Terms Used In Vermont Statutes > Title 13 > Chapter 19 - Breach of the Peace; Disturbances

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Bodily injury: means physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition. See
• Bodily injury: means physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition. See
• 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.
• 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.
• Course of conduct: means two or more acts over a period of time, however short, in which a person follows, monitors, surveils, threatens, or makes threats about another person, or interferes with another person's property. See
• course of conduct: means a pattern of conduct composed of two or more acts over a period of time, however short, evidencing a continuity of purpose. See
• Course of conduct: means two or more acts over a period of time, however short, in which a person follows, monitors, surveils, threatens, or makes threats about another person, or interferes with another person's property. See
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Deadly weapon: means any firearm, or other weapon, device, instrument, material, or substance, whether animate or inanimate that in the manner it is used or is intended to be used is known to be capable of producing death or serious bodily injury. See
• Deadly weapon: means any firearm, or other weapon, device, instrument, material, or substance, whether animate or inanimate that in the manner it is used or is intended to be used is known to be capable of producing death or serious bodily injury. See
• 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.
• Domestic: when applied to a corporation, company, association, or copartnership shall mean organized under the laws of this State; "foreign" when so applied, shall mean organized under the laws of another state, government, or country. See
• Emotional distress: means significant mental suffering or distress that may, but does not necessarily, require medical or other professional treatment or counseling. See
• 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}
• 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.
• Fees: shall mean earnings due for official services, aside from salaries or per diem compensation. See
• following: when used by way of reference to a section of the law shall mean the next preceding or following section. See
• grant: as used in this chapter shall mean grants or charters of lands lying in this State, made by the king of Great Britain, or by this State or any other government; acts of the General Assembly granting to individuals rights or privileges not common to all the citizens of the State; and acts of incorporation for any purpose. See
• grantee: as used in this chapter shall mean the person to whom such land, rights, or privileges were granted, and the representatives or assigns of such persons, or the corporation thus created. See
• 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.
• Magistrate: shall mean any Supreme Court Justice, Superior judge, District judge, or Probate judge. See
• Nonphysical contact: includes telephone calls, mail, e-mail, social media commentary or comment, or other electronic communication, fax, and written notes. See
• 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: shall include any natural person, corporation, municipality, the State of Vermont or any department, agency, or subdivision of the State, and any partnership, unincorporated association, or other legal entity. See
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• real estate: shall include lands, tenements, and hereditaments and all rights thereto and interests therein, and pews or slips in places of public worship shall be treated as real estate. See
• Reasonable person: means a reasonable person in the victim's circumstances. See
• Reasonable person: means a reasonable person in the victim's circumstances. See
• Serious bodily injury: means :

• Serious bodily injury: means :

• Sexually assaulted the plaintiff: means that the defendant engaged in conduct that meets elements of lewd and lascivious conduct as defined in 13 V. See
• State: when applied to the different parts of the United States may apply to the District of Columbia and any territory and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See
• Stay away: means to refrain from knowingly:

• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• sworn: shall include affirmed. See
• Town: shall include city and wards or precincts therein; "selectboard members" and "board of civil authority" shall extend to and include the mayor and aldermen of cities; "trustees" shall extend to and include bailiffs of incorporated villages; and the laws applicable to the inhabitants and officers of towns shall be applicable to the inhabitants and similar officers of all municipal corporations. See
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Village: shall mean an incorporated village. See
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.