Michigan Laws > Chapter 400 > Act 280 of 1939 – The Social Welfare Act


STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
OLD AGE ASSISTANCE, AID TO DEPENDENT CHILDREN, AND AID TO THE BLIND
COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Terms Used In Michigan Laws > Chapter 400 > Act 280 of 1939 - The Social Welfare Act

Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
Administrator: means the person appointed by the department, in accordance with the policies of the commission and civil service rules, to serve as director of the office of economic development. See Michigan Laws 247.901
Advanced traffic management systems: means the application of new technology designed to monitor, control, and manage the flow of traffic in real-time on a transportation network through traffic detection, communications, traffic control, and information processing technologies. See Michigan Laws 247.901
Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
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.
Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
Aggrieved party: means a party entitled to resort to a remedy. See Michigan Laws 440.1201
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.
annual meeting: when applied to townships, mean the annual meeting required by law to be held on the Saturday immediately preceding the first Monday in April. See Michigan Laws 8.3d
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.
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
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.
Authority: means an authority formed by contract pursuant to this act. See Michigan Laws 124.112
Bank: means a person engaged in the business of banking and includes a savings bank, savings and loan association, credit union, and trust company. See Michigan Laws 440.1201
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.
Baseline: Projection of the receipts, outlays, and other budget amounts that would ensue in the future without any change in existing policy. Baseline projections are used to gauge the extent to which proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would alter current spending and revenue levels.
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}
Bequest: Property gifted by will.
Bill of lading: means a document of title evidencing the receipt of goods for shipment issued by a person engaged in the business of directly or indirectly transporting or forwarding goods. See Michigan Laws 440.1201
Board: means the highway jurisdiction determination board. See Michigan Laws 247.851
Buyer: means a person who buys or contracts to buy goods. See Michigan Laws 440.2103
Capital preventive treatments: means any preventive maintenance category project on state trunk line highways that qualifies under the department's capital preventive maintenance program. See Michigan Laws 247.660c
Carrier: means a health, dental, or vision insurance company authorized to do business in this state under, and a health maintenance organization or multiple employer welfare arrangement operating under, the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500. See Michigan Laws 124.73
Chambers: A judge's office.
Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
Commercial forest land: means land defined as commercial forest in Michigan's fourth forest inventory completed in May 1981 and reported by the United States Department of Agriculture in the resource bulletin NC-68 available from the United States Forest Service's north central experiment station. See Michigan Laws 247.901
commission: means the state transportation commission established in section 28 of article V of the state constitution of 1963. See Michigan Laws 247.660c
Commission: means the state transportation commission. See Michigan Laws 247.801
Commission: means the state transportation commission. See Michigan Laws 247.901
Commission: means the state transportation commission. See Michigan Laws 247.951
Commissioner: means the director of the department of insurance and financial services. See Michigan Laws 124.73
Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
Concurrent resolution: A legislative measure, designated "S. Con. Res." and numbered consecutively upon introduction, generally employed to address the sentiments of both chambers, to deal with issues or matters affecting both houses, such as a concurrent budget resolution, or to create a temporary joint committee. Concurrent resolutions are not submitted to the President/Governor and thus do not have the force of law.
constituent municipalities: includes all of the municipalities that signed or became signatories of articles of incorporation of any authority incorporated under this act. See Michigan Laws 124.281
Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
Contract for sale: includes both a present sale of goods and a contract to sell goods at a future time. See Michigan Laws 440.2106
Contracted health plan: means a managed care organization with whom the department contracts to provide or arrange for the delivery of comprehensive health care services as authorized under this act. See Michigan Laws 400.106
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.
Corrective action plan: means a plan developed by a rail transit agency that describes the actions that the rail transit agency will take to minimize, control, correct, or eliminate risks or hazards, and the schedule for taking those actions. See Michigan Laws 247.781
County road commission: means the board of county road commissioners elected or appointed pursuant to section 6 of chapter IV of 1909 PA 283, MCL 224. See Michigan Laws 247.660c
Covered individual: means an individual covered by a contract under section 15(3)(a)(iv). See Michigan Laws 124.73
Covered rail fixed guideway public transportation system: means a transit system operating within this state that is subject to the state safety oversight requirements under 49 C. See Michigan Laws 247.781
Creditor: includes a general creditor, a secured creditor, a lien creditor, and any representative of creditors, including an assignee for the benefit of creditors, a trustee in bankruptcy, a receiver in equity, and an executor or administrator of an insolvent debtor's or assignor's estate. See Michigan Laws 440.1201
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.
Delivery: means either of the following:

