Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws > Chapter 3-7 - Retail Licenses

• Acquittal:
  1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
  2. A verdict of "not guilty."
   
• Administrator: means the program administrator of this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17
• Administratrix: The female counterpart of an administrator. See also
• Adoptee: means a person who has been adopted in the state of Rhode Island. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1
• Adoption: means the judicial act of creating the relationship of parent and child where it did not exist previously. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1
• Adoptive parent: means an adult who has become a parent of a child through adoption. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1
• Adult: means a person eighteen (18) years of age or older. See Rhode Island General Laws 14-1-3
• Adult: means a person twenty-one (21) years of age or older. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1
• Adverse result: means :

  (i)  Endangering the life or physical safety of an individual;

  (ii)  Flight from prosecution;

  (iii)  Destruction of, or tampering with, evidence;

  (iv)  Intimidation of potential witnesses; or

  (v)  Otherwise seriously jeopardizing an investigation or unduly delaying a trial. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-32-1

• Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
• 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.
• Agency: means any public or private organization licensed or authorized under the laws of this state to place children for adoption. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1
• Aging prisoner: means an individual who is sixty-five (65) years of age or older and suffers from functional impairment, infirmity, or illness. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-8.1-3
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Alleged criminally responsible person: means a person who has been indicted or against whom a criminal information has been proferred for the commission of a felony committed within the state of Rhode Island which caused another person to suffer personal injury or loss of property, but who has not yet been either convicted or acquitted of the charge nor had the charge dismissed. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25.1-2
• 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.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• 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.
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Articles of incorporation: means the original or restated articles of incorporation and all of their amendments including agreements of merger. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• 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.
• Authorized shares: means the shares of all classes which the corporation is authorized to issue. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• 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.
• Beverage: means any liquid that either by itself or by mixture with any other liquid or liquids, is, or may become, fit for human consumption as a drink and that contains five-tenths of one per cent (. See Rhode Island General Laws 3-1-1
• Birth parent: is:

  (i)  The person who is legally presumed under the laws of this state to be the father or mother of genetic origin of a child; and

  (ii)  A putative father of the child if the birth mother alleges he is the father and the putative father, by written affidavit at any time or by surrender and release executed within one year of the relinquishment of the child by the birth mother or termination of parental rights of the birth mother, acknowledges being the child's biological father. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1

• Board: means the parole board within the Rhode Island department of corrections, established pursuant to the provisions of § 13-8-1. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-8.2-2
• Chambers: A judge's office.
• Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
• Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
• Child: means an unmarried person who is under eighteen (18) years of age and includes a stepchild or an adopted child. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17
• Child: means an unmarried person who is under eighteen (18) years of age and includes a stepchild or an adopted child. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25.1-2
• Child: means a person under eighteen (18) years of age. See Rhode Island General Laws 14-1-3
• 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.
• Club: means a corporation subject to the provisions of chapter 6 of Title 7, owning, hiring, or leasing a building or space in a building of such extent and character as may be suitable and adequate for the reasonable and comfortable accommodation of its members, and whose affairs and management are conducted by a board of directors, executive committee, or other similar body chosen by the members at a meeting held for that purpose, none of whose members, officers, agents, or employees are paid directly, or indirectly, any compensation by way of profit from the distribution or sale of beverages to the members of the club or to its guests beyond the amount of any reasonable salary or wages as may be fixed and voted each year by the directors or other governing body. See Rhode Island General Laws 3-1-1
• Cognitively incapacitated: means suffering from a cognitive condition, such as dementia, that greatly impairs activities that are necessary for independence such as feeding, toileting, dressing, and bathing and renders their incarceration non-punitive and non-rehabilitative. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-8.1-3
• Commercial exploitation: means any significant commercial exploitation by means of any publication, reenactment, dramatization, interview, depiction, explanation, or expression through any medium of communication which is undertaken for financial consideration, except tangential and incidental references to a crime. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25.1-2
• 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.
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Convicted: as used in this chapter only, means a person who has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a charge of a felony offense, regardless of the fine, sentence or other punishment imposed or who has been found guilty after a trial on a charge of a felony offense. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25.1-2
• 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.
• Court: means the superior court. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17
• Court: means the superior court. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25.1-2
• court: means the family court of the state of Rhode Island. See Rhode Island General Laws 14-1-3
• Criminally responsible person: means a person who has been convicted of a felony committed within the state of Rhode Island which caused another person to suffer personal injury or loss of property, or who has been adjudicated not guilty by reason of insanity after a trial on a charge of the offense, or who has voluntarily admitted the commission of the offense. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25.1-2
• 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.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Delinquent: when applied to a child, means and includes any child who has committed any offense that, if committed by an adult, would constitute a felony, or who has on more than one occasion violated any of the other laws of the state or of the United States or any of the ordinances of cities and towns, other than ordinances relating to the operation of motor vehicles. See Rhode Island General Laws 14-1-3
• Department: means the department of business regulation. See Rhode Island General Laws 3-1-1
• Department: means the department of corrections. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-8.2-2
• Dependent: means a person wholly or partially dependent upon the income of the victim at the time of his or her death or would have been so dependent but for the incapacity due to the injury from which the death resulted. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17
• Dependent: means a person wholly or partially dependent upon the income of the victim at the time of his or her death or would have been so dependent but for the incapacity due to the injury from which the death resulted, and includes a child of the victim born after the death of the victim. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25.1-2
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Dependent: means any child who requires the protection and assistance of the court when his or her physical or mental health or welfare is harmed, or threatened with harm, due to the inability of the parent or guardian, through no fault of the parent or guardian, to provide the child with a minimum degree of care or proper supervision because of:

