Article 1 General Provisions
Article 2 Governing Bodies
Article 3 Officers And Employees
Article 4 Fees And Salaries
Article 5 Powers And Duties Of County Boards
Article 6 Finance
Article 7 Continuation Of Prior Law – Statutes Amended And Repealed

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Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes > 55 ILCS 5 - Counties Code

  • Acquittal:
    1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
    2. A verdict of "not guilty."
     
  • act of terrorism: means : (1) any act that is intended to cause or create a risk and does cause or create a risk of death or great bodily harm to one or more persons; (2) any act that disables or destroys the usefulness or operation of any communications system; (3) any act or any series of 2 or more acts committed in furtherance of a single intention, scheme, or design that disables or destroys the usefulness or operation of a computer network, computers, computer programs, or data used by any industry, by any class of business, or by 5 or more businesses or by the federal government, State government, any unit of local government, a public utility, a manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, a national defense contractor, or a manufacturer of chemical or biological products used in or in connection with agricultural production; (4) any act that disables or causes substantial damage to or destruction of any structure or facility used in or used in connection with ground, air, or water transportation; the production or distribution of electricity, gas, oil, or other fuel (except for acts that occur inadvertently and as the result of operation of the facility that produces or distributes electricity, gas, oil, or other fuel); the treatment of sewage or the treatment or distribution of water; or controlling the flow of any body of water; (5) any act that causes substantial damage to or destruction of livestock or to crops or a series of 2 or more acts committed in furtherance of a single intention, scheme, or design which, in the aggregate, causes substantial damage to or destruction of livestock or crops; (6) any act that causes substantial damage to or destruction of any hospital or any building or facility used by the federal government, State government, any unit of local government or by a national defense contractor or by a public utility, a manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, a manufacturer of chemical or biological products used in or in connection with agricultural production or the storage or processing of agricultural products or the preparation of agricultural products for food or food products intended for resale or for feed for livestock; (7) any act that causes substantial damage to any building containing 5 or more businesses of any type or to any building in which 10 or more people reside; (8) endangering the food supply; or (9) endangering the water supply. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
  • Adjournment sine die: The end of a legislative session "without day." These adjournments are used to indicate the final adjournment of an annual or the two-year session of legislature.
  • Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
  • Aggregate extension: means the annual corporate extension for the taxing district and those special purpose extensions that are made annually for the taxing district, excluding special purpose extensions: (a) made for the taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds that were approved by referendum; (b) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on general obligation bonds issued before March 1, 1995; (c) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund those bonds issued before March 1, 1995; (d) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on bonds issued to refund or continue to refund bonds issued after March 1, 1995 that were approved by referendum; (e) made for any taxing district to pay interest or principal on revenue bonds issued before March 1, 1995 for payment of which a property tax levy or the full faith and credit of the unit of local government is pledged; however, a tax for the payment of interest or principal on those bonds shall be made only after the governing body of the unit of local government finds that all other sources for payment are insufficient to make those payments; (f) made for payments under a building commission lease when the lease payments are for the retirement of bonds issued by the commission before March 1, 1995, to pay for the building project; (g) made for payments due under installment contracts entered into before March 1, 1995; and (h) made for payments of principal and interest on bonds issued under the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act to finance construction projects initiated before October 1, 1991. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/18-246
  • Aggregate extension base: means the taxing district's aggregate extension for the 1993 levy year as adjusted under Section 18-248. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/18-246
  • Agricultural production: means the breeding and growing of livestock and crops. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Agricultural products: means crops and livestock. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • 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.
  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • Appraisal: A determination of property value.
  • Attorney-at-law: A person who is legally qualified and licensed to practice law, and to represent and act for clients in legal proceedings.
  • Attorney-in-fact: A person who, acting as an agent, is given written authorization by another person to transact business for him (her) out of court.
  • Audit report: means the written report of the auditor or auditors and all appended statements and schedules relating thereto, presenting or recording the findings of an examination or audit of the financial transactions, affairs and condition of a county;
         5. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/6-31002
  • Auditor: means a licensed certified public accountant, as that term is defined in Section 0. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/6-31002
  • 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.
  • Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
  • Baseline: Projection of the receipts, outlays, and other budget amounts that would ensue in the future without any change in existing policy. Baseline projections are used to gauge the extent to which proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would alter current spending and revenue levels.
  • Biological products used in or in connection with agricultural production: includes , but is not limited to, seeds, plants, and DNA of plants or animals altered for use in crop or livestock breeding or production or which are sold, intended, designed, or produced for use in crop production or livestock breeding or production. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Board: includes a board, commission, authority, task force, or other similar body to which one or more members are appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, but does not include any subcommittee thereof, and where the member receives any form of compensation on a per meeting basis; this does not include reimbursement for actual travel or other expenses necessarily incurred in discharging the duties of the office. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 420/3B-5
  • board: means the legislative governing body of any county other than Cook County which has adopted the county executive form of government under this Division. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/2-5003
  • board: means the board of trustees of a museum district. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-31003
  • board member: means a person elected to serve on the county board. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/2-3001
  • Buyer: means a person who buys or contracts to
    
