Terms Used In Delaware Code > Title 10 > Chapter 9 > Subchapter III - Procedure

• Aboveground storage tank: means a single aboveground containment vessel having a capacity of greater than 250 gallons and currently or previously having contained regulated substances on or after January 1, 1992. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• Acquittal:
  1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
  2. A verdict of "not guilty."
   
• adult person: means a person of the age of 18 years or older. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
• 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.
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• 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.
• 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.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Articles of dedication: shall mean the writing by which any estate, interest or right in an area is formally dedicated as permitted by § 7306 of this title. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7302
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• 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.
• 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}
• Bequest: Property gifted by will.
• Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
• Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
• Child: means a person who has not reached the age of 18 years. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
• 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.
• Conservation Trust Fund: means the Delaware Land and Water Conservation Trust Fund established and maintained pursuant to subchapter II of Chapter 54 of Title 30. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7504
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• 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.
• Council: shall mean the Delaware Natural Areas Advisory Council. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7302
• Council: means the Delaware Open Space Council established pursuant to this chapter. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7504
• Cultural resource site: means land that contains at least 1 of the following:

  a. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7504

• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• dedication: shall mean the transfer to the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, for and on behalf of the State, of an estate, interest or right in an area in any manner permitted by § 7306 of this title. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7302
• 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: shall mean the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7302
• Department: means the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• Department: means the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7504
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• 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}
• 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.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Facility: means a location or part thereof containing or having contained 1 or more aboveground storage tanks. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Fiduciary: means :

  a. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A

• Fiduciary capacity: means the capacity of a person in holding title to a facility, or otherwise having control of or an interest in the facility, pursuant to the exercise of the responsibilities of the person as a fiduciary. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• 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}
• Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. ^{Source: OCC}
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• 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.
• Heating fuel: means a type of fuel oil that is 1 of 7 technical grades. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• Imminent threat of a release: means the potential for a release which requires action to prevent or mitigate damage to the environment or endangerment to public health or welfare which may result from such a release. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• Indicated release: means there are signs that an aboveground storage tank, or the secondary containment system are failing or could potentially fail to contain a regulated substance. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• 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.
• lands: means real property, including improvements thereon; rights of way; water, subaqueous land, and riparian rights; easements; privileges; and all other rights or interests of any kind or description in, relating to, or connected with real property or water. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7504
• 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}
• Lender: means :

  a. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A

• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• minor child: means a person who has not reached the age of 18 years. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Natural area: shall mean an area of land or water, or of both land and water, whether in public or private ownership, which either retains or has reestablished its natural character (although it need not be undisturbed), or has unusual flora or fauna, or has biotic, geological, scenic or archaeological features of scientific or educational value. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7302
• Nature preserve: shall mean a natural area, any estate, interest or right in which has been formally dedicated under this chapter. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7302
• 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.
• 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.
• open space land: means any land the permanent protection of which will further 1 or more purposes enumerated in § 7503(a) of this title. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7504
• Open Space Program: means the conservation program created to carry out the purposes of this chapter. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7504
• Operator: means a person operating a facility or who has operated a facility, including, but not limited to, by lease, contract or other form of authorization agreement

  (15) "Orphan tank" means:

  a. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A

• Out-of-service: means an aboveground storage tank that is:

  a. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A

• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Owner: means a person:

  a. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A

• 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.
• permanently protect: means the acquisition by purchase, gift, grant, bequest, devise, or otherwise of the fee or any lesser interest, development right, easement, covenant, or other contractual right in land in perpetuity necessary to achieve the purposes of this chapter. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7504
• Person: means an entity, individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, federal agency, corporation (including a government corporation), partnership, company, association, state, municipality, commission, political subdivision of a state, or any interstate body. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• 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.
• Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
• President pro tempore: A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• 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.
• real property: is synonymous with the phrase "lands, tenements and hereditaments. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Regulated substance: means a liquid or gas that:

  a. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A

• Release: means the spilling, leaking, discharging, leaching or disposing of a regulated substance into groundwater, surface water, soil or air that is not permitted by law, regulation or permit. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• 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.
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• Secretary: shall mean the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7302
• Secretary: means the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7504
• Security interest: means an interest in an AST or AST system or in a facility or property on which an AST or AST system is located, created or established for the purpose of securing a loan or other obligation. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• 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: means the State of Delaware. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• State: means the State of Delaware; and when applied to different parts of the United States, it includes the District of Columbia and the several territories and possessions of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• State agency: means , and shall apply exclusively to, the following units of state government which manage natural and cultural resources:

  a. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7504

• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• substantial physical installation: includes , but is not limited to, a permit or contract for the installation. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• System: shall mean the nature preserves held under this chapter. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7302
• 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.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Under age: means an age of less than 18 years. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• United States: includes its territories and possessions and the District of Columbia. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• vessel: includes any container that can be partially visually inspected from the exterior in an underground area. See Delaware Code Title 7 Sec. 7402A
• Year: means a calendar year, and is equivalent to the words "year of our Lord. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302