Terms Used In California Codes > Code of Civil Procedure > Part 1 > Title 2 - JUDICIAL OFFICERS

• 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.
• Agricultural preserve: means an area devoted to either agricultural use, as defined in subdivision (b), recreational use as defined in subdivision (n), or open-space use as defined in subdivision (o), or any combination of those uses and which is established in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. See California Government Code 51201
• Agricultural use: means use of land, including but not limited to greenhouses, for the purpose of producing an agricultural commodity for commercial purposes. See California Government Code 51201
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
• Amount financed: means the amount required to be disclosed pursuant to paragraph (8) of subdivision (a) of Section 2982. See California Civil Code 2981
• 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}
• Appeals board: means the Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board, within the department. See California Labor Code 6302
• 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.
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Associate: when used with respect to a licensee, means all of the following:

  California Corporations Code 28820

• Association: means any corporation organized under this part. See California Corporations Code 13202
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Attorney-in-fact: A person who, acting as an agent, is given written authorization by another person to transact business for him (her) out of court.
• beginning teacher: means a teacher with a valid California credential, as defined in Section 44259. See California Education Code 44279.1
• 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}
• Benefit corporation: means a corporation organized under the General Corporation Law that has elected to become subject to this part and whose status as a benefit corporation has not been terminated as provided in this part. See California Corporations Code 14601
• Benefit enforcement proceeding: means a claim or action relating to any of the following:

  California Corporations Code 14601

• Bequest: Property gifted by will.
• Board: means the board of supervisors of a county which establishes or proposes to establish an agricultural preserve or which enters or proposes to enter into a contract on land within an agricultural preserve pursuant to this chapter. See California Government Code 51201
• bookkeeping services: means keeping books, making trial balances, preparing statements, making audits, or preparing reports, all as a part of bookkeeping operations, provided that such trial balances, statements, or reports are not issued over the name of such person as having been prepared or examined by a certified public accountant or public accountant. See California Civil Code 1799
• Branch office: means any location, other than the principal place of business of the licensee, which is licensed as set forth in Article 11 (commencing with Section 7599. See California Business and Professions Code 7590.1
• Branch office manager: means an individual designated by the qualified manager to manage the licensee's branch office and who has met the requirements as set forth in Article 11 (commencing with Section 7599. See California Business and Professions Code 7590.1
• Bureau: means the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. See California Business and Professions Code 7590.1
• business entity: means a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, association or other group, however organized and whether or not organized to operate at a profit, but does not mean a financial institution organized, chartered, or holding a license or authorization certificate under a law of this state or the United States to make loans or extend credit and subject to supervision by an official or agency of this state or the United States, nor the parent of any such financial institution, nor any subsidiary of any such financial institution or parent. See California Civil Code 1799
• Buyer: means the person who buys or hires a motor vehicle under a conditional sale contract. See California Civil Code 2981
• Cash price: means the amount for which the seller would sell and transfer to the buyer unqualified title to the motor vehicle described in the conditional sale contract, if the property were sold for cash at the seller's place of business on the date the contract is executed, and shall include taxes to the extent imposed on the cash sale and the cash price of accessories or services related to the sale, including, but not limited to, delivery, installation, alterations, modifications, improvements, document preparation fees, a service contract, a vehicle contract cancellation option agreement, and payment of a prior credit or lease balance remaining on property being traded in. See California Civil Code 2981
• Chambers: A judge's office.
• Chief: means the Chief of the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. See California Business and Professions Code 7590.1
• city: means the county or city having jurisdiction over the land. See California Government Code 51201
• Classification: means that each position in the classified service shall have a designated title, a regular minimum number of assigned hours per day, days per week, and months per year, a specific statement of the duties required to be performed by the employees in each such position, and the regular monthly salary ranges for each such position. See California Education Code 45101
• Close relative: means ancestor, lineal descendant, brother or sister and lineal descendants of either, spouse, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, brother-in-law, daughter-in-law, or sister-in-law. See California Corporations Code 28820
• commission: means the California Transportation Commission. See California Government Code 14002.5
• Commission: means the Educational Innovation and Planning Commission. See California Education Code 33509
• commission: means the Instructional Quality Commission. See California Education Code 33539
• commission: means the Educational Management and Evaluation Commission. See California Education Code 33556
• commission: means the Advisory Commission on Special Education. See California Education Code 33596
• Commissioner: means any county agricultural commissioner. See California Food and Agricultural Code 26
• Committee membership: Legislators are assigned to specific committees by their party. Seniority, regional balance, and political philosophy are the most prominent factors in the committee assignment process.
• 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.
• Compatible use: includes agricultural use, recreational use or open-space use unless the board or council finds after notice and hearing that the use is not compatible with the agricultural, recreational or open-space use to which the land is restricted by contract pursuant to this chapter. See California Government Code 51201
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Conditional sale contract: means :