  (i)  The death or illness of a parent; or

  (ii)  The special medical, educational, or social-service needs of the child which the parent is unable to provide. See Rhode Island General Laws 14-1-3

• Director: means the director of the department of business regulation. See Rhode Island General Laws 3-1-1
• Director: means the director of the department of corrections. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-8.2-2
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Division of taxation: means the division of taxation of the department of administration. See Rhode Island General Laws 3-1-1
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• domestic corporation: means a corporation for profit subject to the provisions of this chapter, except a foreign corporation. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• Elderly person: means any person over the age of sixty (60) years. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-29.1-3
• Electronic device: means any device that enables access to, or use of, an electronic communication service (as defined in 18 U. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-32-1
• electronic surveillance and monitoring devices: means any "radio frequency identification device (RFID)" or "global positioning device" that is either tethered to a person or is intended to be kept with a person and is used for the purposes of tracking the whereabouts of that person within the community. See Rhode Island General Laws 14-1-3
• Electronic transmission: means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• Employee: includes officers but not directors. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• 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.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executed: means an original signature, facsimile, or an electronically transmitted signature submitted through a medium provided and authorized by the secretary of state. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Executrix: The female counterpart of an executor. See also
• Extradition: The formal process of delivering an accused or convicted person from authorities in one state to authorities in another state.
• Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
• Felony: means a conviction of a felony in this state or of an offense, that is not a crime of violence, in any other jurisdiction for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment in excess of one year, was authorized. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-8.2-2
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Filing: means delivered to the secretary of state in either paper format or electronic transmission through a medium provided and authorized by the secretary of state. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• 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.
• Foreign corporation: means a corporation for profit organized under laws other than the laws of this state for a purpose or purposes for which a corporation may be organized under this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• 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
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• 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.
• 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.
• Health history: is a comprehensive report, when obtainable, of the child's health status and medical history at the time of placement for adoption, including neonatal, psychological, developmental, physiological, and medical care history. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1
• Hearsay: Statements by a witness who did not see or hear the incident in question but heard about it from someone else. Hearsay is usually not admissible as evidence in court.
• Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.
• in writing: include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of the usual form. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16
• 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}
• Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
• Individual: means a natural person. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• Insolvent: means the inability of a corporation to pay its debts as they become due in the usual course of its business. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• Intangible property: Property that has no intrinsic value, but is merely the evidence of value such as stock certificates, bonds, and promissory notes.
• Interrogatories: Written questions asked by one party of an opposing party, who must answer them in writing under oath; a discovery device in a lawsuit.
• Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
• 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.
• Justice: means a justice of the family court. See Rhode Island General Laws 14-1-3
• Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
• 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}
• 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.
• Life estate: A property interest limited in duration to the life of the individual holding the interest (life tenant).
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Location information: means any information concerning the location of an electronic device that, in whole or in part, is generated by, or derived from, the operation of that device. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-32-1
• Location information service: means a global positioning service or other mapping, locational, or directional information service. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-32-1
• magistrate: may be construed to mean a justice, or a clerk acting as a justice, of a district court. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16
• Magistrate judges: Judicial officers who assist U.S. district judges in getting cases ready for trial, who may decide some criminal and civil trials when both parties agree to have the case heard by a magistrate judge instead of a judge.
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Neglect: means a child who requires the protection and assistance of the court when his or her physical or mental health or welfare is harmed, or threatened with harm, when the parents or guardian:

