Terms Used In Florida Statutes > Chapter 243 > Part II - Higher Educational Facilities Financing

• 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.
• Affordable housing bonds: means multifamily affordable housing bonds and single-family affordable housing bonds. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• 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.
• Annual percentage rate: The cost of credit at a yearly rate. It is calculated in a standard way, taking the average compound interest rate over the term of the loan so borrowers can compare loans. Lenders are required by law to disclose a card account's APR. ^{Source: FDIC}
• 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.
• 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.
• 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
• Area of operation: means the area within the territorial boundaries of the county for which the housing finance authority is created, and any area outside the territorial boundaries of such county if the governing body of the county within which such outside area is located approves. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Baseline: Projection of the receipts, outlays, and other budget amounts that would ensue in the future without any change in existing policy. Baseline projections are used to gauge the extent to which proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would alter current spending and revenue levels.
• Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}
• Bequest: Property gifted by will.
• Board: means the State Board of Education, created pursuant to Florida Statutes 159.833
• Board: means the State Board of Education, created pursuant to Florida Statutes 159.843
• bond: means any bond which requires an allocation pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Bonds: means any bonds, notes, debentures, interim certificates, or other evidences of financial indebtedness issued by a housing finance authority under and pursuant to this act. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• Carryforward confirmation: means a confirmation for a project that qualifies for a carryforward pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Chambers: A judge's office.
• cigarette taxes: shall mean taxes levied and collected on the purchase or sale of cigarettes under the provisions of chapter 210 or any other law. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
• Code: means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and rulings issued thereunder. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Code: means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and rulings issued thereunder. See Florida Statutes 159.833
• Code: means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and rulings issued thereunder. See Florida Statutes 159.843
• Codicil: An addition, change, or supplement to a will executed with the same formalities required for the will itself.
• Commission: means the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission created in Florida Statutes 161.71
• Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Education. See Florida Statutes 159.833
• Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Education. See Florida Statutes 159.843
• Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Confirmation: means the conditional allocation of a portion of the state volume limitation to an issuer, made pursuant to a timely filed notice of intent to issue, which is contingent upon the issuer's timely filing of an issuance report. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• 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.
• Corporation: means the Florida Housing Finance Corporation created by…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• cost of a project: shall mean the cost of acquiring or constructing such project, and the cost of improvements, and shall include the cost of all labor and materials, the cost of all lands, property, rights, easements and franchises acquired, which are deemed necessary for such acquisition or construction, the cost of all machinery and equipment, financing charges, interest prior to and during construction and for 1 year after the completion of construction, engineering and legal expenses, cost of plans, specifications, surveys, estimates of construction costs and of revenues, other expenses necessary or incident to determining the feasibility or practicability of such acquisition or construction, administrative expenses, and such other expenses as may be necessary or incident to the financing herein authorized and to such acquisition or construction and the placing of the project in operation. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• cost of improvements: shall mean the cost of construction or acquiring improvements as hereinabove defined and shall embrace the cost of all labor and materials, the cost of all lands, property, rights, easements and franchises acquired which are deemed necessary for such construction, the cost of all machinery and equipment, financing charges, cost of engineering and legal expenses, plans, specifications, surveys, and such other expenses as may be necessary or incident to such construction. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• Council: means the Florida Oceans and Coastal Council created by this act. See Florida Statutes 161.71
• Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
• Court reporter: A person who makes a word-for-word record of what is said in court and produces a transcript of the proceedings upon request.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Department: means the Department of Education, created pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.833
• Department: means the Department of Education, created pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.843
• Department: means the Department of Environmental Protection. See Florida Statutes 161.71
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• 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:
• Division: means the Division of Bond Finance of the State Board of Administration. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Dower: A widow
• Eligible persons: means one or more natural persons or a family, irrespective of race, creed, national origin, or sex, determined by the housing finance authority to be of low, moderate, or middle income. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• 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}
• 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.
• Executive director: means the executive director of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. See Florida Statutes 161.71
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Exempt facility bonds: means any bonds, except multifamily affordable housing bonds, issued pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• expressways: shall mean any limited access highway where tolls are charged for use thereof. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• 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.
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Final certification of allocation: means the certification issued by the division following the timely filing of an issuance report which establishes the final amount of state volume limitation allocated to an issuer for an issuance of private activity bonds as required in…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• 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.
