Terms Used In Texas Business and Commerce Code Chapter 20 - Regulation of Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies

• Acquittal:
  1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
  2. A verdict of "not guilty."
   
• Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
• Affiliate: means a person who controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another person. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• 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.
• Asset forfeiture: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Associate: when used to indicate a relationship with a person, means:
  (A) a domestic or foreign entity or organization for which the person:
  (i) is an officer or governing person; or
  (ii) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, either individually or through an affiliate, 10 percent or more of a class of voting ownership interests or similar securities of the entity or organization;
  (B) a trust or estate in which the person has a substantial beneficial interest or for which the person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity;
  (C) the person's spouse or a relative of the person related by consanguinity or affinity who resides with the person; or
  (D) a governing person or an affiliate or officer of the person. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Association: means an entity governed as an association under Title 6 or 7. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Attorney-in-fact: A person who, acting as an agent, is given written authorization by another person to transact business for him (her) out of court.
• 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.
• Bailiff: a court officer who enforces the rules of behavior in courtrooms.
• 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.
• Bequest: Property gifted by will.
• Business: means a trade, occupation, profession, or other commercial activity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Certificate of formation: means :
  (A) the document required to be filed with the filing officer under Chapter Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Certificated ownership interest: means an ownership interest of a domestic entity represented by a certificate issued in bearer or registered form. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Close corporation: means a for-profit corporation that elects to be governed as a close corporation in accordance with Subchapter Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• 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.
• Conversion: means :
  (A) the continuance of a domestic entity as a non-code organization of any type;
  (B) the continuance of a non-code organization as a domestic entity of any type;
  (C) the continuance of a domestic entity of one type as a domestic entity of another type;
  (D) the continuance of a domestic entity of one type as a foreign entity of the same type that may be treated as a domestication, continuance, or transfer transaction under the laws of the jurisdiction of formation of the foreign entity; or
  (E) the continuance of a foreign entity of one type as a domestic entity of the same type that may be treated as a domestication, continuance, or transfer transaction under the laws of the jurisdiction of formation of the foreign entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Converted entity: means an organization resulting from a conversion. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Converting entity: means an organization as the organization existed before the organization's conversion. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: means an entity governed as a corporation under Title 2 or 7. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
• Court reporter: A person who makes a word-for-word record of what is said in court and produces a transcript of the proceedings upon request.
• 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.
• Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
• Director: means an individual who serves on the board of directors of a foreign or domestic corporation. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Domestic: means , with respect to an entity, that the entity is formed under this code or the entity's internal affairs are governed by this code. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Domestic entity: means an organization formed under or the internal affairs of which are governed by this code. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Effective date of this code: means January 1, 2006. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Electronic data system: means an electronic network or database. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Electronic transmission: means a form of communication, including communication by use of or participation in one or more electronic data systems, that:
  (A) does not directly involve the physical transmission of paper;
  (B) creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by the recipient; and
  (C) may be directly reproduced in paper form by the recipient through an automated process. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• 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.
• Entity: means a domestic entity or foreign entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Escheat: Reversion of real or personal property to the state when 1) a person dies without leaving a will and has no heirs, or 2) when the property (such as a bank account) has been inactive for a certain period of time. ^{Source: OCC}
• Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Extradition: The formal process of delivering an accused or convicted person from authorities in one state to authorities in another state.
