Terms Used In California Codes > Code of Civil Procedure > Part 1 > Title 3 - PERSONS SPECIALLY INVESTED WITH POWERS OF A JUDICIAL NATURE

• Acquiring district: means a school district that has all or portions of one or more other school districts transferred into, or lapsed into, its boundaries pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 35511 or Section 35780. See California Education Code 35514
• Affinity: signifies the connection existing in consequence of marriage, between each of the married persons and the blood relatives of the other when applied to the marriage relation. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Bill of sale: means a written instrument, conforming to the requirements of this chapter, which evidences a transfer of grain. See California Civil Code 1880.1
• Buyer: means a purchaser of grain which is thereafter stored in private bulk storage, and includes the assigns and successors in interest of such buyer. See California Civil Code 1880.1
• Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses.
• commission: means the California Transportation Commission. See California Government Code 14002.5
• Commission: means the California Transportation Commission. See California Government Code 14501
• 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.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• County: includes "city and county. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• County: includes "city and county. See California Corporations Code 14
• 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: as used in this article , means the Department of Transportation as to work within its jurisdiction, the Department of Water Resources as to work within its jurisdiction, the Department of Boating and Waterways as to any project under the jurisdiction of that department pursuant to Article 2. See California Government Code 14155
• Department: means the Department of Transportation. See California Government Code 14002.5
• department: means the Department of Veterans Affairs. See California Military and Veterans Code 690
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Director: means the Director of Transportation. See California Government Code 14002.5
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Districts: means school districts of every kind or class. See California Education Code 35514
• Divided district: means a school district that has had a portion of its territory become part of a new school district or transferred into one or more other school districts by an action to reorganize taken pursuant to Section 35511. See California Education Code 35514
• 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}
• Escheat: Reversion of real or personal property to the state when 1) a person dies without leaving a will and has no heirs, or 2) when the property (such as a bank account) has been inactive for a certain period of time. ^{Source: OCC}
• Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
• Evidence of debt: means a note or negotiable instrument. See California Civil Code 1918.5
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• 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.
• Fixed Rate: Having a "fixed" rate means that the APR doesn't change based on fluctuations of some external rate (such as the "Prime Rate"). In other words, a fixed rate is a rate that is not a variable rate. A fixed APR can change over time, in several circumstances:
  • You are late making a payment or commit some other default, triggering an increase to a penalty rate
  • The bank changes the terms of your account and you do not reject the change.
  • The rate expires (if the rate was fixed for only a certain period of time).
• Forbearance: A means of handling a delinquent loan. A
• Former district: means a school district that has been wholly included in another school district, or has had all of its territory made part of two or more other school districts, through any action taken pursuant to Section 35511 or through a lapsation pursuant to Section 35780. See California Education Code 35514
• Grain: includes barley, corn, flax, hay, grain sorghums, oats, rice, rye, and wheat. See California Civil Code 1880.1
• 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.
• 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}
• Juror: A person who is on the jury.
• Jury instructions: A judge's directions to the jury before it begins deliberations regarding the factual questions it must answer and the legal rules that it must apply. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Member: includes members of associations without capital stock and holders of common stock in associations organized with shares of stock. See California Corporations Code 13202
• Mistrial: An invalid trial, caused by fundamental error. When a mistrial is declared, the trial must start again from the selection of the jury.
• 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.
• Mortgage loan: A loan made by a lender to a borrower for the financing of real property. ^{Source: OCC}
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• New district: means a school district that is formed from all or portions of one or more other school districts by an action to reorganize taken pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 35511. See California Education Code 35514
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Open-end 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 revolving credit.) ^{Source: OCC}
• Original district: means a school district as it existed before an action to reorganize pursuant to Section 35511 or before an action to lapse a school district pursuant to Section 35780. See California Education Code 35514
• Person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• 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.
• 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.
• Private bulk storage: means the storage of grain in storage facilities after sale of such grain by a seller. See California Civil Code 1880.1
• 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
• Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
• Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• Recess: A temporary interruption of the legislative business.
• Reorganized district: means a school district that is a "new district" an "acquiring district" or a "divided district. See California Education Code 35514
• Secretary: means the Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing. See California Civil Code 1918.5
• Secretary: means the Secretary of Transportation. See California Government Code 14002.5
• Security document: means a mortgage contract, deed of trust, real estate sales contract, or any note or negotiable instrument issued in connection therewith, when its purpose is to finance the purchase or construction of real property occupied or intended to be occupied by the borrower, containing four or fewer residential units or on which four or fewer residential units are to be constructed. See California Civil Code 1918.5
• Seller: means a producer of grain who continues to store grain after sale thereof by him in storage facilities owned, operated, or controlled by him. See California Civil Code 1880.1
• 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.
• Sheriff: includes marshal. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Military and Veterans Code 19
• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Government Code 12.2
• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. 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: 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
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Storage facilities: means any bin, building, elevator, protected enclosure, or other structure owned, operated, or controlled by the seller of the grain stored therein. See California Civil Code 1880.1
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• 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.
• Town: includes "unincorporated town" and "village. See California Government Code 21
• 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.
• Trial jury: A group of citizens who hear the evidence presented by both sides at trial and determine the facts in dispute. Federal criminal juries consist of 12 persons. Federal civil juries consist of six persons.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Uphold: The decision of an appellate court not to reverse a lower court decision.
• Usury: Charging an illegally high interest rate on a loan. ^{Source: OCC}
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• 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."
• war: shall mean : (a) whenever Congress has declared war and peace has not been formally restored. See California Military and Veterans Code 18
• Will: includes codicil. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17
• Writing: includes printing and typewriting. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17