  California Civil Code 2981

• consumer: means a natural individual who has made application to a person for employment purposes, for insurance for personal, family, or household purposes, or the hiring of a dwelling unit, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 1940. See California Civil Code 1786.2
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contractor: means any person who is a general building contractor within the meaning of §. See California Civil Code 1797.1
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: as used in this part means a corporation which is organized under, or subject to this part, including a central organization. See California Corporations Code 12232
• Council: means the city council of a city which establishes or proposes to establish an agricultural preserve or which enters or proposes to enter into a contract on land within an agricultural preserve pursuant to this chapter. See California Government Code 51201
• County: includes "city and county. See California Corporations Code 14
• County: includes city and county. See California Food and Agricultural Code 29
• County: includes "city and county. See California Labor Code 14
• Credit report: A detailed report of an individual's credit history prepared by a credit bureau and used by a lender in determining a loan applicant's creditworthiness. ^{Source: OCC}
• Credit Score: A number, roughly between 300 and 800, that measures an individual's credit worthiness. The most well-known type of credit score is the FICO score. This score represents the answer from a mathematical formula that assigns numerical values to various pieces of information in your credit report. ^{Source: OCC}
• Dealer: means any person who is a dealer within the meaning of §. See California Civil Code 1797.1
• 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.
• Demotion: means assignment to an inferior position or status, without the employee's written voluntary consent. See California Education Code 45101
• Department: means the Department of Consumer Affairs. See California Business and Professions Code 7590.1
• Department: means the Department of Industrial Relations. See California Labor Code 6302
• Department: means the Department of Transportation. See California Government Code 14002.5
• Department: means the Department of Food and Agriculture. See California Food and Agricultural Code 32
• department: whenever used in this code , unless the context otherwise requires, means the State Department of Education. See California Education Code 89
• 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.
• Development: means , as used in Section 51223, the construction of buildings or the use of the restricted property if the buildings or use are unrelated to the agricultural use, the open-space use, or uses compatible with either agricultural or open-space uses of the property, or substantially impair the agricultural, open-space, or a combination of the agricultural and open-space uses of the property. See California Government Code 51201
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• Director: means the Director of Consumer Affairs. See California Business and Professions Code 7590.1
• Director: means the Director of Transportation. See California Government Code 14002.5
• Directors: means natural persons, designated in the articles or bylaws or elected by the incorporators, and their successors and natural persons designated, elected, or appointed by any other name or title to act as members of the governing body of the corporation. See California Corporations Code 12233
• Disciplinary action: includes any action whereby an employee is deprived of any classification or any incident of any classification in which he has permanence, including dismissal, suspension, demotion, or any reassignment, without his voluntary consent, except a layoff for lack of work or lack of funds. See California Education Code 45101
• 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:
• District: means fish and game district. See California Fish and Game Code 41
• Division: means the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. See California Labor Code 9151
• Division: means the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. See California Labor Code 6302
• Donee: The recipient of a gift.
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Downpayment: means a payment that the buyer pays or agrees to pay to the seller in cash or property value or money's worth at or prior to delivery by the seller to the buyer of the motor vehicle described in the conditional sale contract. See California Civil Code 2981
• drop procedure: means an activity whereby each student and staff member takes cover under a table or desk, dropping to his or her knees, with the head protected by the arms, and the back to the windows. See California Education Code 35297
• Electronic funds transfer: The transfer of money between accounts by consumer electronic systems-such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and electronic payment of bills-rather than by check or cash. (Wire transfers, checks, drafts, and paper instruments do not fall into this category.) ^{Source: OCC}
• 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}
• Employer: means an employer engaged in producing a motion picture production. See California Labor Code 9151
• employment purposes: when used in connection with an investigative consumer report, means a report used for the purpose of evaluating a consumer for employment, promotion, reassignment, or retention as an employee. See California Civil Code 1786.2
• 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.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• executed: when used with respect to the documents filed pursuant to this code or pursuant to regulations adopted under this code, and presented to the Secretary of State, include a document bearing a signature under subdivision (a). See California Corporations Code 17.1
