Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes > Chapter 518A > ADMINISTRATION

• 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.
• Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• 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.
• 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.
• Minor: means an individual under the age of 18. See Minnesota Statutes 645.451
• Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
• state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44