(i) With respect to an electronic document of title, a voluntary transfer of control. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

Demand actuated vehicle: means a bus or smaller transit vehicle operated for providing group rides to members of the general public paying fares individually, and on demand rather than in regularly scheduled route service. See Michigan Laws 247.660c

Department: means the state transportation department. See Michigan Laws 247.401

Department: means the state transportation department. See Michigan Laws 247.781

Department: means the department of transportation. See Michigan Laws 247.801

Department: means the state transportation department. See Michigan Laws 247.901

Department: means the state transportation department. See Michigan Laws 247.951

department of transportation: means the state transportation department, the principal department of state government created under section 350 of the executive organization act of 1965, 1965 PA 380, MCL 16. See Michigan Laws 247.660c

Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.

Devise: To gift property by will.

Director: means the director of transportation. See Michigan Laws 247.801

Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:

Donor: The person who makes a gift.

Eligible attraction: means a tourist-oriented activity that is all of the following:

(i) Within 10 miles of the rural road for which a tourist-oriented directional sign is sought, unless otherwise restricted or permitted by the department. See Michigan Laws 247.401

Eligible authority: means an authority organized under the metropolitan transportation authorities act of 1967, 1967 PA 204, MCL 124. See Michigan Laws 247.660c

Eligible governmental agency: means a county, city, or village or an authority created under 1963 PA 55, MCL 124. See Michigan Laws 247.660c

Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.

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}

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.

Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.

Extradition: The formal process of delivering an accused or convicted person from authorities in one state to authorities in another state.

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.

Fault: means a default, breach, or wrongful act or omission. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

Federal poverty guidelines: means the poverty guidelines published annually in the Federal Register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under its authority to revise the poverty line under section 673(2) of subtitle B of title VI of the omnibus budget reconciliation act of 1981, 42 USC 9902. See Michigan Laws 400.106

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.

Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. ^{Source: OCC}

Fund: means the economic development fund created in section 2. See Michigan Laws 247.901

Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor

Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.

Good faith: except as otherwise provided in article 5, means honesty in fact and the observance of reasonable commercial standards of fair dealing. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

Governing body: means the board, council, commission, or body in which the policy-making powers of the local government are vested. See Michigan Laws 124.112

Governmental unit: means the state transportation department, the state transportation commission, a county road commission, a city, or a village. See Michigan Laws 247.660c

Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.

Hazard: means a real or potential condition that can cause injury, illness, or death; damage to or loss of facilities, equipment, rolling stock, or infrastructure of a rail fixed guideway public transportation system; or damage to the environment. See Michigan Laws 247.781

Highway: means a highway, road or street. See Michigan Laws 247.851

Highway authority: means the state highway commission, a board of county road commissioners or the governing body of a city or village. See Michigan Laws 247.851

Historic: means buildings, structures, interpreted sites, objects, or historic districts that are significant to the history, archaeology, architecture, engineering, or culture of this state. See Michigan Laws 247.951

hospitalization: means medical, surgical, or obstetrical care in the university hospital or in a hospital licensed under article 17 of Act No. See Michigan Laws 400.66a

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

Indian tribe: means an Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians that is recognized as eligible for services by the United States secretary of the interior because of their status as Indians. See Michigan Laws 124.281

Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.

Investigation: means a process of determining the causal and contributing factors of an accident, incident, or hazard to prevent recurrence and mitigate risk. See Michigan Laws 247.781

Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.

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}

Legacy: A gift of property made by will.

Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.

Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.

