Terms Used In Indiana Code > Title 4 > Article 6 > Chapter 3 - Duties in Civil Actions

• activity based therapy services: refers to specialized interventions that activate the neuromuscular system below the level of the lesion, involving intense, repetitive physical activity performed with the goal of retraining the nervous system to recover specific motor tasks. See Indiana Code 16-41-42.2-0.5
• Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
• 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.
• 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
• Attorney: includes a counselor or other person authorized to appear and represent a party in an action or special proceeding. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• board: refers to the spinal cord and brain injury research board established by section 5 of this chapter. See Indiana Code 16-41-42.2-1
• childhood hazards: means the following preventable causes of death to children:

  Indiana Code 16-41-40-1.5

• Clerk: means the clerk of the court or a person authorized to perform the clerk's duties. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• 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.
• 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.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Documentary material: means the original or a copy of a book, record, report, memorandum, paper, communication, tabulation, chart, or other document. See Indiana Code 4-6-3-1
• eligible township: means :

  Indiana Code 16-41-44-1

• entity: means any business, association, or governmental entity. See Indiana Code 16-41-43-2
• 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.
• 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.
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• fund: refers to the spinal cord and brain injury fund established by section 3 of this chapter. See Indiana Code 16-41-42.2-2
• fund: refers to the residential water testing fund established by section 3 of this chapter. See Indiana Code 16-41-44-2
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• 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.
• health care entity: means an entity that:

  Indiana Code 16-41-42.1-1

• in writing: include printing, lithographing, or other mode of representing words and letters. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• 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.
• Judgment: means all final orders, decrees, and determinations in an action and all orders upon which executions may issue. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• 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.
• Local agency: means an administration, agency, authority, board, bureau, commission, committee, council, department division, institution, office, officer, service, or other similar body of a political subdivision created or established pursuant to law. See Indiana Code 4-6-3-1
• minor: means a person less than eighteen (18) years of age. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• nonpublic school: has the meaning set forth in IC 20-18-2-12. See Indiana Code 16-41-37.5-0.3
• Oath: includes "affirmation" and "to swear" includes to "affirm". See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Person: means a human being, an incorporated or unincorporated organization, or association, a trustee or legal representative, the state of Indiana, a political subdivision, a state or local agency, or a group of such persons acting in concert. See Indiana Code 4-6-3-1
• Political subdivision: means a county, township, city, town, municipal corporation as defined in IC 36-1-2-10, or a special taxing district. See Indiana Code 4-6-3-1
• 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.
• Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• public school: has the meaning set forth in IC 20-18-2-15(1). See Indiana Code 16-41-37.5-0.5
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• radon gas: means the radioactive gas and related decay products produced by the disintegration of the element radium. See Indiana Code 16-41-38-1
• 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.
• school: refers to a:

  Indiana Code 16-41-37.5-1

• 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.
• shaken baby syndrome: refers to the vigorous shaking of an infant or a young child that may:

  Indiana Code 16-41-40-2

• State agency: means an administration, agency, authority, board, bureau, commission, committee, council, department, division, institution, office, officer, service, or other similar body of state government created or established pursuant to law. See Indiana Code 4-6-3-1
• state agency: has the meaning set forth in IC 4-13-1-1(b). See Indiana Code 16-41-37.5-1.3
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Subpoena duces tecum: A command to a witness to produce documents.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• 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: includes the District of Columbia and the commonwealths, possessions, states in free association with the United States, and the territories. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verified: when applied to pleadings, means supported by oath or affirmation in writing. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5