• Fair Credit Reporting Act: A federal law, established in 1971 and revised in 1997, that gives consumers the right to see their credit records and correct any mistakes. ^{Source: OCC}
• Felony: A crime carrying a penalty of more than a year in prison.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Filing entity: means a domestic entity that is a corporation, limited partnership, limited liability company, professional association, cooperative, or real estate investment trust. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Filing instrument: means an instrument, document, consent, or statement that is required or authorized by this code to be filed by or for an entity with the filing officer in accordance with Chapter Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Filing officer: means :
  (A) with respect to an entity other than a domestic real estate investment trust, the secretary of state; or
  (B) with respect to a domestic real estate investment trust, the county clerk of the county in which the real estate investment trust's principal office is located in this state. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• For-profit corporation: means a corporation governed as a for-profit corporation under Chapter Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Foreign: means , with respect to an entity, that the entity is formed under, and the entity's internal affairs are governed by, the laws of a jurisdiction other than this state. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Foreign filing entity: means a foreign entity, other than a foreign limited liability partnership, that registers or is required to register as a foreign entity under Chapter Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Fundamental business transaction: means a merger, interest exchange, conversion, or sale of all or substantially all of an entity's assets. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• 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
• General partner: means :
  (A) each partner in a general partnership; or
  (B) a person who has become, and has not ceased to be, a general partner in a limited partnership in accordance with the governing documents of the limited partnership or this code. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• General partnership: means a partnership governed as a general partnership under Chapter Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Governing authority: means a person or group of persons who are entitled to manage and direct the affairs of an entity under this code and the governing documents of the entity, except that if the governing documents of the entity or this code divide the authority to manage and direct the affairs of the entity among different persons or groups of persons according to different matters, "governing authority" means the person or group of persons entitled to manage and direct the affairs of the entity with respect to a matter under the governing documents of the entity or this code. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Governing documents: means :
  (A) in the case of a domestic entity:
  (i) the certificate of formation for a domestic filing entity or the document or agreement under which a domestic nonfiling entity is formed; and
  (ii) the other documents or agreements adopted by the entity under this code to govern the formation or the internal affairs of the entity; or
  (B) in the case of a foreign entity, the instruments, documents, or agreements adopted under the law of its jurisdiction of formation to govern the formation or the internal affairs of the entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Governing person: means a person serving as part of the governing authority of an entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• holder of shares: means :
  (A) the person in whose name shares issued by a for-profit corporation, professional corporation, or real estate investment trust are registered in the share transfer records maintained by or on behalf of the for-profit corporation, professional corporation, or real estate investment trust; or
  (B) the beneficial owner of shares issued by a for-profit corporation, whose shares are held in a voting trust or by a nominee on the beneficial owner's behalf, to the extent of the rights granted by a nominee statement on file with the for-profit corporation in accordance with Sections Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• 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.
• 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 Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Insolvency: means the inability of a person to pay the person's debts as they become due in the usual course of business or affairs. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Insolvent: means a person who is unable to pay the person's debts as they become due in the usual course of business or affairs. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Inter vivos: Transfer of property from one living person to another living person.
• Interest exchange: means the acquisition of an ownership or membership interest in a domestic entity as provided by Subchapter Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Internal Revenue Code: means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• 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.
• Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
• Jurisdiction of formation: means :
  (A) in the case of a domestic filing entity, this state;
  (B) in the case of a foreign entity for which a certificate of formation or similar organizational instrument is filed in connection with its formation, the jurisdiction in which the entity's certificate of formation or similar organizational instrument is filed; or
  (C) in the case of a domestic nonfiling entity or a foreign entity for which a certificate of formation or similar organizational instrument is not filed in connection with its formation:
  (i) the jurisdiction the laws of which are chosen in the entity's governing documents to govern its internal affairs if that jurisdiction bears a reasonable relation to the owners or members or to the entity's business and affairs under the principles of this state that otherwise would apply to a contract among the owners or members; or
  (ii) if Subparagraph (i) does not apply, the jurisdiction in which the entity has its chief executive office. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Juror: A person who is on the jury.
• Law: means , unless the context requires otherwise, both statutory and common law. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• License: means a license, certificate of registration, or other legal authorization. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Limited liability company: means an entity governed as a limited liability company under Title 3 or 7. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Limited partnership: means a partnership that is governed as a limited partnership under Title 4 and that has one or more general partners and one or more limited partners. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Managerial official: means an officer or a governing person. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Member: means :
  (A) in the case of a limited liability company, a person who has become, and has not ceased to be, a member in the limited liability company as provided by its governing documents or this code;
  (B) in the case of a nonprofit corporation, a person who has membership rights in the nonprofit corporation under its governing documents;
  (C) in the case of a cooperative association, a member of a nonshare or share association;
  (D) in the case of a nonprofit association, a person who has membership rights in the nonprofit association under its governing documents; or
  (E) in the case of a professional association, a person who has membership rights in the professional association under its governing documents. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Merger: means :
  (A) the division of a domestic entity into two or more new domestic entities or other organizations or into a surviving domestic entity and one or more new domestic or foreign entities or non-code organizations; or
  (B) the combination of one or more domestic entities with one or more domestic entities or non-code organizations resulting in:
  (i) one or more surviving domestic entities or non-code organizations;
  (ii) the creation of one or more new domestic entities or non-code organizations; or
  (iii) one or more surviving domestic entities or non-code organizations and the creation of one or more new domestic entities or non-code organizations. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Misdemeanor: Usually a petty offense, a less serious crime than a felony, punishable by less than a year of confinement.
