Terms Used In Delaware Code > Title 10 > Chapter 72 - Victims of Sexual Violence Protective Order

• 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.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• 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.
• Child: means a person who has not reached the age of 18 years. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• 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.
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• 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.
• 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.
• Law-enforcement officer: means as defined in § 222 of Title 11. See Delaware Code Title 10 Sec. 7202
• 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.
• Non-consensual: means "without consent" as defined under § 761 of Title 11. See Delaware Code Title 10 Sec. 7202
• Non-physical contact: means telephone calls, mail, e-mail, fax, texts or other written, verbal, or digital communication. See Delaware Code Title 10 Sec. 7202
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Petitioner: means the person named in a petition seeking a sexual violence protective order, or any named victim of non-consensual sexual conduct or non-consensual sexual penetration on whose behalf the petition is brought, and who is not a member of a protected class under § 1041(2)a. See Delaware Code Title 10 Sec. 7202
• Physical injury: means , with respect to an adult petitioner, as defined in § 222 of Title 11. See Delaware Code Title 10 Sec. 7202
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Respondent: means the person alleged to have engaged in the conduct giving rise to the petitioner's desire to seek a sexual violence protective order. See Delaware Code Title 10 Sec. 7202
• Sexual conduct: means any of the following:

  a. See Delaware Code Title 10 Sec. 7202

• Sexual penetration: means any contact, however slight, between the sex organ or anus of 1 person by an object, the sex organ, mouth, or anus of another person, or any intrusion, however slight, of any part of the body of 1 person, or of any animal, or object into the sex organ or anus of another person, including cunnilingus, fellatio, or anal penetration. See Delaware Code Title 10 Sec. 7202
• Sexual violence protective order: means an ex parte temporary order or final order granted under this chapter which includes a remedy specified by § 7204 or § 7205 of this title. See Delaware Code Title 10 Sec. 7202
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• United States: includes its territories and possessions and the District of Columbia. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302