Washington Code > Chapter 9A.44 – Sex offenses
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Terms Used In Washington Code > Chapter 9A.44 - Sex offenses
- Adjournment sine die: The end of a legislative session "without day." These adjournments are used to indicate the final adjournment of an annual or the two-year session of legislature.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Consent: means that at the time of the act of sexual intercourse or sexual contact there are actual words or conduct indicating freely given agreement to have sexual intercourse or sexual contact. See Washington Code 9A.44.010
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Defense attorney: Represent defendants in criminal matters.
- Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
- Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
- 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.
- Forcible compulsion: means physical force which overcomes resistance, or a threat, express or implied, that places a person in fear of death or physical injury to herself or himself or another person, or in fear that she or he or another person will be kidnapped. See Washington Code 9A.44.010
- Frail elder or vulnerable adult: means a person sixty years of age or older who has the functional, mental, or physical inability to care for himself or herself. See Washington Code 9A.44.010
- 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.
- Legislative session: That part of a chamber's daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto).
- Married: means one who is legally married to another, but does not include a person who is living separate and apart from his or her spouse and who has filed in an appropriate court for legal separation or for dissolution of his or her marriage. See Washington Code 9A.44.010
- Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
- 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.
- 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
- Physically helpless: means a person who is unconscious or for any other reason is physically unable to communicate unwillingness to an act. See Washington Code 9A.44.010
- Pro se: A Latin term meaning "on one's own behalf"; in courts, it refers to persons who present their own cases without lawyers.
- Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
- Probation officers: Screen applicants for pretrial release and monitor convicted offenders released under court supervision.
- Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
- 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.
- Sexual contact: means any touching of the sexual or other intimate parts of a person done for the purpose of gratifying sexual desire of either party or a third party. See Washington Code 9A.44.010
- Significant relationship: means a situation in which the perpetrator is:
Washington Code 9A.44.010Statute: 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. Testify: Answer questions in court. Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries. Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.