  (i)  Fails to supply the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care, though financially able to do so or offered financial or other reasonable means to do so;

  (ii)  Fails to provide the child proper education as required by law; or

  (iii)  Abandons and/or deserts the child. See Rhode Island General Laws 14-1-3

• 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.
• oath: includes affirmation; the word "sworn" includes affirmed; and the word "engaged" includes either sworn or affirmed. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-11
• 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.
• Office: means the office of the general treasurer. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Passive voluntary adoption reunion registry: is a registry, which is not authorized to seek registrants out but is authorized only to accept voluntary registration from eligible parties as designated in this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1
• Pecuniary loss: includes :

  (i)  For personal injury:

  (A)  Medical expenses (including psychiatric care) for which the victim is not compensated by any other source;

  (B)  Hospital expenses for which the victim is not compensated by any other source;

  (C)  Loss of past earnings for which the victim is not compensated by any other source;

  (D)  Loss of future earnings because of a disability resulting from the personal injury for which the victim is not compensated by any other source; and

  (E)  Direct expenses related to the delivery or obtainment of medical or counseling services, or participation in criminal justice proceedings. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17

• Pecuniary loss: includes :

  (i)  For personal injury:

  (A)  Medical expenses (including psychiatric care);

  (B)  Hospital expenses;

  (C)  Loss of past earnings; and

  (D)  Loss of future earnings because of a disability resulting from personal injury;

  (ii)  For death:

  (A)  Funeral and burial expenses; and

  (B)  Loss of support to the dependents of the victim; and

  (iii)  Any other expenses actually and necessarily incurred as a result of the personal injury or death. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25.1-2

