Terms Used In Indiana Code > Title 2 > Article 2.2 > Chapter 3 - Legislative Ethics Committees

• Advisory body: means an authority, a board, a commission, a committee, a task force, or other body designated by any name of the executive department that is authorized only to make nonbinding recommendations. See Indiana Code 4-2-6-1
• 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.
• Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
• Agency: means an authority, a board, a branch, a bureau, a commission, a committee, a council, a department, a division, an office, a service, or other instrumentality of the executive, including the administrative, department of state government. See Indiana Code 4-2-6-1
• Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
• Appointing authority: means the following:

  Indiana Code 4-2-6-1

• Assist: means to:

  Indiana Code 4-2-6-1

• Attorney: includes a counselor or other person authorized to appear and represent a party in an action or special proceeding. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• Business relationship: includes the following:

  Indiana Code 4-2-6-1

• Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
• Commission: refers to the state ethics commission created under section 2 of this chapter. See Indiana Code 4-2-6-1
• Compensation: means any money, thing of value, or financial benefit conferred on, or received by, any person in return for services rendered, or for services to be rendered, whether by that person or another. See Indiana Code 4-2-6-1
• 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.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• 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.
• Cross examine: Questioning of a witness by the attorney for the other side.
• department: refers to the Indiana department of administration created by IC 4-13-1-2. See Indiana Code 4-2-8-2
• Direct line of supervision: means the chain of command in which the superior affects, or has the authority to affect, the terms and conditions of the subordinate's employment, including making decisions about work assignments, compensation, grievances, advancements, or performance evaluation. See Indiana Code 4-2-6-1
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Employee: means an individual, other than a state officer, who is employed by an agency on a full-time, a part-time, a temporary, an intermittent, or an hourly basis. See Indiana Code 4-2-6-1
• Employer: means any person from whom a state officer or employee or the officer's or employee's spouse received compensation. See Indiana Code 4-2-6-1
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• 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.
• Executive session: A portion of the Senate's daily session in which it considers executive business.
• Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
• Financial interest: means an interest:

  Indiana Code 4-2-6-1

• 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.
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• 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.
• in writing: include printing, lithographing, or other mode of representing words and letters. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• 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.
• Information of a confidential nature: means information:

  Indiana Code 4-2-6-1

• Judgment: means all final orders, decrees, and determinations in an action and all orders upon which executions may issue. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• 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.
• Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
• 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}
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Minority leader: See Floor Leaders
• 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: means any individual, proprietorship, partnership, unincorporated association, trust, business trust, group, limited liability company, or corporation, whether or not operated for profit, or a governmental agency or political subdivision. See Indiana Code 4-2-6-1
• Political subdivision: means a county, city, town, township, school district, municipal corporation, special taxing district, or other local instrumentality. See Indiana Code 4-2-6-1
• President pro tempore: A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.
• Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Property: has the meaning set forth in Indiana Code 4-2-6-1
• Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Relative: means any of the following:

  Indiana Code 4-2-6-1

• Represent: means to do any of the following on behalf of a person:

  Indiana Code 4-2-6-1

• 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.
• sister: include a brother or sister by the half blood. See Indiana Code 4-2-6-1
• Special state appointee: means a person who is:

  Indiana Code 4-2-6-1

• State officer: means any of the following:

  Indiana Code 4-2-6-1

• state officer: means an individual who holds one (1) of the following elected offices:

  Indiana Code 4-2-9-1

• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Subpoena duces tecum: A command to a witness to produce documents.
• 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.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• United States: includes the District of Columbia and the commonwealths, possessions, states in free association with the United States, and the territories. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• Verified: when applied to pleadings, means supported by oath or affirmation in writing. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
• Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5