• Executive session: A portion of the Senate's daily session in which it considers executive business.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Fair Credit Reporting Act: A federal law, established in 1971 and revised in 1997, that gives consumers the right to see their credit records and correct any mistakes. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is a set of United States statutes added as Title VIII of the Consumer Credit Protection Act. Its purpose is to ensure ethical practices in the collection of consumer debts and to provide consumers with an avenue for disputing and obtaining validation of debt information in order to ensure the information's accuracy. It is often used in conjunction with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Federal Reserve System: The central bank of the United States. The Fed, as it is commonly called, regulates the U.S. monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D.C. (the Board of Governors) and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Finance charge: The total cost of credit a customer must pay on a consumer loan, including interest. The Truth in Lending Act requires disclosure of the finance charge. ^{Source: OCC}
• Finance charge: has the meaning set forth for that term in Section 226. See California Civil Code 2981
• Firearm: means a device, designed to expel through a barrel a projectile by the force of an explosion or other form of combustion, including the frame or receiver of the device. See California Labor Code 9151
• Fishery products: includes fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and marine products for human consumption. See California Corporations Code 13202
• Forbearance: A means of handling a delinquent loan. A
• 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}
• 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
• General public benefit: means a material positive impact on society and the environment, taken as a whole, as assessed against a third-party standard, from the business and operations of a benefit corporation. See California Corporations Code 14601
• Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
• grey market goods: means consumer goods bearing a trademark and normally accompanied by an express written warranty valid in the United States of America which are imported into the United States through channels other than the manufacturer's authorized United States distributor and which are not accompanied by the manufacturer's express written warranty valid in the United States. See California Civil Code 1797.8
• Guaranteed asset protection waiver: means an optional contractual obligation under which a seller agrees, for additional consideration, to cancel or waive all or part of amounts due on the buyer's conditional sale contract subject to this chapter in the event of a total loss or unrecovered theft of the motor vehicle specified in the conditional sale contract. See California Civil Code 2981
• 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.
• Holder: means the person entitled to enforce the conditional sale contract against the buyer at the time. See California Civil Code 2981
• 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.
• individual: means a natural person. See California Civil Code 1799
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• 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}
• investigative consumer report: means a consumer report in which information on a consumer's character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living is obtained through any means. See California Civil Code 1786.2
• investigative consumer reporting agency: means any person who, for monetary fees or dues, engages in whole or in part in the practice of collecting, assembling, evaluating, compiling, reporting, transmitting, transferring, or communicating information concerning consumers for the purposes of furnishing investigative consumer reports to third parties, but does not include any governmental agency whose records are maintained primarily for traffic safety, law enforcement, or licensing purposes, or any licensed insurance agent, insurance broker, or solicitor, insurer, or life insurance agent. See California Civil Code 1786.2
• Joint tenancy: A form of property ownership in which two or more parties hold an undivided interest in the same property that was conveyed under the same instrument at the same time. A joint tenant can sell his (her) interest but not dispose of it by will. Upon the death of a joint tenant, his (her) undivided interest is distributed among the surviving joint tenants.
• Juror: A person who is on the jury.
• 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.
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Licensee: means a business entity, whether an individual, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation licensed under this chapter. See California Business and Professions Code 7590.1
• Lineal descendant: Direct descendant of the same ancestors.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Livestock: means any cattle, sheep, swine, goat, or horse, mule, or other equine. See California Civil Code 3080
• Livestock servicer: means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, cooperative, association or any other organization or entity which provides livestock services. See California Civil Code 3080
• Livestock services: means any and all grazing, feeding, boarding, general care, which includes animal health services, obtained or provided by the livestock servicer, or his employee, transportation or other services rendered by a person to livestock for the owner of livestock, or for any person acting by or under the owner's authority. See California Civil Code 3080
• Local agency: as used in this division means county, city, or city and county, unless the context otherwise requires. See California Government Code 50001
• Manager: means an individual designated under an operating agreement of a manager-managed limited liability company who is responsible for performing the management functions for the limited liability company specified in subdivision (c) of §. See California Business and Professions Code 7590.1
• Member: means an individual who is a member of a limited liability company as defined in subdivision (p) of §. See California Business and Professions Code 7590.1
• Mile: means either a statute mile (5,280 feet) or a nautical mile (6,077 feet) depending on the application. See California Fish and Game Code 55
• Minimum finance charge: The minimum, or fixed, finance charge that will be imposed during a billing cycle. A minimum finance charge usually applies only when a finance charge is imposed, that is, when you carry over a balance. ^{Source: Federal Reserve}
• Minimum status vote: means that:

