Terms Used In Nevada Revised Statutes > Chapter 278 - Planning and Zoning

• Abstract of judgment: In a federal criminal proceeding, A certification from a U.S. District Court clerk that a judgment of restitution was entered against the defendant owing to the victim. If the defendant inherits, owns, or sells real property or holdings, these assets can then be attached at the state and local levels as well.
• Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
• 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.
• Affiliate: means :

  (a) A person who directly or indirectly owns, controls or holds with power to vote, 20 percent or more of the outstanding voting securities of the debtor, other than a person who holds the securities:

  (1) As a fiduciary or agent without sole discretionary power to vote the securities; or

  (2) Solely to secure a debt, if the person has not exercised the power to vote;

  (b) A corporation 20 percent or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled or held with power to vote, by the debtor or a person who directly or indirectly owns, controls or holds with power to vote, 20 percent or more of the outstanding voting securities of the debtor, other than a person who holds the securities:

  (1) As a fiduciary or agent without sole power to vote the securities; or

  (2) Solely to secure a debt, if the person has not in fact exercised the power to vote;

  (c) A person whose business is operated by the debtor under a lease or other agreement, or a person substantially all of whose assets are controlled by the debtor; or

  (d) A person who operates the debtor"s business under a lease or other agreement or controls substantially all of the debtor"s assets. See Nevada Revised Statutes 112.150

• Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• 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.
• Annual percentage rate: The cost of credit at a yearly rate. It is calculated in a standard way, taking the average compound interest rate over the term of the loan so borrowers can compare loans. Lenders are required by law to disclose a card account's APR. ^{Source: FDIC}
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Asset: means property of a debtor, but the term does not include:

  (a) Property to the extent it is encumbered by a valid lien;

  (b) Property to the extent it is generally exempt under nonbankruptcy law; or

  (c) An interest in property held in tenancy by the entireties or as community property to the extent it is not subject to process by a creditor holding a claim against only one tenant. See Nevada Revised Statutes 112.150

• 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.
• Authorized officer: means any official of this state or any of its departments, agencies or other instrumentalities or any of its political subdivisions whose signature to a public security or instrument of payment is required or permitted. See Nevada Revised Statutes 351.020
• 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.
• 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}
• Beneficiary: means the beneficiary of the deed of trust or the successor in interest of the beneficiary or any person designated or authorized to act on behalf of the beneficiary or its successor in interest. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• Bequest: Property gifted by will.
• Claim: means a right to payment, whether or not the right is reduced to judgment, liquidated, unliquidated, fixed, contingent, matured, unmatured, disputed, undisputed, legal, equitable, secured or unsecured. See Nevada Revised Statutes 112.150
• Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
• Codicil: An addition, change, or supplement to a will executed with the same formalities required for the will itself.
• Common areas: means the entire project excepting all units therein granted or reserved. See Nevada Revised Statutes 117.010
• 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.
• 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.
• Condominium: means an estate in real property consisting of an undivided interest in common in portions of a parcel of real property together with:

  (a) A separate interest in space in a residential, industrial or commercial building or industrial and commercial building on such real property, such as, but not restricted to, an apartment, office or store; or

  (b) A separate interest in air space only, without any building or structure, to be used for a mobile home. See Nevada Revised Statutes 117.010

