Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes > 35 ILCS 200 > Title 1 - General

• Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• Appraised value: means the fair market value of a home determined in accordance with generally accepted procedures and standards applicable to the appraisal of real property. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• 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
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Artificially made or reclaimed land: includes all land which formerly was submerged under the public waters of the State, the title to which is in the State, and which has been artificially made or reclaimed in whole or in part. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-92-1
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Bonds: means any revenue bonds authorized under this Division and payable as provided hereunder. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
• 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.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporate authorities: means the corporate authorities as defined in this Illinois Municipal Code. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• 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.
• County board: means the board of county commissioners in counties not under township organization, and the board of supervisors in counties under township organization, and the board of commissioners of Cook County. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.07
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• deception: means knowingly to:
       (a) Create or confirm another's impression which is false and which the offender does not believe to be true; or
       (b) Fail to correct a false impression which the offender previously has created or confirmed; or
       (c) Prevent another from acquiring information pertinent to the disposition of the property involved; or
       (d) Sell or otherwise transfer or encumber property, failing to disclose a lien, adverse claim, or other legal impediment to the enjoyment of the property, whether such impediment is or is not valid, or is or is not a matter of official record; or
       (e) Promise performance which the offender does not intend to perform or knows will not be performed. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/15-4
• decree: is synonymous with the word "judgment". See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.24
• 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.
• Defense attorney: Represent defendants in criminal matters.
• Department: means the East St. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-1.5-5
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• 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}
• Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
• 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}
• Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
• 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.
• 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.
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• 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}
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
• General Revenue Law of Illinois: or any equivalent expression, when used with reference to revenue, shall be deemed to refer to the Property Tax Code and all existing and future amendments thereto and modifications thereof, and all rules now or hereafter adopted pursuant thereto. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.23
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
• Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Harbor: as used in this Division 92, includes harbors, marinas, slips, docks, piers, breakwaters, and all buildings, structures, facilities, connections, equipment, parking areas, and all other improvements for use in connection therewith. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-92-1
• Heretofore: means any time previous to the day on which the statute takes effect; and the word "hereafter" at any time after such day. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.17
• Home: means real property and improvements thereon located within the municipality consisting of not more than 4 dwelling units, including but not limited to, condominium units owned by one mortgagor who occupies or intends to occupy one of such units. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Home mortgage loan: means an interest bearing loan to a mortgagor evidenced by a promissory note and secured by a mortgage on a home, purchased or originated in accordance with this Division made for the purpose of acquiring a home having an appraised value or a purchase price, whichever is less, of not less than the minimum home value and less than the maximum home value. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}
• individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.36
• Industrial project: means any: (a) capital project, including one or more buildings and other structures, improvements, machinery and equipment whether or not on the same site or sites now existing or hereafter acquired, suitable for use by any manufacturing, industrial, research, transportation or commercial enterprise, including but not limited to use as a factory, mill, processing plant, assembly plant, packaging plant, fabricating plant, office building, industrial distribution center, warehouse, repair, overhaul or service facility, freight terminal, research facility, test facility, railroad facility, or commercial facility, and including also the sites thereof and other rights in land therefor whether improved or unimproved, site preparation and landscaping, and all appurtenances and facilities incidental thereto such as utilities, access roads, railroad sidings, truck docking and similar facilities, parking facilities, dockage, wharfage, and other improvements necessary or convenient thereto; (b) land, buildings, machinery or equipment comprising an addition to or renovation, rehabilitation or improvement of any existing capital project; (c) construction, remodeling or conversion of a structure to be leased to the Illinois Department of Corrections for the purposes of its serving as a correctional institution or facility pursuant to paragraph (c) of § 3-2-2 of the Unified Code of Corrections; (d) construction, remodeling or conversion of a structure to be leased to the Department of Central Management Services for the purpose of serving as a State facility pursuant to Section 405-320 of the Department of Central Management Services Law; or (e) use or disposal of surplus real estate owned by the municipality. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74-2
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• 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}
• Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
• Joint resolution: A legislative measure which requires the approval of both chambers.
• 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}
• Legacy: A gift of property made by will.
• Lender: means any lending institution participating in a residential housing finance plan as the originator of home mortgage loans or as a servicing agent for home mortgage loans. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Lending institution: means any bank, bank holding company, credit union, trust company, savings bank, national banking association, savings and loan association, building and loan association, mortgage banker or other financial institution which customarily provides service or otherwise aids in the financing of home mortgages, or any holding company for any of the foregoing. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• 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.
