Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes > Title 17 > Chapter 4 > Part II - Divisions, Branches and Departments

• Academic health center: means an organization that has a medical school, one or more other health professional schools or programs, and one or more affiliated teaching hospitals. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:1519.1
• Administrative board: means the administrative board for the Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans created by cooperative endeavor agreement pursuant to Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:1519.1
• Ambulatory surgical center: means an establishment in this state as defined in and licensed under the provisions of Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• 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.
• 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.
• apprentice: as used in this Chapter is defined as a worker at least sixteen years of age, except where a higher minimum age standard is otherwise fixed by law, who is employed to learn an apprenticeable occupation pursuant to the standards of apprenticeship as provided for in the Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 9, §317 in order to fulfill the requirements of the Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 9, §301, and who has entered into a written apprentice agreement with an employer, an association of employers, or an organization of employees, providing for not less than two thousand hours of reasonably continuous employment, and for participation in an approved program of training through employment and through education in related and supplemental subjects. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:386
• 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
• 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.
• Authority: shall mean the political subdivision and body politic and corporate created, organized and existing pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter, or if the Authority shall be abolished, the board, body, commission, department or officer succeeding to the principal functions thereof or to whom the powers given by this chapter may be given by law. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4545.3
• Automobile physical damage coverage: includes all coverage of loss or damage to an automobile insured under the policy except loss or damage resulting from collision or upset. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1266
• 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.
• 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}
• Benefits plan: means the coverages offered by the plan to eligible persons as defined by Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Board: means the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:1519.1
• Board: means the board of directors of the plan. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Chambers: A judge's office.
• Chancellor: means either the chancellor of the LSU Health Sciences Center at New Orleans or the chancellor of the LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:1519.1
• Chancellors: means both such chancellors. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:1519.1
• Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
• Codicil: An addition, change, or supplement to a will executed with the same formalities required for the will itself.
• Commission: means the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:663
• Commission: means the Louisiana Workforce Commission. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:1
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, or his duly authorized representatives acting at his discretion. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:4602
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of insurance. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of insurance. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• Commissioner: shall mean the commissioner of insurance. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.2
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Concurrent resolution: A legislative measure, designated "S. Con. Res." and numbered consecutively upon introduction, generally employed to address the sentiments of both chambers, to deal with issues or matters affecting both houses, such as a concurrent budget resolution, or to create a temporary joint committee. Concurrent resolutions are not submitted to the President/Governor and thus do not have the force of law.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Contracted health care provider: means a health care provider that has entered into a contract or agreement directly with a health insurance issuer or through a network of providers for the provision of covered health care services. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• 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.
• cost of a project: shall mean , but shall not be limited to, the cost of acquisition, construction, reconstruction, improvement, enlargement, betterment or extension of any project, including the cost of studies, plans, specifications, surveys and estimates of costs and revenues relating thereto, the cost of labor and materials; the cost of land, land rights, rights-of-way and easements, water rights, fees, permits, approvals, licenses, certificates, franchises, and the preparation of applications for securing the same; administrative, legal, engineering and inspection expenses; financing fees, expenses and costs; working capital; costs of fuel and fuel supply resources and related facilities; interest on bonds during the period of construction and for such reasonable period thereafter as may be determined by the governing body; establishment of reserves; and all other expenditures of the Authority incidental, necessary or convenient to the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, improvement, enlargement, betterment or extension of any project and the placing of the same in operation. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4545.3
• 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.
• Covered health care services: means services, items, supplies, or drugs for the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, cure, or relief of a health condition, illness, injury, or disease that are either covered and payable under the terms of the health insurance coverage. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• 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 Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:4602
• Department: means the Department of Insurance. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Department: means the Department of Insurance. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Discount medical plan: shall mean a business arrangement or contract in which a person, in exchange for fees, dues, charges or other valuable consideration, provides access for plan members to providers of medical services and the right to receive medical services from those providers at a discount. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.2
• Discount medical plan card: shall mean a card or any other purchasing mechanism or device, which is not insurance, that purports to offer discounts or access to discounts in health-related purchases from health care providers. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.2
• Discount medical plan organization: shall mean any person or organization that operates a discount medical plan and contracts with providers, provider networks or other discount medical plan organizations to offer access to medical services at a discount and determines the charge to discount medical plan members. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.2
• division: means the organizational unit of the LSU Health Sciences Center at New Orleans comprised of the hospitals and administrative personnel immediately responsible for the operation of the division. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:1519.1
• Employee: means any female individual who is employed to work forty or more hours a week and who is employed by the employer. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:663
• Employer: means any department, office, division, agency, commission, board, committee or other organizational unit of the state. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:663
• En banc: In the bench or "full bench." Refers to court sessions with the entire membership of a court participating rather than the usual quorum. U.S. courts of appeals usually sit in panels of three judges, but may expand to a larger number in certain cases. They are then said to be sitting en banc.
• Enrolled bill: The final copy of a bill or joint resolution which has passed both chambers in identical form. It is printed on parchment paper, signed by appropriate officials, and submitted to the President/Governor for signature.
• Enrollee: means a qualified individual or qualified employee enrolled in a qualified health plan. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.32
• Entity: shall mean a corporation, association, partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership or other legal entity. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.2
