Terms Used In Michigan Laws > Chapter 38 > Act 300 of 1980 > Article 7

• 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.
• Alcoholic liquor: means that term as defined in section 1d of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257. See Michigan Laws 324.80101
• 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.
• Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
• 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
• Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
• 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.
• 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.
• Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}
• Boat: means a vessel. See Michigan Laws 324.80101
• Commission: means the commission of natural resources. See Michigan Laws 324.301
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Controlled substance: means that term as defined in section 7104 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333. See Michigan Laws 324.80101
• 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.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Department: means the director of the department of natural resources or his or her designee to whom the director delegates a power or duty by written instrument. See Michigan Laws 324.301
• Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. ^{Source: OCC}
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• 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.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• exhibition: means an organized water event of limited duration that is conducted according to a prearranged schedule. See Michigan Laws 324.80104
• Felony: means , except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, that term as defined in section 1 of chapter I of the code of criminal procedure, 1927 PA 175, MCL 761. See Michigan Laws 28.421
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Firearm: means any weapon which will, is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by action of an explosive. See Michigan Laws 28.421
• firearm: except as otherwise specifically defined in statute, includes any weapon which will, is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by action of an explosive. See Michigan Laws 8.3t
• Firearms records: means any form, information, or record required for submission to a government agency under sections 2, 2a, 2b, and 5b, or any form, permit, or license issued by a government agency under this act. See Michigan Laws 28.421
• 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.
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• in writing: shall be construed to include printing, engraving, and lithographing; except that if the written signature of a person is required by law, the signature shall be the proper handwriting of the person or, if the person is unable to write, the person's proper mark, which may be, unless otherwise expressly prohibited by law, a clear and classifiable fingerprint of the person made with ink or another substance. See Michigan Laws 8.3q
• 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.
• Legacy: A gift of property made by will.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Marine law: means this part, a local ordinance adopted in conformity with this part, or a rule promulgated under this part. See Michigan Laws 324.80103
• Marine safety program: means marine law enforcement, search and rescue operations, water safety education, recovery of drowned bodies, and boat livery inspections. See Michigan Laws 324.80103
• Michigan vehicle code: means Act No. See Michigan Laws 324.80103
• Misdemeanor: means a violation of a penal law of this state or violation of a local ordinance substantially corresponding to a violation of a penal law of this state that is not a felony or a violation of an order, rule, or regulation of a state agency that is punishable by imprisonment or a fine that is not a civil fine, or both. See Michigan Laws 28.421
• Motorboat: means a vessel propelled wholly or in part by machinery. See Michigan Laws 324.80103
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• oath: shall be construed to include the word "affirmation" in all cases where by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath; and in like cases the word "sworn" shall be construed to include the word "affirmed". See Michigan Laws 8.3k
• 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.
• Operate: means to be in control of a vessel while the vessel is under way and is not secured in some manner such as being docked or at anchor. See Michigan Laws 324.80103
• Operator: means the person who is in control or in charge of a vessel while that vessel is underway. See Michigan Laws 324.80103
• Owner: means a person who claims or is entitled to lawful possession of a vessel by virtue of that person's legal title or equitable interest in a vessel. See Michigan Laws 324.80103
• Peace officer: means , except as otherwise provided in this act, an individual who is employed as a law enforcement officer, as that term is defined under section 2 of the Michigan commission on law enforcement standards act, 1965 PA 203, MCL 28. See Michigan Laws 28.421
• Peace officer: means any of the following: