Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes > Chapter 15A > Article 80

• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• United States: shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.