Sections
Chapter 15 Venue 15.001 – 15.100
Chapter 16 Limitations 16.001 – 16.073
Chapter 17 Parties; Citation; Long-Arm Jurisdiction 17.001 – 17.093
Chapter 18 Evidence 18.001 – 18.091
Chapter 19 Lost Records 19.001 – 19.009
Chapter 20 Depositions 20.001 – 20.002
Chapter 21 Interpreters 21.001 – 21.032
Chapter 22 Witnesses 22.001 – 22.027
Chapter 23 Juror Continuance 23.001 – 23.002
Chapter 24 Recording of Jury Deliberations 24.001
Chapter 26 Class Actions 26.001 – 26.051
Chapter 27 Actions Involving the Exercise of Certain Constitutional Rights 27.001 – 27.011
Chapter 30 Miscellaneous Provisions 30.001 – 30.022

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Terms Used In Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code > Title 2 > Subtitle B - Trial Matters

  • 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
  • Allegation: something that someone says happened.
  • Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
  • Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • Assumed name: means a name adopted for use by a person. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • 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.
  • Baseline: Projection of the receipts, outlays, and other budget amounts that would ensue in the future without any change in existing policy. Baseline projections are used to gauge the extent to which proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would alter current spending and revenue levels.
  • Bequest: Property gifted by will.
  • Board: means the Texas Medical Board. See Texas Occupations Code 151.002
  • Building materials: includes lumber, windows, and other materials used in the construction or repair of improvements to real property. See Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • Business: means a trade, occupation, profession, or other commercial activity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Capital offense: A crime punishable by death.
  • Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
  • Certificate of formation: means :
    (A) the document required to be filed with the filing officer under Chapter 3 to form a filing entity; and
    (B) if appropriate, a restated certificate of formation and all amendments of an original or restated certificate of formation. See 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
  • Chambers: A judge's office.
  • Charge to the jury: The judge's instructions to the jury concerning the law that applies to the facts of the case on trial.
  • Circumstantial evidence: All evidence except eyewitness testimony.
  • Claims: includes :
    (1) liabilities of a decedent that survive the decedent's death, including taxes, regardless of whether the liabilities arise in contract or tort or otherwise;
    (2) funeral expenses;
    (3) the expense of a tombstone;
    (4) expenses of administration;
    (5) estate and inheritance taxes; and
    (6) debts due such estates. See Texas Estates Code 22.005
  • 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
  • Concurrent resolution: A legislative measure, designated "S. Con. Res." and numbered consecutively upon introduction, generally employed to address the sentiments of both chambers, to deal with issues or matters affecting both houses, such as a concurrent budget resolution, or to create a temporary joint committee. Concurrent resolutions are not submitted to the President/Governor and thus do not have the force of law.
  • Consumer: means an individual, partnership, corporation, this state, or a subdivision or agency of this state who seeks or acquires by purchase or lease, any goods or services, except that the term does not include a business consumer that has assets of $25 million or more, or that is owned or controlled by a corporation or entity with assets of $25 million or more. See Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • Consumer protection division: means the consumer protection division of the attorney general's office. See Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • Continuing threat to the public welfare: means a real danger to the health of a physician's patients or to the public from the acts or omissions of the physician caused through the physician's lack of competence, impaired status, or failure to care adequately for the physician's patients, as determined by:
    (A) the board;
    (B) a medical peer review committee in this state;
    (C) a physician licensed to practice medicine in this state or otherwise lawfully practicing medicine in this state;
    (D) a physician engaged in graduate medical education or training; or
    (E) a medical student. See Texas Occupations Code 151.002
  • Contribution: means a tangible or intangible benefit that a person transfers to an entity in consideration for an ownership interest in the entity or otherwise in the person's capacity as an owner or a member. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • 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
  • cooperative association: means an association governed as a cooperative association under Chapter 251. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • 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: means and includes:
    (1) a county court in the exercise of its probate jurisdiction;
    (2) a court created by statute and authorized to exercise original probate jurisdiction; and
    (3) a district court exercising original probate jurisdiction in a contested matter. See Texas Estates Code 22.007
  • Credit report: A detailed report of an individual's credit history prepared by a credit bureau and used by a lender in determining a loan applicant's creditworthiness. Source: OCC
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Defense attorney: Represent defendants in criminal matters.
  • Department: means the Department of Agriculture. See Texas Agriculture Code 1.003
  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • Director: means an individual who serves on the board of directors of a foreign or domestic corporation. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Doctor of osteopathic medicine: includes a doctor of osteopathy, an osteopath, an osteopathic physician, and an osteopathic surgeon. See Texas Occupations Code 151.002
  • Documentary material: includes the original or a copy of any book, record, report, memorandum, paper, communication, tabulation, map, chart, photograph, mechanical transcription, or other tangible document or recording, wherever situated. See Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • 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
  • Donor: The person who makes a gift.
  • Economic damages: means compensatory damages for pecuniary loss, including costs of repair and replacement. See Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • 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 funds transfer: The transfer of money between accounts by consumer electronic systems-such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and electronic payment of bills-rather than by check or cash. (Wire transfers, checks, drafts, and paper instruments do not fall into this category.) Source: OCC
  • 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
  • Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. Source: OCC
  • Enrolled bill: The final copy of a bill or joint resolution which has passed both chambers in identical form. It is printed on parchment paper, signed by appropriate officials, and submitted to the President/Governor for signature.
  • Entity: means a domestic entity or foreign entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Estate: means a decedent's property, as that property:
    (1) exists originally and as the property changes in form by sale, reinvestment, or otherwise;
    (2) is augmented by any accretions and other additions to the property, including any property to be distributed to the decedent's representative by the trustee of a trust that terminates on the decedent's death, and substitutions for the property; and
    (3) is diminished by any decreases in or distributions from the property. See Texas Estates Code 22.012
  • Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
  • Executive session: A portion of the Senate's daily session in which it considers executive business.
  • 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
  • Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is a set of United States statutes added as Title VIII of the Consumer Credit Protection Act. Its purpose is to ensure ethical practices in the collection of consumer debts and to provide consumers with an avenue for disputing and obtaining validation of debt information in order to ensure the information's accuracy. It is often used in conjunction with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Source: OCC
  • Fictitious name: means an assumed name:
    (A) that a foreign filing entity adopts for use because the name of the entity as stated in the entity's certificate of formation or similar organizational instrument is not available for use under the laws of this state; and
    (B) under which the foreign filing entity is registered to transact business in this state, in accordance with Chapter 9. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • 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 4. See 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
  • Finance charge: The total cost of credit a customer must pay on a consumer loan, including interest. The Truth in Lending Act requires disclosure of the finance charge. Source: OCC
  • For-profit corporation: means a corporation governed as a for-profit corporation under Chapter 21. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • For-profit entity: means an entity other than a nonprofit entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • 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
  • 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 entity: means an organization formed under, and the internal affairs of which 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 9. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Foreign governmental authority: means a governmental official, agency, or instrumentality of a jurisdiction other than this state. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. Source: OCC
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • 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
  • 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 152. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • General-law municipality: means a municipality designated by Chapter 5 as a Type A general-law municipality, Type B general-law municipality, or Type C general-law municipality. See Texas Local Government Code 1.005
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Goods: means tangible chattels or real property purchased or leased for use. See Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • 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
  • Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. Source: Federal Reserve
  • Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
  • Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. Source: OCC
  • 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
  • Home-rule municipality: means a municipality designated by Chapter 5 as a home-rule municipality. See Texas Local Government Code 1.005
  • 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
  • Individual: means a natural person. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • 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
  • Intangible property: Property that has no intrinsic value, but is merely the evidence of value such as stock certificates, bonds, and promissory notes.
  • Intentionally: means actual awareness of the falsity, deception, or unfairness of the act or practice, or the condition, defect, or failure constituting a breach of warranty giving rise to the consumer's claim, coupled with the specific intent that the consumer act in detrimental reliance on the falsity or deception or in detrimental ignorance of the unfairness. See Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • 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
  • Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. Source: OCC
  • Internal Revenue Code: means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
  • 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.
  • Joint resolution: A legislative measure which requires the approval of both chambers.
  • Joint session: When both chambers of a legislature adopt a concurrent resolution to meet together.
  • 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
  • Jurisprudence: The study of law and the structure of the legal system.
  • Juror: A person who is on the jury.
  • Knowingly: means actual awareness, at the time of the act or practice complained of, of the falsity, deception, or unfairness of the act or practice giving rise to the consumer's claim or, in an action brought under Subdivision (2) of Subsection (a) of Section Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • Law: means , unless the context requires otherwise, both statutory and common law. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • 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.
  • Legal tender: coins, dollar bills, or other currency issued by a government as official money. Source: U.S. Mint
  • Legislative session: That part of a chamber's daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto).
  • 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 liability limited partnership: means a partnership governed as a limited liability partnership and a limited partnership under Title 4. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Limited liability partnership: means a partnership governed as a limited liability partnership under Title 4. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Limited partner: means a person who has become, and has not ceased to be, a limited 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
  • 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
  • Lineal descendant: Direct descendant of the same ancestors.
  • Livestock: means cattle, horses, mules, asses, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, exotic livestock, including elk and elk hybrids, and hogs, unless otherwise defined. See Texas Agriculture Code 1.003
  • Manager: means a person designated as a manager of a limited liability company that is not managed by members of the company. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Managerial official: means an officer or a governing person. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Medical records: means all records relating to the history, diagnosis, treatment, or prognosis of a patient. See Texas Occupations Code 151.002
  • 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
  • Membership interest: means a member's interest in an entity. 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
  • Month: means a calendar month. See Texas Government Code 312.011
  • 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.
  • Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
  • most recent federal census: means the United States decennial census immediately preceding the action in question. See Texas Government Code 312.011
  • Municipality: means a general-law municipality, home-rule municipality, or special-law municipality. See Texas Local Government Code 1.005
  • 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
  • Non-code organization: means an organization other than a domestic entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Non-United States entity: means a foreign entity formed under, and the internal affairs of which are governed by, the laws of a non-United States jurisdiction. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Non-United States jurisdiction: means a foreign country or other foreign jurisdiction that is not the United States or a state of the United States. 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 association: means an association governed as a nonprofit association under Chapter 252. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Nonprofit corporation: means a corporation governed as a nonprofit corporation under Chapter 22. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Nonprofit entity: means an entity that is a nonprofit corporation, nonprofit association, or other entity that is organized solely for one or more of the purposes specified by § 2. See 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
  • Official oath: means the oath required by Article XVI, Section Texas Government Code 312.011
  • Operation: means the application of surgery or the performance of surgical services. See Texas Occupations Code 151.002
  • Oral argument: An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court and also to answer the judges' questions.
  • 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
  • Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
  • Owner liability: means personal liability for a liability or other obligation of an organization that is imposed on a person:
    (A) by statute solely because of the person's status as an owner or member of the organization; or
    (B) by a governing document of an organization under a provision of this code or the law of the organization's jurisdiction of formation that authorizes the governing document to make one or more specified owners or members of the organization liable in their capacity as owners or members for all or specified liabilities or other obligations of the organization. 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: 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.
  • Partnership: means an entity governed as a partnership under Title 4. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Partnership interest: means a partner's interest in a partnership. 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
  • Per stirpes: The legal means by which the children of a decedent, upon the death of an ancestor at a level above that of the decedent, receive by right of representation the share of the ancestor
  • Person: means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other group, however organized. See Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • Person: means an individual, unless the term is expressly made applicable to a partnership, association, or corporation. See Texas Occupations Code 151.002
  • 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 protected series or registered series of a domestic limited liability company or foreign entity. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • personal representative: include :
    (1) an executor and independent executor;
    (2) an administrator, independent administrator, and temporary administrator; and
    (3) a successor to an executor or administrator listed in Subdivision (1) or (2). See Texas Estates Code 22.031
  • Physician: means a person licensed to practice medicine in this state. See Texas Occupations Code 151.002
  • Plan of conversion: means a document that conforms with the requirements of § 10. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Plan of exchange: means a document that conforms with the requirements of § 10. See 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 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.
  • 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
  • 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
  • President pro tempore: A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.
  • 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.
  • Pro se: A Latin term meaning "on one's own behalf"; in courts, it refers to persons who present their own cases without lawyers.
  • Professional corporation: has the meaning assigned by § 301. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Professional entity: has the meaning assigned by § 301. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Professional limited liability company: has the meaning assigned by § 301. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Professional service: has the meaning assigned by § 301. See 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
  • Protected series: means a series of a domestic limited liability company that is established as a protected series in accordance with § 101. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
  • Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
  • 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.
  • Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. Source: FDIC
  • Registered series: means a series of a domestic limited liability company that is formed as a registered series in accordance with § 101. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
  • 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.
  • Residence: means a building:
    (A) that is a single-family house, duplex, triplex, or quadruplex or a unit in a multiunit residential structure in which title to the individual units is transferred to the owners under a condominium or cooperative system; and
    (B) that is occupied or to be occupied as the consumer's residence. See Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • Revolving credit: A credit agreement (typically a credit card) that allows a customer to borrow against a preapproved credit line when purchasing goods and services. The borrower is only billed for the amount that is actually borrowed plus any interest due. (Also called a charge account or open-end credit.) Source: OCC
  • 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
  • Services: means work, labor, or service purchased or leased for use, including services furnished in connection with the sale or repair of goods. See Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • 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: means any symbol executed or adopted by a person with present intention to authenticate a writing. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Simple resolution: Designated "S. Res.," simple resolutions are used to express nonbinding positions of the Senate or to deal with the Senate's internal affairs, such as the creation of a special committee. They do not require action by the House of Representatives.
  • 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
  • Special-law municipality: means a municipality designated by Chapter 5 as a special-law municipality. See Texas Local Government Code 1.005
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Treasurer: means the:
    (A) individual designated as treasurer of an entity under the entity's governing documents; or
    (B) officer or committee of persons authorized to perform the functions of treasurer of an entity without regard to the designated name of the officer or committee. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. Source: OCC
  • 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
  • Unconscionable action or course of action: means an act or practice which, to a consumer's detriment, takes advantage of the lack of knowledge, ability, experience, or capacity of the consumer to a grossly unfair degree. See Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • Uniform Commercial Code: A set of statutes enacted by the various states to provide consistency among the states' commercial laws. It includes negotiable instruments, sales, stock transfers, trust and warehouse receipts, and bills of lading. Source: OCC
  • Uphold: The decision of an appellate court not to reverse a lower court decision.
  • 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.
  • Vice president: means the:
    (A) individual designated as vice president of an entity under the governing documents of the entity; or
    (B) officer or committee of persons authorized to perform the functions of the president of the entity on the death, absence, or resignation of the president or on the inability of the president to perform the functions of office without regard to the designated name of the officer or committee. See Texas Business Organizations Code 1.002
  • Warrantor: means a person named under the terms of a vehicle protection product warranty as the contractual obligor to a person in this state who purchases or otherwise possesses a vehicle protection product. See Texas Business and Commerce Code 17.45
  • 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