For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section, except in those instances where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

(1) DIRECTOR. The Director of Public Safety of the State of Alabama.
lawyer at desk

Ask a traffic law question, get an answer ASAP!
Thousands of highly rated, verified traffic lawyers.
Parking violations, accidents, DUI/DWI, licensing, registration, and more
Protect your vehicle and your rights with expert legal help now
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Alabama Code 32-7-2

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • following: means next after. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • 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
  • Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • property: includes both real and personal property. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • 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.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • United States: includes the territories thereof and the District of Columbia. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(2) JUDGMENT. Any judgment which shall have become final by expiration without appeal of the time within which an appeal might have been perfected, or by final affirmation on appeal rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction of any state or of the United States, upon a cause of action arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of any motor vehicle, for damages, including damages for care and loss of services, because of bodily injury to or death of any person, or for damages because of injury to or destruction of property, including the loss of use thereof, or upon a cause of action on an agreement of settlement for those damages.
(3) LICENSE. Any license, temporary instruction permit, or temporary license issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the licensing of persons to operate motor vehicles.
(4) MOTOR VEHICLE. Every self-propelled vehicle which is designed for use upon a highway, including trailers and semitrailers designed for use with the vehicles (except traction engines, road rollers, farm tractors, tractor cranes, power shovels and well drillers) and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead wires but not operated upon rails.
(5) NONRESIDENT. Every person who is not a resident of this state.
(6) NONRESIDENT’S OPERATION PRIVILEGE. The privilege conferred upon a nonresident by the laws of this state pertaining to the operation by him or her of a motor vehicle or the use of a motor vehicle owned by him or her in this state.
(7) OPERATOR. Every person who is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle.
(8) OWNER. A person who holds the legal title of a motor vehicle, or in the event a motor vehicle is the subject of an agreement for the conditional sale or lease of the motor vehicle with the right of purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of possession vested in the conditional vendee, or lessee, or in the event a mortgagor of a vehicle is entitled to possession, then the conditional vendee, or lessee, or mortgagor shall be deemed the owner for the purposes of this subdivision.
(9) PERSON. Every natural person, firm, copartnership, association, or corporation.
(10) PROOF OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. Proof of ability to respond in damages for liability, on account of accidents occurring subsequent to the effective date of the proof, arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, and, subject to the limit for one person, in the amount of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident, and in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.
(11) REGISTRATION. Registration certificate or certificates and registration plates issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the registration of motor vehicles.
(12) STATE. Any state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any province of the Dominion of Canada.
  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 7 Contents