• 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 a drug, immediate precursor or other substance which is listed in schedule I, II, III, IV or V for control by the State Board of Pharmacy pursuant to NRS 453. See Nevada Revised Statutes 0.031
• Conveyance: shall be construed to embrace every instrument in writing, except a last will and testament, whatever may be its form, and by whatever name it may be known in law, by which any estate or interest in lands is created, aliened, assigned or surrendered. See Nevada Revised Statutes 111.010
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Cooperative: has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 116. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• 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.
• Council: means the Private Activity Bond Council created by NRS 348A. See Nevada Revised Statutes 348A.010
• Council: means the Nevada Advisory Council on Federal Assistance created by NRS 358. See Nevada Revised Statutes 358.010
• county: includes Carson City. See Nevada Revised Statutes 0.033
• Creditor: means a person who has a claim. See Nevada Revised Statutes 112.150
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Debt: means liability on a claim. See Nevada Revised Statutes 112.150
• Debtor: means a person who is liable on a claim. See Nevada Revised Statutes 112.150
• 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.
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
• Director: means the Director of the Department of Business and Industry. See Nevada Revised Statutes 348A.010
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• 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}
• Equity: means the amount that is determined by subtracting from the fair market value of the property the value of any liens excepted from the homestead exemption pursuant to subsection 3 of NRS 115. See Nevada Revised Statutes 115.005
• Escheat: Reversion of real or personal property to the state when 1) a person dies without leaving a will and has no heirs, or 2) when the property (such as a bank account) has been inactive for a certain period of time. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Facsimile machine: means a device which receives and copies a reproduction or facsimile of a document or photograph which is transmitted electronically or telephonically by telecommunications lines. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• Facsimile signature: means a reproduction by engraving, imprinting, stamping or other means of the manual signature of an authorized officer. See Nevada Revised Statutes 351.020
• 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 Reserve System: The central bank of the United States. The Fed, as it is commonly called, regulates the U.S. monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D.C. (the Board of Governors) and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• 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}
• Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. ^{Source: OCC}
• Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• 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.
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
• Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. ^{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.
• Homestead: means the property consisting of:

  (a) A quantity of land, together with the dwelling house thereon and its appurtenances;

  (b) A mobile home whether or not the underlying land is owned by the claimant; or

  (c) A unit, whether real or personal property, existing pursuant to chapter 116 or 117 of NRS, with any appurtenant limited common elements and its interest in the common elements of the common-interest community, to be selected by both spouses, or either of them, or a single person claiming the homestead. See Nevada Revised Statutes 115.005

• Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.
• Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Insider: includes :

  (a) If the debtor is a natural person:

  (1) A relative of the debtor or of a general partner of the debtor;

  (2) A partnership in which the debtor is a general partner;

  (3) A general partner in a partnership described in subparagraph (2); and

  (4) A corporation of which the debtor is a director, officer or person in control;

  (b) If the debtor is a corporation:

  (1) A director of the debtor;

  (2) An officer of the debtor;

  (3) A person in control of the debtor;

  (4) A partnership in which the debtor is a general partner;

  (5) A general partner in a partnership described in subparagraph (4); and

  (6) A relative of a general partner, director, officer or person in control of the debtor;

  (c) If the debtor is a partnership:

  (1) A general partner in the debtor;

  (2) A relative of a general partner in, a general partner of, or a person in control of the debtor;

  (3) Another partnership in which the debtor is a general partner;

  (4) A general partner in a partnership described in subparagraph (3); and

  (5) A person in control of the debtor;

  (d) An affiliate, or an insider of an affiliate as if the affiliate were the debtor; and