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• exchange: means a governmental agency or nonprofit entity that meets the applicable standards of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and makes qualified health plans available to qualified individuals and qualified employers. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.32
• 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.
• Federally defined eligible individual: means an individual as defined by Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• 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.
• front footage: as used in this Chapter shall mean the footage of each lot or parcel of real estate abutting the right of way or street along which the distribution line is constructed. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4160.5
• front footage: shall mean the footage of each lot or parcel of real estate abutting the right of way or street, along which the drainage line is constructed. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4160.25
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Governing body: shall mean the board or body in which the general legislative powers of the Authority are vested pursuant hereto. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4545.3
• Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. ^{Source: Federal Reserve}
• Grace period: is a period that applies to recipients of advance payments of the premium tax credit allowed for certain individuals to purchase health insurance coverage on the exchange. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.32
• Health and accident insurance: means hospital and medical expense incurred policies, nonprofit service plan corporation contracts, and coverages provided by health maintenance organizations, individual practices, associations, the Office of Group Benefits, and other similar entities and self-insurers. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Health care facility: means a facility or institution providing health care services including but not limited to a hospital or other licensed inpatient center, ambulatory surgical or treatment center, skilled nursing facility, inpatient hospice facility, residential treatment center, diagnostic, laboratory, or imaging center, or rehabilitation or other therapeutic health setting. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• Health care professional: means a physician or other health care practitioner licensed, certified, or registered to perform specified health care services consistent with state law. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• Health care provider: means a person licensed by this state to provide health care or professional services under the provisions of Title 37 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 or any professional corporation, as a health care provider, authorized to form under the provisions of Title 12 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 or such a person licensed by the appropriate laws of another state. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Health care provider: shall mean any person licensed, certified, or registered in this state to provide health care services, including but not limited to physicians, hospitals, home health agencies, chiropractors, pharmacies and dentists. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.2
• Health care services: means services, items, supplies, or drugs for the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, cure, or relief of a health condition, illness, injury, or disease. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• Health insurance coverage: means benefits consisting of medical care provided or arranged for directly, through insurance or reimbursement, or otherwise, and includes health care services paid for under any plan, policy, or certificate of insurance. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• Health insurance issuer: means any entity that offers health insurance coverage through a policy or certificate of insurance subject to state law that regulates the business of insurance. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• Health maintenance organization: means an organization as defined in Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Hospital: means any facility as defined in Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• 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}
• Individual: shall mean a natural person. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.2
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Insurance arrangement: means any plan, program, contract, or any other arrangement under which one or more natural or juridical persons provide to their employees or participants, whether directly or indirectly, health care services or benefits other than through an insurer. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Insured: means any natural person domiciled in this state, other than a member of the plan, who is eligible to receive benefits from any insurer or insurance arrangement as defined in this Section. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• insured: means a person, including a spouse or dependent, who is enrolled in or insured by a health insurance issuer for health insurance coverage. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• Insurer: means any insurance company or other entity authorized to transact and transacting health and accident insurance business in this state. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• 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}
• Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
• 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}
• 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.
• LSU HSC-NO hospitals: means all the health care institutions set forth in Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:1519.1
• LSU HSC-S hospitals: means all the health care institutions set forth in Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:1519.1
• Marketer: shall mean any person who markets, promotes, sells or distributes a discount medical plan, including but not limited to a private label entity that places its name on and markets or distributes a discount medical plan. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.2
• Medicaid: means coverage provided under the state plan for Title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 USC 1396 et seq. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans: means Charity Hospital and the Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans including University Hospital at New Orleans. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:1519.1
• Medical services: shall mean any care, service, or treatment of illness or dysfunction of, or injury to, the human body, including but not limited to physician care, inpatient care, outpatient care, hospital surgical services, emergency services, ambulance services, chiropractic services, dental services, audiology services, vision care services, mental health services, substance abuse services, podiatric care services, laboratory services and medical equipment and supplies. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.2
• Medically indigent: means any person whose income is below two hundred percent of the federal poverty level and who is uninsured. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:1519.1
• Medicare: means coverage under both Parts A and B of Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Member: means a person covered by the plan. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Member: shall mean any individual who pays valuable consideration to receive the purported benefits of a discount medical plan. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.2
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• network: means an entity other than a health insurance issuer that, through contracts with health care providers, provides or arranges for access by groups of enrollees or insureds to health care services by health care providers who are not otherwise or individually contracted directly with a health insurance issuer. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• Nonpayment of premium: means failure of the named insured to discharge when due any of his obligations in connection with the payment of premiums on a policy, or any installment of such premium, whether the premium is payable directly to the insurer or its agent or indirectly under any premium finance plan or extension of credit. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1266
• 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.
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Package: means any commodity packed or packaged in any manner in advance of sale in units suitable for either wholesale or retail sale. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:4602
• Participating municipality: shall mean any municipality in the state of Louisiana that, on the effective date of this Act, is engaged in the generation, transmission, or distribution of electricity and which, pursuant to the procedures provided herein, becomes represented by a director appointed by said municipality to the board of directors of the Authority. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4545.3
• 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 both plural and singular, as the case demands, and includes individuals, partnerships, corporations, companies, societies, and associations