  California Corporations Code 14601

• month: means a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed. See California Civil Code 14
• 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.
• Motion picture production: means the development or creation of motion pictures, television programs, streaming productions, commercial advertisements, music videos, or any other moving images, including, but not limited to, productions made for entertainment, commercial, religious, or educational purposes. See California Labor Code 9151
• Motor vehicle: means a vehicle required to be registered under the Vehicle Code that is bought for use primarily for personal or family purposes, and does not mean any vehicle that is bought for use primarily for business or commercial purposes or a mobilehome, as defined in §. See California Civil Code 2981
• National Bank: A bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. A national bank can be recognized because it must have "national" or "national association" in its name. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Oath: includes an affirmation or declaration. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board: as used in this part means the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, Department of Industrial Relations, State of California. See California Labor Code 7801
• Open season: means that period of time during which the taking of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, or amphibians is allowed as prescribed in this code and regulations adopted by the commission. See California Fish and Game Code 62
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• permanent employee: includes tenure in the classification in which the employee passed the required probationary period, and includes all of the incidents of that classification. See California Education Code 45101
• Person: means any individual, firm, company, association, organization, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation. See California Business and Professions Code 7590.1
• person: as used in this title shall not be construed to require duplicative reporting by any individual, corporation, trust, estate, cooperative, association, government, or governmental subdivision or agency, or other entity involved in the same transaction. See California Civil Code 1786.2
• person: means any natural person, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm, association, or governmental entity. See California Civil Code 1799
• Person: includes an individual, company, firm, association, partnership, trust, corporation, limited liability company, or other legal entity. See California Civil Code 2981
• Person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Corporations Code 18
• Person: means any individual, partnership, association, corporation, limited liability company, or any organized group of persons whether incorporated or not. See California Food and Agricultural Code 38
• Person: means any person, association, organization, partnership, business trust, limited liability company, or corporation. See California Labor Code 18
• personal property: include money, goods, chattels, things in action, and evidences of debt. See California Civil Code 14
• 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.
• 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.
• Precomputed basis: means the determination of a finance charge by multiplying the original unpaid balance of the contract by a rate and multiplying that product by the number of payment periods elapsing between the date of the contract and the date of the last scheduled payment. See California Civil Code 2981
• 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.
• Pretrial conference: A meeting of the judge and lawyers to discuss which matters should be presented to the jury, to review evidence and witnesses, to set a timetable, and to discuss the settlement of the case.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Process: signifies a writ or summons issued in the course of a judicial proceeding. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Process: includes a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings of either a civil or criminal nature. See California Government Code 22
• 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.
• Purchase: means "buy" as defined in Section 24. See California Fish and Game Code 68
• Purchase order: means a sales order, car reservation, statement of transaction, or any other such instrument used in the conditional sale of a motor vehicle pending execution of a conditional sale contract. See California Civil Code 2981
• Qualified manager: means an individual who is in active control, management, and direction of the licensee's business, and who is in possession of a current and valid qualified manager's certificate pursuant to this chapter. See California Business and Professions Code 7590.1
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Recess: A temporary interruption of the legislative business.
• Reclassification: means the upgrading of a position to a higher classification as a result of the gradual increase of the duties being performed by the incumbent in such position. See California Education Code 45101
• record: means any item, collection, or grouping of information about an individual or business entity. See California Civil Code 1799
• 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}
• Registrant: means any person registered or who has applied for registration under this chapter. See California Business and Professions Code 7590.1
• Regulation Z: means a rule, regulation, or interpretation promulgated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System ("Board") under the federal Truth in Lending Act, as amended (15 U. See California Civil Code 2981
• 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.
• Revocable trust: A trust agreement that can be canceled, rescinded, revoked, or repealed by the grantor (person who establishes the trust).
• Revolving credit: A credit agreement (typically a credit card) that allows a customer to borrow against a preapproved credit line when purchasing goods and services. The borrower is only billed for the amount that is actually borrowed plus any interest due. (Also called a charge account or open-end credit.) ^{Source: OCC}
• Right of survivorship: The ownership rights that result in the acquisition of title to property by reason of having survived other co-owners.
• sale: includes a lease of more than four months. See California Civil Code 1797.8
• Secretary: means the Secretary of Transportation. See California Government Code 14002.5
• Secretary: means the Secretary of Food and Agriculture. See California Food and Agricultural Code 35
• Sell: includes offer for sale, expose for sale, possess for sale, exchange, barter, or trade. See California Food and Agricultural Code 44
• Sell: includes offer or possess for sale, barter, exchange, or trade. See California Fish and Game Code 75
• Seller: means a person engaged in the business of selling or leasing motor vehicles under conditional sale contracts. See California Civil Code 2981
• Service contract: means "vehicle service contract" as defined in subdivision (c) of §. See California Civil Code 2981
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Signature: includes mark when the signer cannot write, such signer's name being written near the mark by a witness who writes his own name near the signer's name. See California Corporations Code 17
• Simple-interest basis: means the determination of a finance charge, other than an administrative finance charge, by applying a constant rate to the unpaid balance as it changes from time to time either:

