Terms Used In Washington Code > Chapter 4.100 - Wrongly convicted persons

• 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.
• 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
• 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.
• Chief administrative officer: as used in this chapter includes the mayor of cities having a mayor-council form of government, the commissioners in cities having a commission form of government, the city manager, or any other city official designated by the charter or ordinances of such city under the plan of government governing the same, or the budget or finance officer designated by the mayor, manager or commissioners, to perform the functions, or portions thereof, contemplated by this chapter. See Washington Code 35A.33.010
• Chief administrative officer: includes the mayor of cities having a mayor-council plan of government, the commissioners in cities having a commission plan of government, the manager, or any other city official designated by the charter or ordinances of such city under the plan of government governing the same, or the budget or finance officer designated by the mayor, manager, or commissioners, to perform the functions, or portions thereof, contemplated by this chapter. See Washington Code 35A.34.030
• Classification: means either that portion of the general law under which a city or a town operates under Title 35 RCW as a first or second-class city, unclassified city, or town, or otherwise as a code city. See Washington Code 35A.01.070
• Clerk: as used in this chapter includes the officer performing the functions of a finance or budget director, comptroller, auditor, or by whatever title he or she may be known in any code city. See Washington Code 35A.33.010
• Clerk: includes the officer performing the functions of a finance or budget director, comptroller, auditor, or by whatever title the officer may be known in any code city. See Washington Code 35A.34.030
• 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.
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Council: as used in this chapter includes the commissioners in cities having a commission form of government and any other group of city officials serving as the legislative body of a code city. See Washington Code 35A.33.010
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Department: as used in this chapter includes each office, division, service, system or institution of the city for which no other statutory or charter provision is made for budgeting and accounting procedures or controls. See Washington Code 35A.33.010
• Department: includes each office, division, service, system, or institution of the city for which no other statutory or charter provision is made for budgeting and accounting procedures or controls. See Washington Code 35A.34.030
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Fiscal biennium: means the period from January 1 of each odd-numbered year through December 31 of the next succeeding even-numbered year. See Washington Code 35A.34.030
• Fiscal year: as used in this chapter means that fiscal period set by the code city pursuant to authority given under RCW 1. See Washington Code 35A.33.010
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Fund: as used in this chapter and "funds" where clearly used to indicate the plural of "fund" shall mean the budgeting or accounting entity authorized to provide a sum of money for specified activities or purposes. See Washington Code 35A.33.010
• fund: means the budgeting or accounting entity authorized to provide a sum of money for specified activities or purposes. See Washington Code 35A.34.030
• Funds: as used in this chapter where not used to indicate the plural of "fund" shall mean money in hand or available for expenditure or payment of a debt or obligation. See Washington Code 35A.33.010
• 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.
• Legislative body: includes the council, commission, or any other group of officials serving as the legislative body of a code city. See Washington Code 35A.34.030
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• 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.
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• 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
• Plan of government: means a mayor-council form of government under chapter 35A. See Washington Code 35A.01.070
• 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:
• Recess: A temporary interruption of the legislative business.
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• 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.
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• 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.
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.