Terms Used In Michigan Laws > Chapter 780 > Act 87 of 1985 - William Van Regenmorter Crime Victim's Rights Act

• Acquittal:
  1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
  2. A verdict of "not guilty."
   
• 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.
• 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.
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• 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.
• 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.
• Bureau: means the bureau of passenger transportation in the department. See Michigan Laws 474.52
• Bus: means a motor bus as defined in section 3 of the motor bus transportation act, 1982 PA 432, MCL 474. See Michigan Laws 474.31
• Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
• Commuter trail: means a trail, lane, path, road, or other right of way on which motorized vehicles are not permitted and which has the primary or substantial purpose and result of providing a means for people to move from 1 location to another. See Michigan Laws 474.52
• 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.
• 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 juvenile agency: means that term as defined in section 2 of the county juvenile agency act, 1998 PA 518, MCL 45. See Michigan Laws 780.752
• County juvenile agency: means that term as defined in section 2 of the county juvenile agency act, 1998 PA 518, MCL 45. See Michigan Laws 780.781
• Court: means the family division of circuit court. See Michigan Laws 780.781
• Crime: means a violation of a penal law of this state for which the offender, upon conviction, may be punished by imprisonment for more than 1 year or an offense expressly designated by law as a felony. See Michigan Laws 780.752
• crime: means that term as defined in section 2. See Michigan Laws 780.811
• Crime victim services commission: means that term as described in section 2 of 1976 PA 223, MCL 18. See Michigan Laws 780.752
• Crime victim services commission: means that term as described in section 2 of 1976 PA 223, MCL 18. See Michigan Laws 780.781
• Crime victim services commission: means that term as described in section 2 of 1976 PA 223, MCL 18. See Michigan Laws 780.811
• Criminal history record information: means that term as defined in section 1a of 1925 PA 289, MCL 28. See Michigan Laws 474.31
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• 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.
• Defendant: means a person charged with, convicted of, or found not guilty by reason of insanity of committing a crime against a victim. See Michigan Laws 780.752
• Defendant: means a person charged with or convicted of having committed a serious misdemeanor against a victim. See Michigan Laws 780.811
• Department: 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 474.52
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Designated case: means a case designated as a case in which the juvenile is to be tried in the same manner as an adult under section 2d of chapter XIIA of the probate code of 1939, 1939 PA 288, MCL 712A. See Michigan Laws 780.781
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Employee: means an individual applying for employment as a bus driver with a transit service provider. See Michigan Laws 474.31
• 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.
• 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 acts: means the regional rail reorganization act of 1973, 45 USC 701 to 797m; the railroad revitalization and regulatory reform act of 1976, Public Law 94-210; the local rail service assistance act of 1978, section 5, Public Law 89-670; the staggers rail act of 1980, Public Law 96-448; and the northeast rail service act of 1981, subtitle E title XI, Public Law 97-35. See Michigan Laws 474.52
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Final disposition: means the ultimate termination of the criminal prosecution of a defendant including, but not limited to, dismissal, acquittal, or imposition of sentence by the court. See Michigan Laws 780.752
• Final disposition: means the ultimate termination of the criminal prosecution of a defendant including, but not limited to, dismissal, acquittal, or imposition of a sentence by the court. See Michigan Laws 780.811
• 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
• 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.
• 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}
• 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.
• Hospital: means that term as defined in section 100b of the mental health code, 1974 PA 258, MCL 330. See Michigan Laws 780.752
• 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
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• 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.
• Juvenile: means a person within the jurisdiction of the circuit court under section 606 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600. See Michigan Laws 780.752
• Juvenile: means an individual alleged or found to be within the court's jurisdiction under section 2(a)(1) of chapter XIIA of the probate code of 1939, 1939 PA 288, MCL 712A. See Michigan Laws 780.781
• Juvenile facility: means a county facility, institution operated as an agency of the county or the family division of circuit court, or an institution or agency described in the youth rehabilitation services act, 1974 PA 150, MCL 803. See Michigan Laws 780.752
• Juvenile facility: means a county facility, an institution operated as an agency of the county or the court, or an institution or agency described in the youth rehabilitation services act, 1974 PA 150, MCL 803. See Michigan Laws 780.781
• 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.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• 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
• 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.
• 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.
• Offense: means 1 or more of the following: