those of any third party, provided to the lessor by the person supplying the goods in connection with or as part of the contract by which the lessor acquired the goods or the right to possession and use of the goods, and (c) that the lessee may communicate with the person supplying the goods to the lessor and receive an accurate and complete statement of those promises and warranties, including any disclaimers and limitations of them or of remedies. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/2A-103
Financial plan: means the financial plan of the district to be developed pursuant to this Article, as in effect from time to time. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 105 ILCS 5/1E-10
Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
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.
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
Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
General Revenue Law of Illinois: or any equivalent expression, when used with reference to revenue, shall be deemed to refer to the Property Tax Code and all existing and future amendments thereto and modifications thereof, and all rules now or hereafter adopted pursuant thereto. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.23
Germane: On the subject of the pending bill or other business; a strict standard of relevance.
Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
Goods: means all things that are movable at the
time of identification to the lease contract, or are fixtures (Section 2A-309), but the term does not include money, documents, instruments, accounts, chattel paper, general intangibles, or minerals or the like, including oil and gas, before extraction. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/2A-103
Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
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.
Hazardous material: means any substance or material in a quantity and form determined by the federal Office of Hazardous Materials and the Federal Railroad Administration to be capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, or property when transported in commerce. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/18c-1104
Household goods: means : (A) Personal effects and property used or to be used
Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. Source: FDIC
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.
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.
Irrevocable trust: A trust arrangement that cannot be revoked, rescinded, or repealed by the grantor.
Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
Joint resolution: A legislative measure which requires the approval of both chambers.
Judgement: The official decision of a court finally determining the respective rights and claims of the parties to a suit.
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: means a transfer of the right to
possession and use of goods for a term in return for consideration, but a sale, including a sale on approval or a sale or return, or retention or creation of a security interest is not a lease. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/2A-103
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
Lease agreement: means the bargain, with respect
to the lease, of the lessor and the lessee in fact as found in their language or by implication from other circumstances including course of dealing or usage of trade or course of performance as provided in this Article. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/2A-103
Misdemeanor: Usually a petty offense, a less serious crime than a felony, punishable by less than a year of confinement.
Month: means a calendar month, and the word "year" a calendar year unless otherwise expressed; and the word "year" alone, is equivalent to the expression "year of our Lord. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.10
Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
Municipalities: has the meaning established in Section 1 of Article VII of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.27
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.
Notice: means with regard to all proceedings except enforcement proceedings instituted on the motion of the Commission, and except for interstate motor carrier registrations, public notice by publication in the official state newspaper, unless otherwise provided in this Chapter. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/18c-1104
oath: shall be deemed to include an affirmation, and the word "sworn" shall be construed to include the word "affirmed. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.12
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.
Oral argument: An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court and also to answer the judges' questions.
Outlays: Outlays are payments made (generally through the issuance of checks or disbursement of cash) to liquidate obligations. Outlays during a fiscal year may be for payment of obligations incurred in prior years or in the same year.
Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
Panel: means the Financial Oversight Panel created under Section 1B-4; (b) "Board" means a local board of education; (c) "Budget" means the annual budget of the board required under Section 17-1 and is subject to the authority of the Panel as provided in this Article; (d) "Chairman" means the chairman of the Panel appointed pursuant to Section 1B-5 of this Article; (e) "District" means any school district of this State not subject to the provisions of Article 34; (f) "Financial plan" means the financial plan of the board required to be developed pursuant to this Article; (g) "Fiscal year" means the fiscal year of the board; (h) "School year" means the school year of the board; (i) "State Board" means the Illinois State Board of Education; (j) "State Superintendent" means the State Superintendent of Education. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 105 ILCS 5/1B-3
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 any natural person or legal entity, whether such entity is a proprietorship, partnership, corporation, association, or other entity, and, where a provision concerns the acts or omissions of a person, includes the partners, officers, employees, and agents of the person, as well as any trustees, assignees, receivers, or personal representatives of the person. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/18c-1104
Personal property: All property that is not real property.
Petty offense: A federal misdemeanor punishable by six months or less in prison. Source: U.S. Courts
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.
Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
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.
Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
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.
Rate: means every individual or joint rate, fare, toll, or charge of any carrier or carriers, any provisions relating to application thereof, and any tariff or schedule containing rates and provisions. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/18c-1104
Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
Recess: A temporary interruption of the legislative business.
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.
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).
Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
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.
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.
Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
Transportation: means the actual movement of property or passengers by motor vehicle (without regard to ownership of vehicles or equipment used in providing transportation service) or rail together with loading, unloading, and any other accessorial or ancillary service provided by the carrier in connection with movement by motor vehicle or rail, which is performed by or on behalf of the carriers, its employees or agents, or under the authority or direction of the carrier or under the apparent authority or direction and with the knowledge of the carrier. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/18c-1104
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.
Uniform Commercial Code: A set of statutes enacted by the various states to provide consistency among the states' commercial laws. It includes negotiable instruments, sales, stock transfers, trust and warehouse receipts, and bills of lading. Source: OCC
Units of local government: has the meaning established in Section 1 of Article VII of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.28
User fees: Fees charged to users of goods or services provided by the government. In levying or authorizing these fees, the legislature determines whether the revenue should go into the treasury or should be available to the agency providing the goods or services.
Usury: Charging an illegally high interest rate on a loan. Source: OCC
Variable Rate: Having a "variable" rate means that the APR changes from time to time based on fluctuations in an external rate, normally the Prime Rate. This external rate is known as the "index." If the index changes, the variable rate normally changes. Also see Fixed Rate.
Veto: The procedure established under the Constitution by which the President/Governor refuses to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevents its enactment into law. A regular veto occurs when the President/Governor returns the legislation to the house in which it originated. The President/Governor usually returns a vetoed bill with a message indicating his reasons for rejecting the measure. In Congress, the veto can be overridden only by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House.
