Terms Used In West Virginia Code > Chapter 8 > Article 10 > Part I - Mayor

• Abstract of judgment: In a federal criminal proceeding, A certification from a U.S. District Court clerk that a judgment of restitution was entered against the defendant owing to the victim. If the defendant inherits, owns, or sells real property or holdings, these assets can then be attached at the state and local levels as well.
• Accredited thoroughbred horse: means a thoroughbred horse that is registered with the West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association and that is:

  (A) Foaled in West Virginia. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3

• 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.
• Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
• 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.
• Applicant: means any racing association making application for a license under the provisions of this article or any person making application for a permit under the provisions of this article or any person making application for a construction permit under the provisions of this article. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• 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
• 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.
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Attorney-at-law: A person who is legally qualified and licensed to practice law, and to represent and act for clients in legal proceedings.
• Authority: means the Tobacco Settlement Finance Authority created in this article. See West Virginia Code 4-11A-7
• 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.
• Board: means the governing board of the authority. See West Virginia Code 4-11A-7
• Bonds: means bonds, notes and other obligations and financing arrangements issued or entered into by the authority pursuant to this article. See West Virginia Code 4-11A-7
• Charter: shall mean , except where specific reference is made to a particular type of charter, either a special legislative charter (whether or not amended under the provisions of former §. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
• City: is a word of art and shall mean, include, and be limited to any Class I, Class II, and Class III city, as classified in section three of this article (except in those instances where the context in which used clearly indicates that a particular class of city is intended), heretofore or hereafter incorporated as a municipal corporation under the laws of this state, however created and whether operating under: (i) A special legislative charter. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
• Code: means the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as heretofore and hereinafter amended. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Code: shall mean the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as heretofore and hereafter amended. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
• Committee: means the Joint Committee on Government Operations. See West Virginia Code 4-10-3
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Complementary legislation: means article nine-d, chapter . See West Virginia Code 4-11A-7
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Convict: means a person confined in a penitentiary or correctional facility of this or any other state, or of the United States. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• 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.
• County commission: shall mean the governmental body created by section 22, article eight of the Constitution of this state, or any existing tribunal created in lieu of a county commission. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
• County court: includes any existing tribunal created in lieu of a county commission. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• 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.
• Department: means the departments created within the executive branch, headed by a secretary appointed by the Governor, as authorized by the Code of West Virginia. See West Virginia Code 4-10-3
• Division: means the Performance Evaluation and Research Division, the Post Audit Division, or any division of the Legislative Auditor&rsquo. See West Virginia Code 4-10-3
• Dog racing: means any type of dog racing, including, but not limited to, greyhound racing. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
• 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.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Federal funds: means any financial assistance made to a spending unit by the United States government, whether a loan, grant, block grant, subsidy, augmentation, reimbursement or any other form of such assistance, including "federal-matching funds". See West Virginia Code 4-11-2
• 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: means the West Virginia Thoroughbred Development Fund established in section thirteen-b of this article. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Governing body: shall mean the mayor and council together, the council, the board of directors, the commission, or other board or body of any municipality, by whatever name called, as the case may be, charged with the responsibility of enacting ordinances and determining the public policy of such municipality. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
• in writing: includes any representation of words, letters, or figures, whether by printing, engraving, writing, or otherwise. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
• 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}
• 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 standing committee: means the joint standing committee on Government Organization. See West Virginia Code 4-10-3
• Judgment: includes decrees and orders for the payment of money, or the conveyance or delivery of land or personal property, or some interest therein, or any undertaking, bond or recognizance which has the legal effect of a judgment. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• 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.
• Laws of the state: includes the Constitution of the State of West Virginia and the Constitution of the United States, and treaties and laws made in pursuance thereof. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• 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.
• License: means the license required by the provisions of section one of this article. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Licensee: means any racing association holding a license required by the provisions of section one of this article and issued under the provisions of this article. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• 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.
• Master settlement agreement: means the master settlement agreement as defined in section one of this article. See West Virginia Code 4-11A-7
