Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes > Title 9 > CODE TITLE IV > Chapter 1 > Part V - Record Keeping

• Acquittal:
  1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
  2. A verdict of "not guilty."
   
• 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.
• 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.
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
• Civil forfeiture: The loss of ownership of property used to conduct illegal activity.
• 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 insurance. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1132
• Committee membership: Legislators are assigned to specific committees by their party. Seniority, regional balance, and political philosophy are the most prominent factors in the committee assignment process.
• Contracting entity: means any person or entity, including a third-party administrator and a dental carrier, that enters into a direct contract with a provider for the delivery of dental services in the ordinary course of business. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1171
• 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.
• criminal street gang: means any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, which has as one of its primary activities the commission of one or more of the criminal acts enumerated in Paragraphs (1) through (13) of Subsection B of this Section or which has a common name or common identifying sign or symbol, whose members individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal gang activity. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 15:1404
• 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.
• Dental benefit plan: means a benefit plan which pays or provides dental expense benefits for covered dental services and is delivered or issued for delivery by or through a dental carrier on a stand-alone basis. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1171
• Dental carrier: means a dental insurance company, dental service corporation, dental plan organization authorized to provide dental benefits, or a health insurance plan that includes coverage for dental services. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1171
• Dental services: means services for the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, or cure of a dental condition, illness, injury, or disease. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1171
• Dentist: means any person lawfully licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry to practice dentistry in this state. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1171
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Electronic funds transfer: The transfer of money between accounts by consumer electronic systems-such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and electronic payment of bills-rather than by check or cash. (Wire transfers, checks, drafts, and paper instruments do not fall into this category.) ^{Source: OCC}
• Enrolled bill: The final copy of a bill or joint resolution which has passed both chambers in identical form. It is printed on parchment paper, signed by appropriate officials, and submitted to the President/Governor for signature.
• Enterprise: means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or other legal entity, or any unchartered association, or group of individuals associated in fact and includes unlawful as well as lawful enterprises and governmental as well as other entities. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 15:1352
• 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.
• 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.
• Health insurance plan: means any hospital or medical insurance policy or certificate, qualified higher deductible health plan, health maintenance organization subscriber contract, contract providing benefits for dental care whether such contract is pursuant to a medical insurance policy or certificate, stand-alone dental plan, health maintenance provider contract, or managed healthcare plan. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1171
• Health insurer: means any entity or person that issues health insurance plans as described in this Section. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1171
• Hydrocarbon gas: means a combustible organic gas containing only one carbon and hydrogen. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1601
• 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.
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• 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}
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Motor vehicle: means every vehicle which is self-propelled, excluding a motorized bicycle. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:1601
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• 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.
• pattern of criminal gang activity: means the commission or attempted commission of two or more of the following offenses, provided that the offenses occurred within a three-year period, and the offenses are committed on separate occasions or by two or more persons:

  (1)  Aggravated battery or second degree battery as defined in La. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 15:1404

• Pattern of racketeering activity: means engaging in at least two incidents of racketeering activity that have the same or similar intents, results, principals, victims, or methods of commission or otherwise are interrelated by distinguishing characteristics and are not isolated incidents, provided at least one of such incidents occurs after August 21, 1992, and that the last of such incidents occurs within five years after a prior incident of racketeering activity. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 15:1352
• person: includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 1:10
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• 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.
• 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}
• Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
• President pro tempore: A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Program: means the Louisiana Guaranteed Benefits Pool. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1132
• Provider: means an individual or entity which, acting within the scope of licensure or certification, provides dental services or supplies defined by the health insurance plan or dental benefit plan. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1171
• Provider network contract: means a contract between a contracting entity and a provider that specifies the rights and responsibilities of the contracting entity and provides for the delivery and payment of dental services to an enrollee. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1171
• 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.
• racketeering activity: means committing, attempting to commit, conspiring to commit, or soliciting, coercing, or intimidating another person to commit any crime that is punishable under the following provisions of Title 14 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law, or the Louisiana Securities Law:

              (1) La. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 15:1352

• 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).
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Third party: means a person or entity that enters into a contract with a contracting entity or with another third party to gain access to the dental services or contractual discounts of a provider network contract. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1171
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.