• Person: means an individual or an entity. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
• Personal injury: means actual bodily harm, mental or nervous shock, and a pregnancy resulting from sexual attack. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17
• Personal injury: means actual bodily harm, mental or nervous shock, or a pregnancy. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25.1-2
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• 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.
• Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
• Presentence report: A report prepared by a court's probation officer, after a person has been convicted of an offense, summarizing for the court the background information needed to determine the appropriate sentence. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Pretrial conference: A meeting of the judge and lawyers to discuss which matters should be presented to the jury, to review evidence and witnesses, to set a timetable, and to discuss the settlement of the case.
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probate: Proving a will
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Probation officers: Screen applicants for pretrial release and monitor convicted offenders released under court supervision.
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
• Public welfare institutions: as used in this chapter means the adult correctional institutions. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-7-2
• Putative father: is a man who, under the laws of this state, is not legally presumed to be the father of genetic origin of a child, but who claims or is alleged to be the father of genetic origin of the child. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• real estate: may be construed to include lands, tenements, and hereditaments and rights thereto and interests therein. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-10
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Registry: is a passive voluntary adoption reunion registry as established under this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1
• Relative: means a spouse, parent, grandparent, stepfather, stepmother, child, grandchild, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, and a spouse's parents. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17
• Relative: means a spouse, parent, grandparent, stepfather, stepmother, child, grandchild, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, and a spouse's parents. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25.1-2
• 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).
• Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
• Resident: means any person who has his or her residence within the state of Rhode Island. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• seal: shall be construed to include an impression of the seal made with or without the use of wax or wafer on the paper. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-15
• Secondary victim: means a child who suffers an emotional injury as a direct result of witnessing a homicide or incident of domestic violence. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Service provider: means the provider of an electronic communications service, remote computing service, or location information service. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-32-1
• 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.
• Severely ill: means suffering from a significant and permanent or chronic physical and/or mental condition that: (1) Requires extensive medical and/or psychiatric treatment with little to no possibility of recovery; and (2) Significantly impairs rehabilitation from further incarceration. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-8.1-3
• Shareholder: means one who is a holder of record of shares in a corporation. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• Shares: means the units into which the proprietary interests in a corporation are divided. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• State: includes the District of Columbia, the fifty (50) states, and the United States' territories and possessions. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17
• State: as used in this chapter , means any one of the several states and the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-9-4
• State: means the state of Rhode Island. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Subscriber: means one who subscribes for shares in a corporation, whether before or after incorporation. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
• Successor agency: is a n agency which has the adoption records of another agency because of the merger of the agency and the successor agency or because a former agency has ceased doing business and has given its adoption records to the successor agency as provided in this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Tavern: means any house where the principal business is the furnishing of food and sleeping accommodations. See Rhode Island General Laws 3-1-1
• Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
• Terminally ill: means suffering from a condition caused by injury (except self-inflicted injury), disease, or illness which, to a reasonable degree of medical certainty, is a life-limiting diagnosis that will lead to profound functional, cognitive and/or physical decline, and likely will result in death within eighteen (18) months. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-8.1-3
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• 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.
• town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9
• town council: include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9
• Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
• Treasurer: means the general treasurer of the state of Rhode Island or his or her designee. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• United States: include the several states and the territories of the United States. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-8
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Victim: means a person who is injured or killed by any act of a person or persons that is within the description of any of the offenses specified in § 12-25-20 and which act occurs in the state of Rhode Island. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25-17
• Victim: means a person who suffers personal injury or loss of property as a direct result of the conduct of another person in perpetration of a criminal offense. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-25.1-2
• Victim: means any elderly person who has been subjected to a crime of violence. See Rhode Island General Laws 12-29.1-3
• Victim Impact Statement: A written or spoken statement by the victim or his or her representative about the physical, emotional, and financial impact of a crime on the victim. The statement is given to the court before sentencing.
• Victualing house: means any shop or place where a substantial part of the business is the furnishing of food for consumption at the place where it is furnished. See Rhode Island General Laws 3-1-1
• Voluntary placement agreement for extension of care: means a written agreement between the state agency and a young adult who meets the eligibility conditions specified in § 14-1-6(c), acting as their own legal guardian that is binding on the parties to the agreement. See Rhode Island General Laws 14-1-3
• Wayward: when applied to a child, means and includes any child:

  (i)  Who has deserted his or her home without good or sufficient cause;

  (ii)  Who habitually associates with dissolute, vicious, or immoral persons;

  (iii)  Who is leading an immoral or vicious life;

  (iv)  Who is habitually disobedient to the reasonable and lawful commands of his or her parent or parents, guardian, or other lawful custodian;

  (v)  Who, being required by chapter 19 of Title 16 to attend school, willfully and habitually absents himself or herself from school or habitually violates the rules and regulations of the school when he or she attends;

  (vi)  Who has, on any occasion, violated any of the laws of the state or of the United States or any of the ordinances of cities and towns, other than ordinances relating to the operation of motor vehicles; or

  (vii)  Any child under seventeen (17) years of age who violates § 21-28. See Rhode Island General Laws 14-1-3

• Wines: means all fermented alcoholic beverages made from fruits, flowers, herbs, or vegetables and containing not more than twenty-four percent (24%) of alcohol by volume at sixty degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees F), except cider obtained by the alcohol fermentation of the juice of apples and containing not less than five tenths of one percent (. See Rhode Island General Laws 3-1-1
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• Writ of certiorari: An order issued by the Supreme Court directing the lower court to transmit records for a case for which it will hear on appeal.
• Young adult: means an individual who has attained the age of eighteen (18) years but has not reached the age of twenty-one (21) years and was in the legal custody of the department on their eighteenth birthday pursuant to an abuse, neglect or dependency petition; or was a former foster child who was adopted or placed in a guardianship after attaining age sixteen (16). See Rhode Island General Laws 14-1-3