Terms Used In Nevada Revised Statutes > Chapter 29A - Summary Proceedings

• 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.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• 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}
• Board of Regents: means the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada. See Nevada Revised Statutes 396.005
• Charter school: means a public school that is formed pursuant to the provisions of chapter 388A of NRS. See Nevada Revised Statutes 385.007
• Codicil: An addition, change, or supplement to a will executed with the same formalities required for the will itself.
• 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.
• Conference report: The compromise product negotiated by the conference committee. The "conference report" is submitted to each chamber for its consideration, such as approval or disapproval.
• 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
• counselor: means a person who holds a license issued pursuant to chapter 391 of NRS and an endorsement to serve as a school counselor issued pursuant to regulations adopted by the Commission on Professional Standards in Education or who is otherwise authorized by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to serve as a school counselor. See Nevada Revised Statutes 385.007
• Department: means the Department of Education. See Nevada Revised Statutes 385.007
• 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.
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• 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}
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• 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}
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
• 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.
• Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
• 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}
• 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.
• Majority leader: see Floor Leaders
• Minority leader: See Floor Leaders
• 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.
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• 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
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• 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.
• 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.
• Probate: Proving a will
• psychologist: means a person who holds a license issued pursuant to chapter 391 of NRS and an endorsement to serve as a school psychologist issued pursuant to regulations adopted by the Commission on Professional Standards in Education or who is otherwise authorized by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to serve as a school psychologist. See Nevada Revised Statutes 385.007
• Public schools: means all kindergartens and elementary schools, junior high schools and middle schools, high schools, charter schools and any other schools, classes and educational programs which receive their support through public taxation and, except for charter schools, whose textbooks and courses of study are under the control of the State Board. See Nevada Revised Statutes 385.007
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• 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.
• School bus: has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 484A. See Nevada Revised Statutes 385.007
• social worker: means a social worker licensed pursuant to chapter 641B of NRS who holds a license issued pursuant to chapter 391 of NRS and an endorsement to serve as a school social worker issued pursuant to regulations adopted by the Commission on Professional Standards in Education or who is otherwise authorized by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to serve as a school social worker. See Nevada Revised Statutes 385.007
• State Board: means the State Board of Education. See Nevada Revised Statutes 385.007
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• summary proceeding: means an action governed by the provisions of this chapter. See Nevada Revised Statutes 29A.010
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• System: means the Nevada System of Higher Education. See Nevada Revised Statutes 396.005
• 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.
• 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.