Terms Used In New York Laws > Civil Practice Law and Rules > Article 23 - Subpoenas, Oaths and Affirmations

• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• 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.
• Consolidated local government entity: shall mean a local government entity resulting from successful consolidation proceedings conducted pursuant to this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Consolidation: shall mean either (a) the combination of two or more local government entities resulting in the termination of the existence of each of the entities to be consolidated and the creation of a new entity which assumes jurisdiction over all of the terminated entities, or (b) the combination of two or more local government entities resulting in the termination of the existence of all but one of the entities which shall absorb the terminated entity or entities. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Dissolution: shall mean the termination of the existence of a local government entity. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Elector: shall mean a registered voter of this state registered to vote in the local government entity subject to consolidation or dissolution proceedings conducted pursuant to this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• entity: shall mean a town, village, district, special improvement district or other improvement district, including, but not limited to, special districts created pursuant to articles eleven, twelve, twelve-A or thirteen of the town law, library districts, and other districts created by law; provided, however, that a local government entity shall not include school districts, city districts or special purpose districts created by counties under county law. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Governing body: shall mean the body in which the general legislative, governmental and/or public powers of a local government entity are vested and by authority of which the official business of such entity is conducted. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
• Initiative: shall mean the filing of the petition containing a proposal for a referendum to be placed on the ballot for an election. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Juror: A person who is on the jury.
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• 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.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Recess: A temporary interruption of the legislative business.
• Referendum: shall mean a vote seeking approval by a majority of electors of a local government entity or entities voting on a question of consolidation or dissolution placed on the ballot by initiative. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Subpoena duces tecum: A command to a witness to produce documents.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.