Terms Used In South Carolina Code > Title 54 > Chapter 13 - Trespass On Private Docks

• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• 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.
• 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.
• Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• 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.
• 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.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Person: means an individual, partnership, corporation, company, association, receiver, trustee, or agent. See South Carolina Code 46-21-15
• plant: includes seedlings, nursery stock, roots, tubers, bulbs, cuttings, and other plant parts used in the propagation of field crops, vegetables, fruits, flowers, or other plants. See South Carolina Code 46-21-665
• 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.
• variety: means its original meaning and includes strains of varieties which are sufficiently different from the parent variety to justify special designation. See South Carolina Code 46-21-665