Terms Used In Florida Statutes > Chapter 170 - Supplemental and Alternative Method of Making Local Municipal Improvements

• Active duty: means full-time duty in active military service of the United States. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• 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.
• 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.
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• Armed forces: means the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• Armory: means a building or group of buildings used primarily for housing and training troops or for storing military property, supplies, or records. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• Army National Guard: means that part of the National Guard of a state or territory of the United States, Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia, active or inactive, which is:
  (a) A land force;
  (b) Trained, and has its officers appointed, under the United States Constitution;
  (c) Organized, armed, and equipped wholly or partially at federal expense; and
  (d) Federally recognized. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Convening authority: means a commissioned officer in command and his or her successors in command. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• Court reporter: A person who makes a word-for-word record of what is said in court and produces a transcript of the proceedings upon request.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• 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.
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Enlisted personnel: means persons enlisted, inducted, called, or conscripted into an armed force in an enlisted grade. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• 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.
• 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}
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Grade: means a step or degree in a graduated scale of office or military rank which is established and designated as a grade by law or rule. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• 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.
• 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}
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• military judge: includes the summary court-martial officer. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• Military post: means an armory, facility, installation, or real property under the supervision or control of the Armory Board which is used primarily for housing and training troops; performing administrative duties; or storing military property, supplies, or records. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• National Guard: means the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• 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.
• Offense: means a criminal charge under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• Officer: means a commissioned officer or warrant officer. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• political subdivision: include counties, cities, towns, villages, special tax school districts, special road and bridge districts, bridge districts, and all other districts in this state. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Post commander: means the officer in charge of a military post or training site, a National Guard armory, or a portion of a National Guard armory when colocated in an Armed Forces Reserve Center. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Rank: means the order of precedence among members of the armed forces. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Recess: A temporary interruption of the legislative business.
• Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Servicemember: means any person serving as a member of the United States Armed Forces on active duty or state active duty and all members of the Florida National Guard and United States Reserve Forces. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• State active duty: means full-time duty in active military service of the State of Florida when ordered by the Governor or Adjutant General in accordance with…. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• 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.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Troops: includes personnel of the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. See Florida Statutes 250.01
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01