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• National securities exchange: means an exchange registered as a national securities exchange under Section 6, Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• 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.
• Non-code organization: means an organization other than a domestic entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Nonfiling entity: means a domestic entity that is not a filing entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Nonprofit corporation: means a corporation governed as a nonprofit corporation under Chapter Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Officer: means an individual elected, appointed, or designated as an officer of an entity by the entity's governing authority or under the entity's governing documents. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Organization: means a corporation, limited or general partnership, limited liability company, business trust, real estate investment trust, joint venture, joint stock company, cooperative, association, bank, insurance company, credit union, savings and loan association, or other organization, regardless of whether the organization is for-profit, nonprofit, domestic, or foreign. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Ownership interest: means an owner's interest in an entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Parent: means an organization that, directly or indirectly through or with one or more of its subsidiaries:
  (A) owns at least 50 percent of the outstanding ownership or membership interests of another organization; or
  (B) possesses at least 50 percent of the voting power of the owners or members of another organization. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Partner: means a limited partner or general partner. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Partnership: means an entity governed as a partnership under Title 4. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Party to the merger: means a domestic entity or non-code organization that under a plan of merger is divided or combined by a merger. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Person: means an individual or a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, business trust, trust, association, or other organization, estate, government or governmental subdivision or agency, or other legal entity, or a series of a domestic limited liability company or foreign entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Plan of conversion: means a document that conforms with the requirements of Section Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Plan of exchange: means a document that conforms with the requirements of Section Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Plan of merger: means a document that conforms with the requirements of Sections Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• 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.
• Plea agreement: An arrangement between the prosecutor, the defense attorney, and the defendant in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for special considerations. ^Source:
• 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.
• Population: means the population shown by the most recent federal decennial census. See Texas Government Code 311.005
• Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
• President: means the:
  (A) individual designated as president of an entity under the entity's governing documents; or
  (B) officer or committee of persons authorized to perform the functions of the principal executive officer of an entity without regard to the designated name of the officer or committee. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• 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.
• Professional corporation: has the meaning assigned by Section Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Professional service: has the meaning assigned by Section Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Property: includes tangible and intangible property and an interest in that property. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Real estate investment trust: means an entity governed as a real estate investment trust under Title 5. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Recess: A temporary interruption of the legislative business.
• 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.
• Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
• 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.
• Right of survivorship: The ownership rights that result in the acquisition of title to property by reason of having survived other co-owners.
• Secretary: means the:
  (A) individual designated as secretary of an entity under the entity's governing documents; or
  (B) officer or committee of persons authorized to perform the functions of secretary of an entity without regard to the designated name of the officer or committee. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• 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.
• Share: means a unit into which the ownership interest in a for-profit corporation, professional corporation, real estate investment trust, or professional association is divided, regardless of whether the share is certificated or uncertificated. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Signature: includes the mark of a person unable to write, and "subscribe" includes the making of such a mark. See Texas Government Code 312.011
• Signature: means any symbol executed or adopted by a person with present intention to authenticate a writing. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Social purposes: means one or more purposes of a for-profit corporation that are specified in the corporation's certificate of formation and consist of promoting one or more positive impacts on society or the environment or of minimizing one or more adverse impacts of the corporation's activities on society or the environment. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• 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 a person who agrees with or makes an offer to an entity to purchase by subscription an ownership interest in the entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Subscription: means an agreement between a subscriber and an entity, or a written offer made by a subscriber to an entity before or after the entity's formation, in which the subscriber agrees or offers to purchase a specified ownership interest in the entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Subsidiary: means an organization for which another organization, either directly or indirectly through or with one or more of its other subsidiaries:
  (A) owns at least 50 percent of the outstanding ownership or membership interests of the organization; or
  (B) possesses at least 50 percent of the voting power of the owners or members of the organization. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Succeeding: means immediately following. See Texas Government Code 312.011
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Swear: includes affirm. See Texas Government Code 311.005
• 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.
• 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.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Uncertificated ownership interest: means an ownership interest in a domestic entity that is not represented by an instrument and is transferred by:
  (A) amendment of the governing documents of the entity; or
  (B) registration on books maintained by or on behalf of the entity for the purpose of registering transfers of ownership interests. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Week: means seven consecutive days. See Texas Government Code 311.005
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• written: means an expression of words, letters, characters, numbers, symbols, figures, or other textual information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium that is retrievable in a perceivable form. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002