Washington Code > Chapter 2.04 – Supreme court
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Terms Used In Washington Code > Chapter 2.04 - Supreme court
- acquiring agency: means :
Washington Code 8.26.020Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session. 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. Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court. 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. 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. 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. appraisal: means a written statement independently and impartially prepared by a qualified appraiser setting forth an opinion of defined value of an adequately described property as of a specific date, supported by the presentation and analysis of relevant market information. See Washington Code 8.26.020 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. 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. business: means any lawful activity, excepting a farm operation, conducted primarily:
Washington Code 8.26.020Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts. city: when used in this chapter, means and includes every city and town and each unclassified city and town in the state of Washington. See Washington Code 8.12.010 Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records. 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. comparable replacement dwelling: means any dwelling that is (a) decent, safe, and sanitary; (b) adequate in size to accommodate the occupants; (c) within the financial means of the displaced person; (d) functionally equivalent; (e) in an area not subject to unreasonably adverse environmental conditions; and (f) in a location generally not less desirable than the location of the displaced person's dwelling with respect to public utilities, facilities, services, and the displaced person's place of employment. See Washington Code 8.26.020 Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant. Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time. 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. Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries. 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. Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial. displaced person: includes any person who moves from real property, or moves his or her personal property from real property:
Washington Code 8.26.020displacing agency: means the state agency, local public agency, or any person carrying out a program or project, with federal or state financial assistance, that causes a person to be a displaced person. See Washington Code 8.26.020 En banc: In the bench or "full bench." Refers to court sessions with the entire membership of a court participating rather than the usual quorum. U.S. courts of appeals usually sit in panels of three judges, but may expand to a larger number in certain cases. They are then said to be sitting en banc. 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. Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller. farm operation: means any activity conducted solely or primarily for the production of one or more agricultural products or commodities, including timber, for sale or for home use, and customarily producing such products or commodities in sufficient quantity to be capable of contributing materially to the operator's support. See Washington Code 8.26.020 federal financial assistance: means a grant, loan, or contribution provided by the United States, except any federal guarantee or insurance and any interest reduction payment to an individual in connection with the purchase and occupancy of a residence by that individual. See Washington Code 8.26.020 Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it. Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator. 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 Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another. 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. Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury. 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. Juror: A person who is on the jury. 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. lead agency: means the Washington state department of transportation. See Washington Code 8.26.020 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 Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity. Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt. Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants. Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan. mortgage: means such classes of liens as are commonly given to secure advances on, or the unpaid purchase price of, real property, under the laws of this state, together with the credit instruments, if any, secured thereby. See Washington Code 8.26.020 Oath: A promise to tell the truth. 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. 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: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080 person: means any individual, partnership, corporation, or association. See Washington Code 8.26.020 Personal property: All property that is not real property. Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit. 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. private way of necessity: as used in this chapter , shall mean and include a right-of-way on, across, over or through the land of another for means of ingress and egress, and the construction and maintenance thereon of roads, logging roads, flumes, canals, ditches, tunnels, tramways and other structures upon, over and through which timber, stone, minerals or other valuable materials and products may be transported and carried. See Washington Code 8.24.010 Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law. Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government. Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land. 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. Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action. 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. state: means any department, commission, agency, or instrumentality of the state of Washington. See Washington Code 8.26.020 Statute: A law passed by a legislature. Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony. Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system. Testify: Answer questions in court. Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries. 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. Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition. Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence. Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust. Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge. Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.