  (e) A managing agent of the debtor. See Nevada Revised Statutes 112.150

• Instrument of payment: means a check, draft, warrant or order for the payment, delivery or transfer of funds. See Nevada Revised Statutes 351.020
• Intangible property: Property that has no intrinsic value, but is merely the evidence of value such as stock certificates, bonds, and promissory notes.
• Inter vivos: Transfer of property from one living person to another living person.
• Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. ^{Source: OCC}
• Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
• Irrevocable trust: A trust arrangement that cannot be revoked, rescinded, or repealed by the grantor.
• 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.
• Joint tenancy: A form of property ownership in which two or more parties hold an undivided interest in the same property that was conveyed under the same instrument at the same time. A joint tenant can sell his (her) interest but not dispose of it by will. Upon the death of a joint tenant, his (her) undivided interest is distributed among the surviving joint tenants.
• Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
• 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}
• Legal tender: coins, dollar bills, or other currency issued by a government as official money. ^{Source: U.S. Mint}
• 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.
• Lien: means a charge against or an interest in property to secure payment of a debt or performance of an obligation, and includes a security interest created by agreement, a judicial lien obtained by legal or equitable process or proceedings, a common-law lien and a statutory lien. See Nevada Revised Statutes 112.150
• Life estate: A property interest limited in duration to the life of the individual holding the interest (life tenant).
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Mistrial: An invalid trial, caused by fundamental error. When a mistrial is declared, the trial must start again from the selection of the jury.
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• mortgage: includes a deed of trust. See Nevada Revised Statutes 0.037
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• 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}
• Noncommercial lender: means a lender which makes a loan secured by a deed of trust on owner-occupied housing and which is not a bank, financial institution or other entity regulated pursuant to title 55 of NRS. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• 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.
• Owner-occupied housing: means housing that is occupied by an owner as the owner"s primary residence. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• 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.
• Per stirpes: The legal means by which the children of a decedent, upon the death of an ancestor at a level above that of the decedent, receive by right of representation the share of the ancestor
• Person: includes a government and a governmental subdivision or agency. See Nevada Revised Statutes 112.150
• Person with an interest: means any person who has or claims any right, title or interest in, or lien or charge upon, the real property described in a deed of trust, as evidenced by any document or instrument recorded in the office of the county recorder of the county in which any part of the real property is situated. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• physician: means a person who engages in the practice of medicine, including osteopathy and homeopathy. See Nevada Revised Statutes 0.040
• Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
• population: means the number of people in a specified area as determined by the last preceding national decennial census conducted by the Bureau of the Census of the United States Department of Commerce pursuant to Section 2 of Article I of the Constitution of the United States and reported by the Secretary of Commerce to the Governor pursuant to 13 U. See Nevada Revised Statutes 0.050
• Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
• Private activity bond: has the meaning ascribed to it in 26 U. See Nevada Revised Statutes 348A.010
• Probate: Proving a will
• Project: means the entire parcel of real property divided or to be divided into condominiums, including all structures thereon. See Nevada Revised Statutes 117.010
• Property: means anything that may be the subject of ownership. See Nevada Revised Statutes 112.150
• Proprietary lease: has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 116. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
• 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 security: means a bond, note, certificate of indebtedness or other obligation for the payment of money, issued by this state or by any of its departments, agencies or other instrumentalities or by any of its political subdivisions. See Nevada Revised Statutes 351.020
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Relative: means a natural person related by consanguinity within the third degree as determined by the common law, a spouse, or a natural person related to a spouse within the third degree as so determined, and includes a natural person in an adoptive relationship within the third degree. See Nevada Revised Statutes 112.150
• 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.
• Residential foreclosure: means the sale of a single-family residence under a power of sale granted by NRS 107. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• Revocable trust: A trust agreement that can be canceled, rescinded, revoked, or repealed by the grantor (person who establishes the trust).
• Right of survivorship: The ownership rights that result in the acquisition of title to property by reason of having survived other co-owners.
• Sale in lieu of a foreclosure sale: has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 40. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• 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.
• Single-family residence: means a structure that is comprised of not more than four units. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• State ceiling: has the meaning ascribed to it in 26 U. See Nevada Revised Statutes 348A.010
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Surety: means a corporation authorized to transact surety business in this State pursuant to NRS 679A. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• Surety bond: means a bond issued by a surety for the reconveyance of a deed of trust pursuant to this section. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
• Tenancy in common: A type of property ownership in which two or more individuals have an undivided interest in property. At the death of one tenant in common, his (her) fractional percentage of ownership in the property passes to the decedent
• Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Title insurer: has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 692A. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
• Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
• Transfer: means every mode, direct or indirect, absolute or conditional, voluntary or involuntary, of disposing of or parting with an asset or an interest in an asset, and includes payment of money, release, lease and creation of a lien or other encumbrance. See Nevada Revised Statutes 112.150
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Trustee: means the trustee of record. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• Trustor: The person who makes or creates a trust. Also known as the grantor or settlor.
• 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}
• Unit: means the elements of a condominium which are not owned in common with the owners of other condominiums in the project. See Nevada Revised Statutes 117.010
• Unit: has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 116. See Nevada Revised Statutes 107.015
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Volume cap: has the meaning ascribed to it in 26 U. See Nevada Revised Statutes 348A.010
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.