• Forcible entry: means entering into and taking possession of real property with force, in a manner that is not peaceable, easy, or open, even if such entry is authorized by a person entitled to possession of the real property and the possession is only temporary or applies only to a portion of the real property. See Florida Statutes 82.01
• Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. ^{Source: OCC}
• franchise taxes: shall mean payments to a municipality pursuant to the provisions of a franchise granted to a person, firm or corporation for the furnishing of utilities or other services or facilities in such municipality. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• 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
• gas system: shall mean and include works and structures necessary for the production, supply and distribution of gas, manufactured or natural, for lighting, heating, refrigeration or other domestic or industrial use, whether inside or outside the unit and shall include but shall not be limited to distribution mains, meters, plants, equipment, machinery and any other property necessary for the production, supply and distribution of either manufactured or natural gas, for domestic or industrial use. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Governmental unit: means the general-purpose governmental unit, as defined in the Code, which provides approval under the federal Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) for proposed issuances of private activity bonds for issuers within its jurisdiction. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
• Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
• harbor and port facilities: shall include docks, wharves, piers, warehouses, terminals, refrigerating plants, channels, turning basins, connecting railroads, breakwaters, causeways and bridges, and bulkheads and equipment. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• 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.
• Housing development: means any residential building, land, equipment, facility, or other real or personal property which may be necessary, convenient, or desirable in connection therewith, including streets, sewers, water and utility services, parks, gardening, administrative, community, health, recreational, and educational facilities, and other facilities related and subordinate to moderate, middle, or lesser income housing, and also includes site preparation, the planning of housing and improvements, the acquisition of property, the removal or demolition of existing structures, the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of housing and improvements, and all other work in connection therewith, and all costs of financing, including without limitation the cost of consultant and legal services, other expenses necessary or incident to determining the feasibility of the housing development, administrative and other expenses necessary or incident to the housing development and the financing thereof (including reimbursement to any municipality, county, or entity for expenditures made with the approval of the housing finance authority for the housing development), and interest accrued during construction and for a reasonable period thereafter. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• Housing finance authority: means a housing finance authority created pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• 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.
• improvements: shall mean such repairs, replacements, additions, extensions and betterments of and to a project as are deemed necessary to place such project in proper condition for the safe, efficient and economic operation thereof, or necessary to preserve a project or to maintain adequate service to the public. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• incinerator and solid waste disposal systems: shall include any system whereby solid wastes are burned, buried, composted or any system for such disposal approved by a state pollution control agency. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}
• 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.
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Intangible property: Property that has no intrinsic value, but is merely the evidence of value such as stock certificates, bonds, and promissory notes.
• 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}
• Interrogatories: Written questions asked by one party of an opposing party, who must answer them in writing under oath; a discovery device in a lawsuit.
• Issuance report: means the form containing the information described in…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Issuer: means the State of Florida, any governmental unit, a housing finance authority, an industrial development authority, or any other entity in this state authorized to issue private activity bonds. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Joint meeting: An occasion, often ceremonial, when the House and Senate each adopt a unanimous consent agreement
• 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.
• Juror: A person who is on the jury.
• 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}
• Legal tender: coins, dollar bills, or other currency issued by a government as official money. ^{Source: U.S. Mint}
• Legatee: A beneficiary of a decedent
• Legislative Auditing Committee: means a committee or committees designated by joint rule of the Legislature, by the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or by agreement between the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Lending institution: means any bank or trust company, mortgage banker, savings bank, credit union, national banking association, savings and loan association, building and loan association, insurance company, or other financial institution authorized to transact business in this state and which customarily provides service or otherwise aids in the financing of mortgages located in the state. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• 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.
• marinas: shall mean any facilities for the sale, repair, rental, storage, and servicing of boats. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• minor: includes any person who has not attained the age of 18 years. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Minority leader: See Floor Leaders
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• Multifamily affordable housing bonds: means bonds issued pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• municipality: shall mean any city, town, village or port authority in the state, whether incorporated by special act of the Legislature or under the general laws of the state. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• Notice of intent to issue: means the form containing the information described in…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• oath: includes affirmations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• 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.
• Oceans: means those waters from the mean high-water line outward to the state's jurisdictional boundary and those United States waters in which this state has an interest. See Florida Statutes 161.71
• Office of Economic and Demographic Research: means an entity designated by joint rule of the Legislature or by agreement between the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability: means an entity designated by joint rule of the Legislature or by agreement between the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• parking facilities: shall mean any facility constructed for the purpose of vehicular parking and the use, operation and occupancy of such parking facilities and for which charges are made. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• 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: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• 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.
• Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
• political subdivision: include counties, cities, towns, villages, special tax school districts, special road and bridge districts, bridge districts, and all other districts in this state. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• 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.