Local government: means a county, city, village, or township. See Michigan Laws 124.112

Maintenance: means routine maintenance or preventive maintenance, or both. See Michigan Laws 247.660c

Majority leader: see Floor Leaders

Medical benefit plan: means a plan, established and maintained by a carrier or 1 or more public employers, that provides for the payment of medical, optical, or dental benefits, including, but not limited to, hospital and physician services, prescription drugs, and related benefits, to public employees. See Michigan Laws 124.73

Medical care: as used in this act means medical care rendered under the supervision of a licensed physician in an organized out-patient department of a hospital licensed by the department of community health under article 17 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333. See Michigan Laws 400.55

Medical institution: means a state licensed or approved hospital, nursing home, medical care facility, psychiatric hospital, or other facility or identifiable unit of a listed institution certified as meeting established standards for a nursing home or hospital in accordance with the laws of this state. See Michigan Laws 400.106

medically indigent individual: means any of the following:

(a) An individual receiving family independence program benefits or an individual receiving supplemental security income under title XVI or state supplementation under title XVI subject to limitations imposed by the director according to title XIX. See Michigan Laws 400.106

Minority leader: See Floor Leaders

Money: means a medium of exchange authorized or adopted by a domestic or foreign government. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

month: means a calendar month; the word "year" a calendar year; and the word "year" alone shall be equivalent to the words "year of our Lord". See Michigan Laws 8.3j

Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.

Municipality: means a county, township, city, or village. See Michigan Laws 124.281

National Bank: A bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. A national bank can be recognized because it must have "national" or "national association" in its name. ^{Source: OCC}

National lakeshore: means land conveyed by this state to the United States that the United States has designated as national lakeshore. See Michigan Laws 247.901

National park: means land set aside and designated as a national park by the United States. See Michigan Laws 247.901

net recovery: means the total settlement or judgment less the costs and fees incurred by or on behalf of the individual who obtains the settlement or judgment. See Michigan Laws 400.106

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.

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.

Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, government, governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, public corporation, or any other legal or commercial entity. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, as well as to individuals. See Michigan Laws 8.3l

Personal property: All property that is not real property.

pooled plan: means a public employer pooled plan established pursuant to section 5(1)(b). See Michigan Laws 124.73

present sale: means a sale which is accomplished by the making of the contract. See Michigan Laws 440.2106

Present value: means the amount as of a date certain of 1 or more sums payable in the future, discounted to the date certain by use of either an interest rate specified by the parties if that rate is not manifestly unreasonable at the time the transaction is entered into or, if an interest rate is not so specified, a commercially reasonable rate that takes into account the facts and circumstances at the time the transaction is entered into. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

Preservation: means an activity undertaken to preserve the integrity of the existing roadway system. See Michigan Laws 247.660c

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.

Preventive maintenance: means a planned strategy of cost-effective treatments to an existing roadway system and its appurtenances that preserve assets by retarding deterioration and maintaining functional condition without significantly increasing structural capacity. See Michigan Laws 247.660c

Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.

Probate: Proving a will

Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.

Project: means a transportation road construction or improvement. See Michigan Laws 247.901

Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.

Public agency: means a single- or multi-purpose public body corporate formed pursuant to a law other than this act or an Indian tribe recognized by the federal government before the year 2000 that exercises governmental authority over land within this state. See Michigan Laws 124.112

Public employer: means a city, village, township, county, or other political subdivision of this state; any intergovernmental, metropolitan, or local department, agency, or authority, or other local political subdivision; a school district, a public school academy, or an intermediate school district, as those terms are defined in the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380. See Michigan Laws 124.73

Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.

Public transit region: means that term as defined in the regional transit authority act. See Michigan Laws 247.660c

Public university: means a public university described in section 4, 5, or 6 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963. See Michigan Laws 124.73

Purchase: means taking by sale, lease, discount, negotiation, mortgage, pledge, lien, security interest, issue or reissue, gift, or any other voluntary transaction creating an interest in property. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

Pure Michigan byway: means a state highway that is designated in the manner provided in this act as a scenic, recreational, or historic route that is representative of Michigan's natural and cultural heritage. See Michigan Laws 247.951

Qualified county: means a county in which a national lakeshore or a national park is located, or a county in which 34% or more of all the land is commercial forest land. See Michigan Laws 247.901

Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.

Rail fixed guideway public transportation system: means a fixed guideway system, including a fixed guideway system that is in the process of engineering or construction, that uses rail, is operated for the purpose of public transportation, is within the jurisdiction of a state, and is not subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Railroad Administration. See Michigan Laws 247.781

Rail transit agency: means an entity that provides services on a rail fixed guideway public transportation system. See Michigan Laws 247.781

Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.

Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

Recreational: means facilities normally associated with leisure-time activities, including, but not limited to, parks, public access sites, wildlife refuges, forest areas, marinas, swimming areas, hiking trails, and sightseeing areas. See Michigan Laws 247.951

Regional transit authority: means an authority created under the regional transit authority act. See Michigan Laws 247.660c

Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.

Remedy: means any remedial right to which an aggrieved party is entitled with or without resort to a tribunal. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

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.

Right: includes remedy. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

Routine maintenance: means actions performed on a regular or controllable basis or in response to uncontrollable events upon a highway, road, street, or bridge. See Michigan Laws 247.660c

Rural county: means any county in this state with a population of 400,000 or less. See Michigan Laws 247.901

Rural road: means a highway as that term is defined in section 20 of the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257. See Michigan Laws 247.401

Scenic: means an area of outstanding natural beauty whose features include, but are not limited to, significant natural features such as vegetation, land form, water, and open areas with exceptional vistas and views, that singly or in combination make that area unique and distinct in character. See Michigan Laws 247.951

seal: shall be construed to include any of the following:

(a) The impression of the seal on the paper alone. See Michigan Laws 8.3n

Security interest: means an interest in personal property or fixtures which secures payment or performance of an obligation. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

Seller: means a person who sells or contracts to sell goods. See Michigan Laws 440.2103

Sequester: To separate. Sometimes juries are sequestered from outside influences during their deliberations.

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.

Sewage disposal system: includes all interceptor sewers, storm sewers, sanitary sewers, combined sanitary and storm sewers, sewage treatment plants, and all other plants, works, instrumentalities, and properties used or useful in connection with the collection, treatment, or disposal of sewage or industrial wastes. See Michigan Laws 124.281

shall not apply: means that the pertinent provision is not operative as to certain persons or things or in conjunction with a particular date or dates. See Michigan Laws 8.4c

Signed: includes any symbol executed or adopted by a party with present intention to adopt or accept a writing. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

Solid waste management system: includes all plants, works, instrumentalities, and properties used or useful in connection with the collection, transportation, processing, or disposal of discarded or waste materials of any sort, including access roads and facilities for resource recovery. See Michigan Laws 124.281

Specialty prescription drug: means a prescription drug used to treat a rare, complex, or chronic medical condition that meets any of the following requirements:

(i) Requires special administration including, but not limited to, inhalation or infusion. See Michigan Laws 124.73

State: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories belonging to the United States; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o

State safety oversight entity: means the office of rail within the state transportation department designated under section 5. See Michigan Laws 247.781

State trunk line highway system: means the system described in section 1 of 1951 PA 51, MCL 247. See Michigan Laws 247.951

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.

Term: means a portion of an agreement that relates to a particular matter. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.

third party: means a person that has engaged in a transaction or made an agreement subject to this act. See Michigan Laws 440.1201

Title XX: means title XX of the social security act, 42 USC 1397 to 1397n-13. See Michigan Laws 400.109

Tourist-oriented activity: means a lawful cultural, historical, recreational, educational, or commercial activity that is annually attended by 2,000 or more people and for which a major portion of the activity's income or visitors are derived during the normal business season from motorists not residing in the immediate area of the activity. See Michigan Laws 247.401

Tourist-oriented directional sign: means a sign used to provide motorists with advanced notice of a tourist-oriented activity. See Michigan Laws 247.401

Transit vehicle: means a bus, rapid transit vehicle, railroad car, street railway car, water vehicle, taxicab, or other type of public transportation vehicle or individual unit, whether operated singly or in a group that provides public transportation. See Michigan Laws 247.660c

Transit-oriented facility: means a facility that houses a transit station in a manner that promotes transit ridership or passenger rail use and other infrastructure improvements that facilitate transit ridership or passenger rail use. See Michigan Laws 247.901

Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.

United States: shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o

User fees: Fees charged to users of goods or services provided by the government. In levying or authorizing these fees, the legislature determines whether the revenue should go into the treasury or should be available to the agency providing the goods or services.

Water supply system: includes all plants, works, instrumentalities, and properties used or useful in connection with obtaining a water supply, the treatment of water, or the distribution of water. See Michigan Laws 124.281

Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.

writing: includes printing, typewriting, or any other intentional reduction to tangible form. See Michigan Laws 440.1201