Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes > Title 14 > Part 7 > Chapter 713 > Subchapter 6 - Foreclosure Proceedings by Civil Action

• Act: means the Animal Welfare Act. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 3907
• Adult: means a person who has attained the age of 18 years. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• 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.
• Animal: means every living, sentient creature not a human being. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 3907
• 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.
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry or the commissioner's duly authorized agent. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 3907
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Constable: means a law enforcement officer appointed by municipal officers pursuant to law. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 3907
• 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.
• 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.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Dog: means a member of the genus and species known as canis familiaris, except that in chapters 720, 721, 725, 727, 729 and 739 "dog" means a member of the genus and species known as canis familiaris or any canine, regardless of generation, resulting from the interbreeding of a member of canis familiaris with a wolf hybrid. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 3907
• 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.
• 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 Deposit Insurance Corporation: A government corporation that insures the deposits of all national and state banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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}
• Hearsay: Statements by a witness who did not see or hear the incident in question but heard about it from someone else. Hearsay is usually not admissible as evidence in court.
• Humane agent: means an employee of the department who assists in enforcing this Part. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 3907
• in writing: include printing and other modes of making legible words. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• 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}
• 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.
• Keeper: means a person in possession or control of a dog or other animal. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 3907
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Livestock: means cattle; equines; sheep; goats; swine; domesticated cervids, fowl and rabbits; members of the family Camelidae, genus lama and genus vicugna; bison; and ratites. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 3907
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgage loan: A loan made by a lender to a borrower for the financing of real property. ^{Source: OCC}
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• Municipality: includes cities, towns and plantations, except that "municipality" does not include plantations in Title 10, chapter 110, subchapter IV; or Title 30?A, Part 2. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• 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.
• Owner: means a person owning, keeping or harboring a dog or other animal. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 3907
• Person: means an individual, corporation, partnership, association or any other legal entity. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 3907
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• 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.
• Real estate: includes lands and all tenements and hereditaments connected therewith, and all rights thereto and interests therein. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• registered mail: when used in connection with any requirement for notice by mail shall mean either registered mail or certified mail. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• 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.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• United States: includes territories and the District of Columbia. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Vertebrate: means a subphylum of chordate animals comprising those having a brain enclosed in a skull or cranium and a segmented spinal column, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 3907
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72