Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes > Title 7 > Part 5 > Chapter 404 > Subchapter 2 > Article 1 - General Provisions

• 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
• Arborist: means a person who, for compensation, takes down or fells, diagnoses or evaluates the condition of shade or ornamental trees; solicits, recommends or supervises the treatment of those trees; or in any manner or for any purpose treats or cares for those trees. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 2173
• 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.
• Child or children: means a person who has not attained the age of 18 years. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Civil deputy: means a deputy who meets the requirements for a civil deputy adopted by the sheriff and has been designated by the sheriff to enforce civil laws and serve civil process. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 351
• 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.
• Deputy: means either a full-time or part-time county law enforcement officer appointed under section 381. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 351
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• 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.
• 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.
• Full-time deputy: means a deputy who is compensated under section 386, subsection 1, and who is employed in county law enforcement for at least 40 hours a week. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 351
• Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.
• in writing: include printing and other modes of making legible words. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• 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.
• 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}
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Majority: when used in reference to age shall mean the age of 18 and over. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Month: means a calendar month. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• 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
• Ornamental trees: means trees of shade, beauty or landscape value, or those trees intended to become ornamental trees. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 2173
• Part-time deputy: means a deputy who is compensated under section 386, subsection 2, and who does not work more than the maximum amount allowed under that subsection in any one calendar or fiscal year while performing county law enforcement duties. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 351
• 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.
• Permanent incapacity: means a guardian or conservator has been appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction to manage the affairs of an office holder. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 1
• Person: means an individual, partnership or any group of persons, whether incorporated or not. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 2173
• 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.
• 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.
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• 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
• Regular employer: means a person doing business in or operating a business in the State. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 2173
• 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.
• Shade trees: means trees grown, established or used to screen persons or grounds, structures, walks, pools or other similar objects from wind, sunlight, observation or sound. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 2173
• Special deputy: means a person appointed under section 382 who may exercise the powers of a deputy only when a state of war or emergency exists. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 351
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Takes down or fells: means the cutting for removal of any part of a tree by topping or sections or felling the tree whole. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 2173
• 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.
• Treats or cares for: means the pruning, trimming and shaping of trees when the care requires the person to leave the ground. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 7 Sec. 2173
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• United States: includes territories and the District of Columbia. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• 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