              (14)(a) Except as provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, "petroleum product" means any refined hydrocarbon mixture including motor oil, kerosene, gasoline, gasohol, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, heating kerosene, and any blend of two or more refined hydrocarbon mixtures except liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:4602

• Person: shall mean an individual or an entity. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.2
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• petroleum product: shall include compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas as those terms are defined in Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:4602
• Plan: means the Louisiana Health Plan as created in Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Plan of operation: means the plan of operation of the plan, including articles, bylaws, and operating rules, adopted by the board pursuant to Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• 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.
• Policy: means an automobile liability, automobile physical damage, or automobile collision policy, or any combination thereof, delivered or issued for delivery in this state, or any binder based on such a policy, insuring a single individual or husband and wife resident of the same household, as named insured, and under which the insured vehicles therein designated are of the following types only:

              (a) A private passenger vehicle that is not used as a public or livery conveyance for passengers, nor rented to others. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1266

• 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}
• Prime network: means a network that requires contracted health care providers to accept the amount payable for covered health care services as payment in full for such services. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• 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 mean any system or facilities proposed, existing or under construction within the state for the generation, transmission, transformation or supply of electric power and energy by any means whatsoever, or for the development, production, manufacture, procurement, handling, transportation, storage, fabrication, enrichment, processing or reprocessing of fuel of any kind or any facility or rights with respect to the supply of water, any interest therein, securities issued in connection with the financing thereof and any right to output, capacity or services thereof, but does not include facilities for the distribution of electric energy for retail sale. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4545.3
• provider: means a health care professional or a health care facility or the agent or assignee of such professional or facility. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1242
• Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• Public program: means any public assistance program which provides funding for health care services rendered by a health care provider that is directly subsidized by the federal government. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• Qualified health plan: means a health insurance plan that has in effect a certification that the qualified health plan meets applicable state or federal standards required for participation in a health insurance exchange. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.32
• Qualified health plan issuer: means a health insurance issuer that offers a qualified health plan in accordance with a certification from an exchange. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1260.32
• 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.
• Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. ^{Source: FDIC}
• 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.
• 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).
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• revenue bonds: shall mean bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness of the Authority issued by the authority pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4545.3
• Seafood products: shall include any type of species caught in privately owned waters or public waters, including streams or lakes, or any final derivative resulting from a combination or breakdown of raw seafood products. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 3:4712
• Secretary: means the secretary of the commission. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:1
• Self-insurer: means a natural or juridical person which provides health care services or reimbursement for all or any part of the costs of health care for its employees or participants in this state other than through an insurer. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• 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.
• Small employer: means any person, firm, corporation, partnership, or association actively engaged in business which, on at least fifty percent of its working days during the preceding year, employed not less than one nor more than twenty-five eligible employees. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1202
• square footage: shall mean the area of land measured in square feet to be improved or benefitted by the improvements to be constructed. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4160.25
• State: shall mean the State of Louisiana, and

  8. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4545.3

• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• to renew: means the issuance and delivery by an insurer of a policy replacing at the end of the policy period a policy previously issued and delivered by the same insurer, or the issuance and delivery of a certificate or notice extending the term of a policy beyond its policy period or term. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:1266
• 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.
• 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 governmental unit, any investor-owned electric power company and any electric cooperative association or corporation and, in addition, any state, any department, institution, commission, public instrumentality or political subdivision of any state, or of the United States presently owning a system or facilities for the generation, transmission or distribution of electric power and energy for public and private uses. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 33:4545.3
• University Hospital Shreveport: means Louisiana State University Hospital Shreveport, which merged with the LSU Health Sciences Center at Shreveport pursuant to Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:1519.1
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.