• Maximum home value: means the amount determined by the corporate authorities. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Minimum home value: means the amount determined by the corporate authorities. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Minority leader: See Floor Leaders
• Month: means a calendar month, and the word "year" a calendar year unless otherwise expressed; and the word "year" alone, is equivalent to the expression "year of our Lord. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.10
• 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}
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• Mortgagor: means a person of low or moderate income and who has received or qualifies to receive a home mortgage loan on a home. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Municipalities: has the meaning established in Section 1 of Article VII of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.27
• Municipality: includes any city, village or incorporated town in this State. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74-2
• Municipality: means a municipality as defined in this Illinois Municipal Code. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• National Bank: A bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. A national bank can be recognized because it must have "national" or "national association" in its name. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• obtain: means :
       (a) In relation to property, to bring about a transfer of interest or possession, whether to the offender or to another, and
       (b) In relation to labor or services, to secure the performance thereof. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/15-7
• Ordinance: means an ordinance adopted and approved by the corporate authorities of a municipality. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• owner: means a person, other than the offender, who has possession of or any other interest in the property involved, even though such interest or possession is unlawful, and without whose consent the offender has no authority to exert control over the property. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/15-2
• Participation commitment: means any undertaking or agreement by a lending institution to participate in the implementation of a residential housing finance plan. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• 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 a natural person or persons or a trust, provided that such trust is for the benefit of a natural person or members of such person's immediate family. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Persons of low or moderate income: means a person or family (consisting of one or more persons all of whom occupy or will occupy the home) whose aggregate gross income including the gross income of any co-signer or guarantor of the promissory note made in connection with the making of a home mortgage loan does not exceed a maximum amount to be established by the corporate authorities and determined in accordance with appropriate criteria, rules and regulations, approved by the corporate authorities in connection with the implementation of a residential housing finance plan. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Petty offense: A federal misdemeanor punishable by six months or less in prison. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• 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.
• Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• property: means anything of value. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/15-1
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Purchase price: means the actual consideration paid to the seller of a home. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• railroads: as used in this Division 89 does not include a railroad constituting or used as a part of a trunk line railroad system operated as a common carrier of freight and passengers. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-89-3
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• 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.
• 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).
• Residential housing finance plan: means a program implemented under this Division by a municipality to assist persons of low or moderate income in acquiring safe, decent and sanitary housing which they can afford. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• 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.
• Social Worker: means a licensed clinical social worker or licensed social worker, as those terms are defined in the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-1.5-5
• State: when applied to different parts of the United States, may be construed to include the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• sworn: shall be construed to include the word "affirmed. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.12
• Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• threat: means a menace, however communicated, to:
       (a) Inflict physical harm on the person threatened or any other person or on property; or
       (b) Subject any person to physical confinement or restraint; or
       (c) Commit any criminal offense; or
       (d) Accuse any person of a criminal offense; or
       (e) Expose any person to hatred, contempt or ridicule; or
       (f) Harm the credit or business repute of any person; or
       (g) Reveal any information sought to be concealed by the person threatened; or
       (h) Take action as an official against anyone or anything, or withhold official action, or cause such action or withholding; or
       (i) Bring about or continue a strike, boycott or other similar collective action if the property is not demanded or received for the benefit of the group which he purports to represent; or
       (j) Testify or provide information or withhold testimony or information with respect to another's legal claim or defense; or
       (k) Inflict any other harm which would not benefit the offender. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/15-5
• 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.
• 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.
• Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Trustee: means any State or national bank or trust company, having trust powers, located within or outside the State of Illinois, which may be appointed to act in any capacity with respect to a residential housing finance plan and the issuance of bonds to finance such plan whether designated as a trustee, custodian or administrator. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-74.5-2
• Uniform Commercial Code: A set of statutes enacted by the various states to provide consistency among the states' commercial laws. It includes negotiable instruments, sales, stock transfers, trust and warehouse receipts, and bills of lading. ^{Source: OCC}
• Unit: means a co-responder unit created under this Division. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-1.5-5
• United States: may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14
• Units of local government: has the meaning established in Section 1 of Article VII of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.28
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.