Sections
Part 1 General Provisions 1-101 – 1-111
Part 2 Scope and Jurisdiction 1-201 – 1-203
Part 3 Definitions 1-301 – 1-303

Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes > Title 9-A > Article 1 - General Provisions and Definitions

  • 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.
  • Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
  • 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.
  • Application: means a request, by any person specified in section 223, to the Governor of this State to make a requisition to the executive authority of another state for the extradition of a fugitive from justice. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 201
  • Appraisal: A determination of property value.
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
  • Clear-cut: means any timber harvesting on a forested site greater than 5 acres in size that results in a residual basal area of trees over 4 1/2 inches in diameter measured at 4 1/2 feet above the ground of less than 30 square feet per acre, unless, after harvesting, the site has a well-distributed stand of acceptable growing stock, as defined by rule, of at least 3 feet in height for softwood trees and 5 feet in height for hardwood trees that meets the regeneration standards defined under section 8869, subsection 1. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 8868
  • Commission: means the Maine Land Use Planning Commission established under section 683?A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 8868
  • 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.
  • county commissioners: means the county commissioners of Knox County. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 30-A Sec. 751
  • Credit report: A detailed report of an individual's credit history prepared by a credit bureau and used by a lender in determining a loan applicant's creditworthiness. Source: OCC
  • 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.
  • Demand: means the demand, as provided in section 203, by the executive authority of another state upon the Governor of this State for the extradition of a fugitive from justice. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 201
  • Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
  • Executive authority: includes the Governor and any person performing the functions of governor in a state other than this State. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 201
  • Extradition: The formal process of delivering an accused or convicted person from authorities in one state to authorities in another state.
  • Finance charge: The total cost of credit a customer must pay on a consumer loan, including interest. The Truth in Lending Act requires disclosure of the finance charge. Source: OCC
  • 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.
  • Forbearance: A means of handling a delinquent loan. A
  • Forest management plan: means a site-specific document signed by a professional forester outlining proposed activities to ensure compliance with performance standards and regeneration requirements established pursuant to this subchapter. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 8868
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Fugitive from justice: means :
A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 201
  • Governor: includes any person performing the functions of Governor by authority of the law of this State. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 201
  • Governor-elect: whenever used in this chapter and chapter 145, shall be held to mean the candidate most recently elected to the office of Governor of the State of Maine in the November election for choice of Governor, or his successor. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 5 Sec. 1661
  • 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.
  • Land management road: means a road constructed and used primarily for agricultural or forest management activities. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 8868
  • lands: includes lands and all tenements and hereditaments connected therewith, and all rights thereto and interests therein. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • 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
  • Legislative session: That part of a chamber's daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto).
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Lineal descendant: Direct descendant of the same ancestors.
  • Liquidation harvesting: means the purchase of timberland followed by a harvest that removes most or all commercial value in standing timber, without regard for long-term forest management principles, and the subsequent sale or attempted resale of the harvested land within 5 years. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 8868
  • Majority: when used in reference to age shall mean the age of 18 and over. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • 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
  • Municipal officers: means the mayor and municipal officers or councilors of a city, the members of the select board or councilors of a town and the assessors of a plantation. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • 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
  • Open-end credit: A credit agreement (typically a credit card) that allows a customer to borrow against a preapproved credit line when purchasing goods and services. The borrower is only billed for the amount that is actually borrowed plus any interest due. (Also called a charge account or revolving credit.) Source: OCC
  • Outcome-based forest policy: means a science-based, voluntary process to achieve agreed-upon economic, environmental and social outcomes in the State's forests, as an alternative to prescriptive regulation, demonstrating measurable progress towards achieving statewide sustainability goals and allowing landowners to use creativity and flexibility to achieve objectives, while providing for the conservation of public trust resources and the public values of forests. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 8868
  • Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
  • Parcel: means a contiguous tract or plot of forest land owned by a landowner. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 8868
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Professional forester: means a person licensed pursuant to Title 32, chapter 76. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 8868
  • 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
  • Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
  • Separation zone: means an area that surrounds a clear-cut and separates it from other clear-cuts. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 8868
  • 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.
  • Timber harvesting: means the cutting or removal of trees or forest products that when cut or removed are transported to a roundwood processing operation, as defined in section 8881, subsection 10. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 8868
  • Timber harvesting activities: means timber harvesting, the construction and maintenance of roads used primarily for timber harvesting, the mining of gravel used for the construction and maintenance of roads used primarily for timber harvesting and other activities conducted to facilitate timber harvesting. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 8868
  • 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.
  • Truth in Lending Act: The Truth in Lending Act is a federal law that requires lenders to provide standardized information so that borrowers can compare loan terms. In general, lenders must provide information on Source: OCC
  • Uniform Commercial Code: A set of statutes enacted by the various states to provide consistency among the states' commercial laws. It includes negotiable instruments, sales, stock transfers, trust and warehouse receipts, and bills of lading. Source: OCC
  • Usury: Charging an illegally high interest rate on a loan. Source: OCC
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72