Terms Used In Oregon Statutes > Chapter 147 > Compensation of Crime Victims

• Acquittal:
  1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
  2. A verdict of "not guilty."
   
• 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.
• Alternate base year: means the last four completed calendar quarters preceding the benefit year. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Any other state: includes any state and the District of Columbia. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• 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.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Attorney-at-law: A person who is legally qualified and licensed to practice law, and to represent and act for clients in legal proceedings.
• Average weekly wage: means the amount calculated by the Employment Department as the state average weekly covered wage under ORS § 657. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• Base year: means the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters preceding the benefit year. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• 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}
• Benefits: means family and medical leave insurance benefits. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Bureau: means the Bureau of Labor and Industries. See Oregon Statutes 659A.001
• Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
• City: includes any incorporated village or town. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Claimant: means an individual who has submitted an application or established a claim for benefits. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Commissioner: means the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries. See Oregon Statutes 659A.001
• 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.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• contributions: means the money payments made by any of the following under ORS § 657B. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• 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.
• County court: includes board of county commissioners. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Covered individual: means any one of the following who qualifies under ORS § 657B. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• 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.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Employer: means any person that employs one or more employees working anywhere in this state or any agent or employee of such person to whom the duties of the person under this chapter have been delegated. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Employer: means any person who in this state, directly or through an agent, engages or uses the personal service of one or more employees, reserving the right to control the means by which such service is or will be performed. See Oregon Statutes 659A.001
• Employment agency: has the meaning given that term in ORS § 658. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Employment agency: includes any person undertaking to procure employees or opportunities to work. See Oregon Statutes 659A.001
• Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
• 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}
• Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
• 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.
• Family and medical leave insurance benefits: means the wage replacement benefits that are available to a covered individual under ORS § 657B. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Family leave: means leave from work taken by a covered individual:

  (A) To care for and bond with a child during the first year after the child's birth or during the first year after the placement of the child through foster care or adoption; or

  (B) To care for a family member with a serious health condition. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010

• Farm use: has the meaning given that term in ORS § 215. See Oregon Statutes 215.010
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Forbearance: A means of handling a delinquent loan. A
• 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.
• Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
• Gender identity: means an individual's gender-related identity, appearance, expression or behavior, regardless of whether the identity, appearance, expression or behavior differs from that associated with the gender assigned to the individual at birth. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• 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.
• judicial department: means the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Oregon Tax Court, the circuit courts and all administrative divisions of those courts, whether denominated as boards, commissions, committees or departments or by any other designation. See Oregon Statutes 174.113
• 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.
• Labor organization: includes any organization which is constituted for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining or in dealing with employers concerning grievances, terms or conditions of employment or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employees. See Oregon Statutes 659A.001
• 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}
• legislative department: means the Legislative Assembly, the committees of the Legislative Assembly and all administrative divisions of the Legislative Assembly and its committees, whether denominated as boards, commissions or departments or by any other designation. See Oregon Statutes 174.114
• 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.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• local government: means all cities, counties and local service districts located in this state, and all administrative subdivisions of those cities, counties and local service districts. See Oregon Statutes 174.116
• Medical leave: means leave from work taken by a covered individual that is made necessary by the individual's own serious health condition. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• National Bank: A bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. A national bank can be recognized because it must have "national" or "national association" in its name. ^{Source: OCC}
• National origin: includes ancestry. See Oregon Statutes 659A.001
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Oral argument: An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court and also to answer the judges' questions.
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Person: means an individual, organization, corporation, government, governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, partnership or association, two or more persons having a joint or common interest or any other legal or commercial entity. See Oregon Statutes 205.010
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• 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}
• Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
• Probate: Proving a will
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• public body: means state government bodies, local government bodies and special government bodies. See Oregon Statutes 174.109
• public notice: means any legal publication which requires an affidavit of publication as required in ORS § 193. See Oregon Statutes 174.104
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Race: includes physical characteristics that are historically associated with race, including but not limited to natural hair, hair texture, hair type and protective hairstyles. See Oregon Statutes 659A.001
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• 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.
• Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• Safe leave: means leave taken for any purpose described in ORS § 659A. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Serious health condition: has the meaning given that term in ORS § 659A. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• 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.
• Sexual orientation: means an individual's actual or perceived heterosexuality, homosexuality or bisexuality. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• state government: means the executive department, the judicial department and the legislative department. See Oregon Statutes 174.111
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• 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.
• Text: includes the words contained in the body of an instrument to be recorded and the names of the transactions contained in the instrument. See Oregon Statutes 205.010
• Third party administrator: means a third party that enters into an agreement with the Director of the Employment Department to implement and administer the paid family and medical leave program established under this chapter. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• 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.
• Tract: means one or more contiguous lots or parcels under the same ownership. See Oregon Statutes 215.010
• Transaction: means an action, including but not limited to a transfer, encumbrance or release affecting title to or an interest in real property, that is required or permitted by state law or rule or federal law or regulation to be recorded. See Oregon Statutes 205.010
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Tribal government: has the meaning given that term in ORS § 181A. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• United States: includes territories, outlying possessions and the District of Columbia. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Unlawful employment practice: includes a practice that is specifically denominated in another statute of this state as an unlawful employment practice and that is specifically made subject to enforcement under this chapter. See Oregon Statutes 659A.001
• Unlawful practice: includes a practice that is specifically denominated in another statute of this state as an unlawful practice and that is specifically made subject to enforcement under this chapter, or a practice that violates a rule adopted by the commissioner for the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter. See Oregon Statutes 659A.001
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Veto: The procedure established under the Constitution by which the President/Governor refuses to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevents its enactment into law. A regular veto occurs when the President/Governor returns the legislation to the house in which it originated. The President/Governor usually returns a vetoed bill with a message indicating his reasons for rejecting the measure. In Congress, the veto can be overridden only by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House.
• Violate: includes failure to comply. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Wages: has the meaning given that term in ORS § 657. See Oregon Statutes 657B.010
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.