Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes > Title 18 > Chapter 9 > Part I - Procedure for Objections to Candidacy and Election Contests

• 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.
• 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.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
• Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of conservation of the state of Louisiana. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 30:503
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• 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.
• 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.
• En banc: In the bench or "full bench." Refers to court sessions with the entire membership of a court participating rather than the usual quorum. U.S. courts of appeals usually sit in panels of three judges, but may expand to a larger number in certain cases. They are then said to be sitting en banc.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• 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.
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• Gas: means any gas derived from or composed of hydrocarbons, including synthetic gas which is produced from coal, lignite, or petroleum coke and the heat content of which synthetic gas does not exceed 800 BTUs per standard cubic foot. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 30:503
• major office: means offices voted on throughout the state or a congressional district, the offices of justice of the supreme court or judge of a court of appeal, the offices of members on a state board or commission, or offices which require election from a territorial jurisdiction having a population exceeding two hundred fifty thousand. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 18:1409
• Natural gas company: means a person engaged in the production or sale of intrastate natural gas. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 30:591
• Person: means any natural person, corporation, political subdivision, association, partnership, limited liability company, receiver, tutor, curator, executor, administrator, fiduciary, or representative of any kind. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 30:503
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Writ of certiorari: An order issued by the Supreme Court directing the lower court to transmit records for a case for which it will hear on appeal.