buy goods. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/2-103
  • Chambers: A judge's office.
  • 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.
  • Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
  • Circuit clerk: means clerk of the circuit court. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.26
  • Circumstantial evidence: All evidence except eyewitness testimony.
  • 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.
  • combined waterworks and sewerage system: means and includes a waterworks and sewerage system, as hereinabove defined, which any county shall determine to operate in combination. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-15002
  • commission: means the county clerk, the State's Attorney, the Attorney General or his designated representative and the chairmen of the county central committees of the first leading political party and the second leading political party as defined in Section 1-3 of The Election Code. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/2-3001
  • 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.
  • Comptroller: means the Comptroller of the State of Illinois;
         2. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/6-31002
  • Computer: means a device that accepts, processes, stores, retrieves, or outputs data, and includes, but is not limited to, auxiliary storage and telecommunications devices. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Computer network: means a set of related, remotely connected devices and any communications facilities including more than one computer with the capability to transmit data among them through communication facilities. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Conference committee: A temporary, ad hoc panel composed of conferees from both chamber of a legislature which is formed for the purpose of reconciling differences in legislation that has passed both chambers. Conference committees are usually convened to resolve bicameral differences on major and controversial legislation.
  • Contagious or infectious disease: means a specific disease designated by the Illinois Department of Agriculture as contagious or infectious under rules pertaining to the Illinois Diseased Animals Act. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Contingent beneficiary: Receiver of property or benefits if the first named beneficiary fails to receive any or all of the property or benefits in question before his (her) death.
  • Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
  • Contract for sale: includes both a present sale of goods and a contract to sell goods at a future time. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/2-106
  • Contractual services: shall include all purchases, leases, and contracts for impersonal services, necessary for the operation of any Office, department, institution or agency of the county government which are not encompassed in the above definition of "supplies, material and equipment". See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-36004
  • Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
  • 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
  • county clerk: shall be construed to mean the county comptroller in any county in which provision for a county comptroller shall have been made by law. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/3-11001
  • County executive: means the county official elected by the voters of any county other than Cook County to be the chief executive officer to administer the county executive form of government under this Division. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/2-5003
  • County executive form of government: means that form of government in which the departments of county government are administered by a single county official called the county executive elected at large by the qualified voters of the county. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/2-5003
  • county moneys: shall include all moneys to whomsoever belonging, received by or in possession or control of the incumbent of the office of county treasurer when acting as such or in any other official capacity incident to his incumbency of the office of county treasurer. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/3-11001
  • county treasurer: shall include the county treasurer when acting as such or in any other official capacity incident to his incumbency of the office of county treasurer. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/3-11001
  • 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.
  • Credit report: A detailed report of an individual's credit history prepared by a credit bureau and used by a lender in determining a loan applicant's creditworthiness. Source: OCC
  • Crops: means plants raised for: (1) human consumption, (2) fruits that are intended for human consumption, (3) consumption by livestock, and (4) fruits that are intended for consumption by livestock. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Cross examine: Questioning of a witness by the attorney for the other side.
  • Data: means representations of information, knowledge, facts, concepts or instructions, including program documentation, that are prepared in a formalized manner and are stored or processed in or transmitted by a computer. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • 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.
  • Delivery system: means the design and construction approach used to develop and construct a project. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-45010
  • Department: means the Department of Juvenile Justice. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 730 ILCS 5/3-2.5-10
  • Department: means the East St. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-1.5-5
  • 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.
  • Design professional: means an individual, sole proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, corporation, professional corporation, or other entity that offers services under the Illinois Architecture Practice Act of 1989, the Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989, the Structural Engineering Practice Act of 1989, or the Illinois Professional Land Surveyor Act of 1989. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-45010
  • Design-build: means a delivery system that provides responsibility within a single contract for the furnishing of architecture, engineering, land surveying, and related services as required and the labor, materials, equipment, and other construction services for the project. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-45010
  • Design-build contract: means a contract for a public project under this Division between a county and a design-build entity to furnish: architecture, engineering, land surveying, public art or interpretive exhibits, and related services, as required; and the labor, materials, equipment, and other construction services for the project. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-45010
  • Design-build entity: means an individual, sole proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, corporation, professional corporation, or other entity that proposes to design and construct any public project under this Division. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-45010
  • development of real property: means the construction, installation, planting or creation of any permanent improvement of real property in which a museum district has or has taken steps to acquire an interest. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-31003
  • Devise: To gift property by will.
  • Director: means the Director of Juvenile Justice. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 730 ILCS 5/3-2.5-10
  • District: means a county board district established as provided in this Division. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/2-3001
  • Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
  • Donee: The recipient of a gift.
  • Donor: The person who makes a gift.
  • Electronic communication: includes transmissions through an electronic device including, but not limited to, a telephone, cellular phone, computer, or pager, which communication includes, but is not limited to, e-mail, instant message, text message, or voice mail. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/26.5-0.1
  • 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
  • Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. Source: OCC
  • En banc: In the bench or "full bench." Refers to court sessions with the entire membership of a court participating rather than the usual quorum. U.S. courts of appeals usually sit in panels of three judges, but may expand to a larger number in certain cases. They are then said to be sitting en banc.
  • Endangering the food supply: means to knowingly:
             (1) bring into this State any domestic animal that
  •     
    is affected with any contagious or infectious disease or any animal that has been exposed to any contagious or infectious disease;
            (2) expose any animal in this State to any contagious
        
