Terms Used In Florida Statutes > Chapter 626 > Part VII - Insurance Administrators

• Action: means any civil action or arbitration proceeding for damages or indemnity asserting a claim for damage to or loss of real or personal property caused by an alleged construction defect, but does not include any administrative action or any civil action or arbitration proceeding asserting a claim for alleged personal injuries arising out of an alleged construction defect. See Florida Statutes 558.002
• 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.
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• 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.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• 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}
• Board: means the Board of Medicine. See Florida Statutes 458.305
• budget planning: as used in this part shall mean the act of entering into a contract by any person, firm, corporation, or association with a particular debtor by the terms of which contract the debtor agrees to deposit periodically with such person, firm, corporation, or association a specified sum of money and said person, firm, corporation, or association agrees to distribute said sum of money among specified creditors of the debtor in accordance with an agreed plan for which service the debtor agrees to pay a valuable consideration. See Florida Statutes 559.10
• Claimant: means a property owner, including a subsequent purchaser or association, who asserts a claim for damages against a contractor, subcontractor, supplier, or design professional concerning a construction defect or a subsequent owner who asserts a claim for indemnification for such damages. See Florida Statutes 558.002
• 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.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Completion of a building or improvement: means issuance of a certificate of occupancy, whether temporary or otherwise, that allows for occupancy or use of the entire building or improvement, or an equivalent authorization issued by the governmental body having jurisdiction. See Florida Statutes 558.002
• Construction defect: means a deficiency in, or a deficiency arising out of, the design, specifications, surveying, planning, supervision, observation of construction, or construction, repair, alteration, or remodeling of real property resulting from:
  (a) Defective material, products, or components used in the construction or remodeling;
  (b) A violation of the applicable codes in effect at the time of construction or remodeling which gives rise to a cause of action pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 558.002
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Contractor: means any person, as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 558.002
• 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.
• Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
• 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 Department of Health. See Florida Statutes 458.305
• Design professional: means a person, as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 558.002
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Firm: as used in this part shall not include a partnership, all the members of which are admitted to practice law in this state, and who are current members of The Florida Bar. See Florida Statutes 559.12
• 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.
• 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.
• 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}
• 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.
• 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}
• 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.
• Markup: The process by which congressional committees and subcommittees debate, amend, and rewrite proposed legislation.
• minor: includes any person who has not attained the age of 18 years. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgage loan: A loan made by a lender to a borrower for the financing of real property. ^{Source: OCC}
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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
• Person: as used in this part shall not include a person actively practicing law in Florida and who is also admitted to The Florida Bar, and any person who is currently a member of The Florida Bar. See Florida Statutes 559.12
• person: means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other organization. See Florida Statutes 559.01
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Physician: means a person who is licensed to practice medicine in this state. See Florida Statutes 458.305
• 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.
• 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
• Practice of medicine: means the diagnosis, treatment, operation, or prescription for any human disease, pain, injury, deformity, or other physical or mental condition. See Florida Statutes 458.305
• 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.
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• property: means land that is improved and the improvements on such land, including fixtures, manufactured housing, or mobile homes and excluding public transportation projects. See Florida Statutes 558.002
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• 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.
• Service: means delivery by certified mail with a United States Postal Service record of evidence of delivery or attempted delivery to the last known address of the addressee, by hand delivery, or by delivery by any courier with written evidence of delivery. See Florida Statutes 558.002
• service agent: is synonymous with the term "service company" as used in this part. See Florida Statutes 626.895
• service company: is a ny business entity which has met all the requirements of ss. See Florida Statutes 626.895
• 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.
• 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.
• Subcontractor: means a person, as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 558.002
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Supplier: means a person, as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 558.002
• 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.
• trading stamp: means any stamp or similar device issued in connection with the retail sale of merchandise or service, as a cash discount or for any other marketing purpose, which entitles the rightful holder, on its due presentation for redemption, to receive merchandise, service, or cash. See Florida Statutes 559.01
• 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.
• 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