• Mayor: shall mean the individual called mayor unless as to a particular municipality a commissioner (in a commission form of government) or the city manager (in a manager form of government) is designated or constituted by charter provision as the principal or chief executive officer or chief administrator thereof, in which event the term "mayor" shall mean as to such municipality such commissioner or city manager unless as to any particular power, authority, duty or function specified in this chapter to be exercised, discharged or fulfilled by the mayor it is provided by charter provision or ordinance that such particular power, authority, duty, or function shall be exercised, discharged, or fulfilled by the individual called mayor and not by a commissioner or city manager, in which event such particular power, authority, duty, or function shall in fact be exercised, discharged, or fulfilled in and for such municipality by the individual called mayor: Provided, That in the exercise and discharge of the ex officio justice of the peace, conservator of the peace, and mayor's court functions specified in this chapter, the term "mayor" shall always mean the individual called mayor. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Net proceeds: means the amount of proceeds remaining following each sale of bonds which are not required by the authority to establish and fund reserve funds, to fund an operating expense reserve for the authority, to fund capitalized interest, if any, and to pay the costs of issuance and other expenses and fees related to the authorization and issuance of bonds. See West Virginia Code 4-11A-7
• Notes: means notes, warrants, loan agreements and all other forms of evidence of indebtedness authorized under this article. See West Virginia Code 4-11A-7
• 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.
• Offense: includes every act or omission for which a fine, forfeiture, or punishment is imposed by law. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• Ordinance: shall mean the ordinances and laws enacted by the governing body of a municipality in the exercise of its legislative power, and in one or more articles of this chapter, ordinances enacted by a county commission. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
• Pari-mutuel: means a mutuel or collective pool that can be divided among those who have contributed their wagers to one central agency, the odds to be reckoned in accordance to the collective amounts wagered upon each contestant running in a horse or dog race upon which the pool is made, but the total to be divided among the first three contestants on the basis of the number of wagers on these. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Permit: means the permit required by the provisions of section two of this article. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Permit holder: means any person holding a permit required by the provisions of section two of this article and issued under the provisions of this article. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• person: means any individual, partnership, firm, association, corporation or other entity or organization of whatever character or description. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Person: shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint-stock association, or any other entity or organization of whatever character or description. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• personal property: includes goods, chattels, real and personal, money, credits, investments, and the evidences thereof. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• Pool: means a combination of interests in a joint wagering enterprise or a stake in such enterprise. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• 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.
• Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• Purse: means any purse, stake or award for which a horse or dog race is run. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Qualified investments: means investments of the authority authorized pursuant to this article as established by the authority pursuant to subdivision (11), subsection (a), section eleven of this article. See West Virginia Code 4-11A-7
• Qualifying statute: has the meaning given that term in the master settlement agreement, constituting article nine-b, chapter . See West Virginia Code 4-11A-7
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Racing commission: means the West Virginia Racing Commission. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Recorder: shall mean the recorder, clerk, or other municipal officer, by whatever name called, charged with the responsibility of keeping the journal of the proceedings of the governing body of the municipality and other municipal records. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
• Registered greyhound owner: means an owner of a greyhound that is registered with the National Greyhound Association. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Regulatory Board: means a board that regulates professions and occupations, created under the provisions of chapter thirty of this code. See West Virginia Code 4-10-3
• 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.
• Sales agreement: means any agreement authorized pursuant to this article in which the state provides for the sale of all or a portion of the state'. See West Virginia Code 4-11A-7
• 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.
• Spending unit: means the State of West Virginia and all agencies, offices, departments, divisions, boards, commissions, councils, committees or other entities of the state government for which an appropriation is requested or to which an appropriation is made by the Legislature. See West Virginia Code 4-11-2
• State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• state agency: means a state governmental entity, including any bureau, department, division, commission, agency, committee, office, board, authority, subdivision, program, council, advisory body, cabinet, panel, system, task force, fund, compact, institution, survey, position, coalition or other entity in the State of West Virginia. See West Virginia Code 4-10-3
• State-matching funds: means state contributions, including funds, property or services that are required by the federal government, by law or regulation, as a condition for receipt or expenditure of federal funds. See West Virginia Code 4-11-2
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Stewards: means the steward or stewards representing the Racing Commission, the steward or stewards representing a licensee and any other steward or stewards whose duty it is to supervise any horse or dog race meeting, all as may be provided by reasonable rules of the Racing Commission which rules shall specify the number of stewards to be appointed, the method and manner of their appointment and their powers, authority and duties. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• To the dime: means that wagers shall be figured and paid to the dime. See West Virginia Code 19-23-3
• Town: includes a city, village or town, and the word "council" any body or board, whether composed of one or more branches, which is authorized to make ordinances for the government of a city, town, or village. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• Town or village: is a term of art and shall, notwithstanding the provisions of §. See West Virginia Code 8-1-2
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.