Terms Used In New York Laws > General Municipal > Article 17-A > Title 1 - Definitions

• 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.
• 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
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• 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
• 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.
• 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
• 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
• 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.
• Juror: A person who is on the jury.
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• 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