Terms Used In Utah Code > Title 78B > Chapter 9 > Part 4 - Postconviction Determination of Factual Innocence

• 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.
• 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
• Bona fide and compelling issue of factual innocence: means that the newly discovered material evidence presented by the petitioner, if credible, would clearly establish the factual innocence of the petitioner. See Utah Code 78B-9-401.5
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Equal: means , with respect to biological sex, of the same value. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• 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.
• factually innocent: means a person did not:
       (2)(a) engage in the conduct for which the person was convicted;
       (2)(b) engage in conduct relating to any lesser included offenses of the crime for which the person was convicted; or
       (2)(c) commit any other felony arising out of or reasonably connected to the facts supporting the indictment or information upon which the person was convicted. See Utah Code 78B-9-401.5
• Hearsay: Statements by a witness who did not see or hear the incident in question but heard about it from someone else. Hearsay is usually not admissible as evidence in court.
• Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.
• 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.
• Judgement: The official decision of a court finally determining the respective rights and claims of the parties to a suit.
• 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.
• Month: means a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• Newly discovered material evidence: means evidence that was not available to the petitioner at trial or during the resolution on the merits by the trial court of any motion to withdraw a guilty plea or motion for new trial and which is relevant to the determination of the issue of factual innocence, and may also include:
       (3)(a) evidence which was discovered prior to or in the course of any appeal or postconviction proceedings that served in whole or in part as the basis for vacatur or reversal of the conviction of petitioner; or
       (3)(b) evidence that supports the claims within a petition filed under Part 1, General Provisions, which is pending at the time of the court's determination of factual innocence. See Utah Code 78B-9-401.5
• Period of incarceration: means any sentence of imprisonment, including jail, which was served after judgement of conviction. See Utah Code 78B-9-401.5
• Person: means :
       (24)(a) an individual;
       (24)(b) an association;
       (24)(c) an institution;
       (24)(d) a corporation;
       (24)(e) a company;
       (24)(f) a trust;
       (24)(g) a limited liability company;
       (24)(h) a partnership;
       (24)(i) a political subdivision;
       (24)(j) a government office, department, division, bureau, or other body of government; and
       (24)(k) any other organization or entity. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• 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.
• State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• 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.
• United States: includes each state, district, and territory of the United States of America. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5