(i) An individual 18 years of age or older. See Michigan Laws 780.983

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.

Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.

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

Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.

commission: means the Michigan indigent defense commission created under section 5. See Michigan Laws 780.983

Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.

Consumer Price Index: means the annual United States Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers as defined and reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. See Michigan Laws 780.983

Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.

Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.

Department: means the department of licensing and regulatory affairs. See Michigan Laws 780.983

effective representation: means legal representation that is compliant with standards established by the appellate courts of this state and the United States Supreme Court. See Michigan Laws 780.983

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}

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

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}

Indigent: means meeting 1 or more of the conditions described in section 11(3). See Michigan Laws 780.983

Indigent criminal defense services: means local legal defense services provided to a defendant and to which both of the following conditions apply:

  (i) The defendant is being prosecuted or sentenced for a crime for which an individual may be imprisoned upon conviction, beginning with the defendant's initial appearance in court to answer to the criminal charge. See Michigan Laws 780.983

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.

Majority leader: see Floor Leaders

Partially indigent: means a criminal defendant who is unable to afford the complete cost of legal representation, but is able to contribute a monetary amount toward his or her representation. See Michigan Laws 780.983

Probate: Proving a will

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

share: means an indigent criminal defense system's average annual expenditure for indigent criminal defense services in the 3 fiscal years immediately preceding the creation of the MIDC under this act, excluding money reimbursed to the system by individuals determined to be partially indigent. See Michigan Laws 780.983

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

system: means either of the following:

  (i) The local unit of government that funds a trial court. See Michigan Laws 780.983

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

Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.