• Private activity bond: means any bond described in…. See Florida Statutes 159.833
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probate: Proving a will
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• project: shall include all property, rights, easements, and franchises relating thereto and deemed necessary or convenient for the construction or acquisition or the operation thereof, and shall embrace waterworks systems, sewer systems, gas systems, bridges, causeways, tunnels, incinerator and solid waste disposal systems, harbor and port facilities, mass transportation systems, expressways, marinas, civic auditoriums, sports arenas, parking facilities, and theme and amusement parks. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
• Qualified Public Educational Facility: means a facility described in…. See Florida Statutes 159.833
• Qualified school construction bond: means a bond described in…. See Florida Statutes 159.843
• Qualified school construction facility: means a facility permitted to be financed with qualified school construction bonds pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.843
• Qualifying housing development: means any work or improvement located or to be located in this state, including real property, buildings, and any other real and personal property, designed or intended for the primary purpose of providing decent, safe, and sanitary residential housing for four or more families, at least 60 percent of whom are eligible persons, whether new construction, the acquisition of existing residential housing, or the remodeling, improvement, rehabilitation, or reconstruction of existing housing, together with such related nonhousing facilities as the authority determines to be necessary, convenient, or desirable. See Florida Statutes 159.603
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Real property: means land or any existing permanent or temporary building or structure thereon, and any attachments generally held out for the use of persons in possession of the real property. See Florida Statutes 82.01
• Record titleholder: means a person who holds title to real property as evidenced by an instrument recorded in the public records of the county in which the real property is located. See Florida Statutes 82.01
• Redevelopment bonds: means bonds issued pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• registered mail: includes certified mail with return receipt requested. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• 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.
• Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
• Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
• Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• revenue bonds: shall mean the obligations issued by a unit under the provisions of this part to pay the cost of a self-liquidating project or improvements thereof or combination of one or more projects or improvements thereof, and payable from the earnings of such project, and any other special funds authorized to be pledged as additional security therefor under this part. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• Right of rescission: Right to cancel, within three business days, a contract that uses the home of a person as collateral, except in the case of a first mortgage loan. There is no fee to the borrower, who receives a full refund of all fees paid. The right of rescission is guaranteed by the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). ^{Source: OCC}
• Secretary: means the secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection. See Florida Statutes 161.71
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• 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.
• sewer system: shall mean and include sewage disposal systems, including wastewater reuse systems, or sanitary sewer systems and any integral part thereof, whether inside or outside the unit, and shall include but shall not be limited to sewage disposal plants or facilities, sanitary sewers, pumping stations, intercepting or trunk or lateral sewers, and any other properties or works or equipment necessary for the collection, treatment, and disposal of sewage and waste matter, including wastewater reuse, and including industrial wastes. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• Single-family affordable housing bonds: means qualified mortgage revenue bonds issued pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Small issue bonds: means bonds issued pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• State volume limitation: means the maximum amount of private activity bonds which may be issued in this state during each calendar year as such limit is imposed by…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Statute: 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.
• Student loan bonds: means bonds issued pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Subpoena duces tecum: A command to a witness to produce documents.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• TEFRA approval: means the approval of a proposed issuance of bonds by an elected official or body of elected officials of the applicable governmental unit after a public hearing or by a referendum of the voters within such governmental unit, as required by…. See Florida Statutes 159.803
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
• Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
• 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.
• tunnel: shall include not only the bridge or the tunnel but also all structures and equipment connected therewith and the approaches thereto and approach roads. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• Uniform Commercial Code: A set of statutes enacted by the various states to provide consistency among the states' commercial laws. It includes negotiable instruments, sales, stock transfers, trust and warehouse receipts, and bills of lading. ^{Source: OCC}
• unit: shall mean any county or municipality in the state, now or hereafter created or established. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• Unlawful detention: means possessing real property, even if the possession is temporary or applies only to a portion of the real property, without the consent of a person entitled to possession of the real property or after the withdrawal of consent by such person. See Florida Statutes 82.01
• Unlawful entry: means the entry into and possessing of real property, even if the possession is temporary or for a portion of the real property, when such entry is not authorized by law or consented to by a person entitled to possession of the real property. See Florida Statutes 82.01
• User fees: Fees charged to users of goods or services provided by the government. In levying or authorizing these fees, the legislature determines whether the revenue should go into the treasury or should be available to the agency providing the goods or services.
• utilities services taxes: shall mean taxes levied and collected on the purchase or sale of utilities services pursuant to any law. See Florida Statutes 159.02
• Variable Rate: Having a "variable" rate means that the APR changes from time to time based on fluctuations in an external rate, normally the Prime Rate. This external rate is known as the "index." If the index changes, the variable rate normally changes. Also see Fixed Rate.
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Victim advocate: work with prosecutors and assist the victims of a crime.
• Voir dire: The process by which judges and lawyers select a petit jury from among those eligible to serve, by questioning them to determine knowledge of the facts of the case and a willingness to decide the case only on the evidence presented in court. "Voir dire" is a phrase meaning "to speak the truth."
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• Writ of certiorari: An order issued by the Supreme Court directing the lower court to transmit records for a case for which it will hear on appeal.
• writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01