Terms Used In Delaware Code > Title 13 > Chapter 19 > Subchapter I - General Provisions

• 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.
• 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
• Child: means an individual who has not attained 18 years of age. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
• Child custody determination: means a judgment, decree or other order of a court providing for the legal custody, physical custody or visitation with respect to a child. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
• Child custody proceeding: means a proceeding in which legal custody, physical custody or visitation with respect to a child is an issue. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
• Commencement: means the filing of the first pleading in a proceeding. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
• 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.
• Court: means the Family Court of the State. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Modification: means a child custody determination that changes, replaces, supersedes or is otherwise made after a previous determination concerning the same child, whether or not it is made by the court that made the previous determination. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
• 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.
• 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.
• Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, government, governmental subdivision, agency or instrumentality, public corporation, or any other legal or commercial entity. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
• Physical custody: means the physical care and supervision of a child. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
• 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.
• 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.
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• State: means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United State Virgin Islands or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
• 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
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• 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.
• Tribe: means an Indian tribe or band, or Alaska Native village, which is recognized by federal law or formally acknowledged by a state. See Delaware Code Title 13 Sec. 1902
• United States: includes its territories and possessions and the District of Columbia. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
• Year: means a calendar year, and is equivalent to the words "year of our Lord. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302