  California Civil Code 2981

• Specific public benefit: includes all of the following:

  California Corporations Code 14601

• spouse: includes a registered domestic partner, as required by §. See California Civil Code 14
• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Corporations Code 12.2
• State: includes the District of Columbia and the territories when applied to the different parts of the United States, and the words "United States" may include the district and territories. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Education Code 77
• State plan: means the plan for the use of Title IV funds as approved by the State Board of Education. See California Education Code 33509
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• supervised financial organization: means a person organized, chartered, or holding a license or authorization certificate under a law of this state or the United States to make loans and subject to supervision by an official or agency of this state or the United States. See California Civil Code 2982.5
• Surface protection product: means the following products installed by the seller after the motor vehicle is sold:

  California Civil Code 2981

• Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Theft deterrent device: means the following devices installed by the seller after the motor vehicle is sold:

  California Civil Code 2981

• Third-party standard: means a standard for defining, reporting, and assessing overall corporate social and environmental performance to which all of the following apply:

  California Corporations Code 14601

• Title IV: means Title IV, Parts A, B, C, and D of the Educational Amendments of 1978 (Public Law 95-561) as amended. See California Education Code 33509
• 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.
• Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Trustor: The person who makes or creates a trust. Also known as the grantor or settlor.
• Truth in Lending Act: The Truth in Lending Act is a federal law that requires lenders to provide standardized information so that borrowers can compare loan terms. In general, lenders must provide information on ^{Source: OCC}
• Unpaid balance: means the difference between subdivisions (f) and (g), plus all insurance premiums (except for credit life or disability insurance when the amount thereof is included in the finance charge), which are included in the contract balance, and the total amount paid or to be paid as follows:

  California Civil Code 2981

• Usury: Charging an illegally high interest rate on a loan. ^{Source: OCC}
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Violation: includes a failure to comply with any requirement of the code. See California Labor Code 22
• 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."
• Will: includes codicil. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• Writ: means an order or precept in writing, issued in the name of the people, or of a court or judicial officer. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Writing: includes printing and typewriting. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17