§ 20-1-102 Indemnification of nominal plaintiff
§ 20-1-103 Action on bond
§ 20-1-104 Deserted wife as party
§ 20-1-105 Expenses and loss of service incident to injury to child
§ 20-1-107 Several liability on joint obligations
§ 20-1-108 Joinder of defendants on joint and several obligations
§ 20-1-109 Action in name used in instrument
§ 20-1-110 Failure of recovery against joint defendants
§ 20-1-111 Maintaining action after executor or administrator removes from jurisdiction
§ 20-1-112 Defenses of executors sued separately
§ 20-1-113 Separate judgments against executors
§ 20-1-114 Addition of parties
§ 20-1-115 Intervention in property action
§ 20-1-116 Substitution of defendant in property action
§ 20-1-117 Substitution for levying officer
§ 20-1-118 Default judgment against levying officer
§ 20-1-119 Comparative fault – Joinder of third party defendants

Terms Used In Tennessee Code > Title 20 > Chapter 1 - Parties to Actions

  • 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.
  • Agriculture: means :
    (i) The land, buildings and machinery used in the commercial production of farm products and nursery stock. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
  • 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.
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Governing body: means the body in which the general legislative powers of a municipality are vested, and in the case of counties means the legislative body of any county. See Tennessee Code 7-67-103
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • Local governmental entity: means a governing body, board, commission, committee, department, or law enforcement agency of a municipality, county, or other political subdivision of this state. See Tennessee Code 7-68-102
  • Metropolitan government: means the political entity created by consolidation of all, or substantially all, of the political and corporate functions of a county and a city or cities. See Tennessee Code 7-1-101
  • Minor: means any person who has not attained eighteen (18) years of age. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • Municipality: means any county, metropolitan government or incorporated city or town in this state with respect to which an authority may be organized. See Tennessee Code 7-67-103
  • 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.
  • Official: means an agent, employee, member, or representative of a local governmental entity. See Tennessee Code 7-68-102
  • 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.
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Project: means any building, sports complex, stadium, arena, sports and recreational facility, or any other structure or facility constructed, leased, equipped, renovated or acquired for any of the purposes set forth in this chapter, and also includes, but is not limited to, roads, streets, highways, curbs, bridges, flood control facilities, and utility services, such as water, sanitary sewer, electricity, gas and natural gas, and telecommunications that are constructed, leased, equipped, renovated or acquired as a supporting system or facility for any of the purposes set forth in this chapter. See Tennessee Code 7-67-103
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • quarantine: means the limitation of a person's freedom of movement, isolation of a person, or preventing or restricting access to premises upon which the person or the cause or source of a disease may be found, for a period of time as may be necessary to confirm or establish a diagnosis, to determine the cause or source of a disease, or to prevent the spread of a disease. See Tennessee Code 68-1-201
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • real property: include lands, tenements and hereditaments, and all rights thereto and interests therein, equitable as well as legal. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in a perceivable form. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • 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).
  • Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • revenue bonds: means bonds, notes, interim certificates or other obligations of an authority issued pursuant to this chapter, or pursuant to any other law, as supplemented by, or in conjunction with, this chapter. See Tennessee Code 7-67-103
  • Sanctuary policy: means any directive, order, ordinance, resolution, practice, or policy, whether formally enacted, informally adopted, or otherwise effectuated, that:
    (A) Limits or prohibits any local governmental entity or official from communicating or cooperating with federal agencies or officials to verify or report the immigration status of any alien. See Tennessee Code 7-68-102
  • signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Sports and recreational facilities: means and includes facilities for any and all types of sports and recreational pursuits, including, but not limited to, football, basketball, baseball, soccer, track and field meets, swimming and diving meets, and any and all other sports, games, events or exhibitions that add to the recreational enrichment of the community. See Tennessee Code 7-67-103
  • sports authority: means any public corporation organized pursuant to this chapter. See Tennessee Code 7-67-103
  • State: means the state of Tennessee and, unless otherwise indicated by the context, any agency, authority, branch, bureau, commission, corporation, department or instrumentality of the state, now or hereafter existing. See Tennessee Code 7-67-103
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • 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.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105