Terms Used In New York Laws > Environmental Conservation > Article 27 > Title 15

• 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.
• 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.
• Attorney-in-fact: A person who, acting as an agent, is given written authorization by another person to transact business for him (her) out of court.
• Commissioner: shall mean the commissioner of consumer and worker protection. See N.Y. New York City Administrative Code 20-102
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Corporation: means and includes all mutual savings banks, mutual savings and loan associations, mutual holding companies and credit unions. See N.Y. Banking Law 9001
• 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.
• Director: means any member of the governing board of a corporation, whether designated as director, trustee, manager, governor or by any other title; the term "board" means "board of directors. See N.Y. Banking Law 9001
• Felony: A crime carrying a penalty of more than a year in prison.
• Foreign corporation: means a non-stock corporation which is licensed by the superintendent under the provisions of article two of this chapter to do business in this state or is applying for such license and a non-stock corporation authorized to conduct business in this state pursuant to article five-C of this chapter or is applying for such authorization. See N.Y. Banking Law 9001
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• 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}
• 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}
• License: shall mean an authorization by the department of consumer and worker protection to carry on various activities within its jurisdiction, which may take the form of a license, permit, registration, certification or such other form as is designated under law, regulation or rule. See N.Y. New York City Administrative Code 20-102
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• 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.
• Organization certificate: includes (a) the original organization certificate or any other instrument filed or issued under any statute to form a corporation or foreign corporation, as amended, supplemented or restated by certificates of amendment, merger or consolidation or other certificates or instruments filed or issued under any statute; or (b) a special act or charter creating a corporation or foreign corporation, as amended, supplemented or restated by special acts or by certificates of amendment, merger or consolidation or other certificates or instruments filed or issued under any statute. See N.Y. Banking Law 9001
• Person: shall mean a natural person or an organization. See N.Y. New York City Administrative Code 20-102
• 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.
• 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.
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• 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.
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.