    or infectious disease;
            (3) deliver any poultry that is infected with any
        
    contagious or infectious disease to any poultry producer pursuant to a production contract;
            (4) except as permitted under the Insect Pest and
        
    Plant Disease Act, bring or release into this State any insect pest or expose any plant to an insect pest; or
            (5) expose any raw agricultural commodity, animal
        
    feed, or processed food to any contaminant or contagious or infectious disease. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Endangering the water supply: means to knowingly contaminate a public or private water well or water reservoir or any water supply of a public utility or tamper with the production of bottled or packaged water or tamper with bottled or packaged water at a retail or wholesale mercantile establishment. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • 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.
  • Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
  • Evaluation criteria: means the requirements for the separate phases of the selection process as defined in this Division and may include the specialized experience, technical qualifications and competence, capacity to perform, past performance, experience with similar projects, assignment of personnel to the project, and other appropriate factors. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-45010
  • Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
  • Expressways: means streets, avenues, roads and drives constituting limited access roadways, with all auxiliary streets, avenues, roads, drives, bridges, viaducts, underpasses, and approaches for ingress and egress to and from the main thoroughfares of such streets, avenues, roads and drives, and other necessary or appropriate appurtenances thereto, to facilitate the movement of through traffic, to be constructed in accordance with the resolutions of the Board of Commissioners heretofore or hereafter approved by the Department of Public Works and Buildings or the Department of Transportation of the State of Illinois and in accordance with the provisions of Section 15d of "An Act to revise the law in relation to roads and bridges" approved June 27, 1913, as amended or Section 5-403 of the "Illinois Highway Code" as the same may from time to time be amended. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-34008
  • 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.
  • Family or household member: includes spouses, former spouses, parents, children, stepchildren and other persons related by blood or by present or prior marriage, persons who share or formerly shared a common dwelling, persons who have or allegedly share a blood relationship through a child, persons who have or have had a dating or engagement relationship, and persons with disabilities and their personal assistants. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/26.5-0.1
  • Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: A government corporation that insures the deposits of all national and state banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System. Source: OCC
  • Federal Reserve System: The central bank of the United States. The Fed, as it is commonly called, regulates the U.S. monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D.C. (the Board of Governors) and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. Source: OCC
  • Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
  • 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.
  • Fixed Rate: Having a "fixed" rate means that the APR doesn't change based on fluctuations of some external rate (such as the "Prime Rate"). In other words, a fixed rate is a rate that is not a variable rate. A fixed APR can change over time, in several circumstances:
    • You are late making a payment or commit some other default, triggering an increase to a penalty rate
    • The bank changes the terms of your account and you do not reject the change.
    • The rate expires (if the rate was fixed for only a certain period of time).
  • 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
  • Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. Source: OCC
  • Fraud Alert: A key provision of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 is the consumer's ability to place a fraud alert on their credit record. A consumer would use this option if they believe they were a victim of identity theft. Source: OCC
  • Funds and accounts: means all funds of a county derived from property taxes and all funds and accounts derived from sources other than property taxes, including the receipts and expenditures of the fee earnings of each county fee officer;
         4. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/6-31002
  • Garbage: means any refuse products or materials including but not limited to the following: putrescible animal and vegetable wastes resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking, sale or consumption of food; animal excretion; glass or metal containers, products or objects discarded as no longer useable; paper, wood, and cardboard waste; uprooted weeds, grass clippings, leaves and the like; ashes and cinders; discarded furniture or clothing; and dead animals. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-8001
  • Garbage disposal area: means any area within a county but outside any city, village or incorporated town in such county to which garbage is hauled for disposal. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-8001
  • 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
  • Generally accepted accounting principles: means accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/6-31002
  • Generally accepted auditing standards: means auditing standards generally accepted in the United States. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/6-31002
  • Good faith: means honesty in fact and the
  •     
    observance of reasonable commercial standards of fair dealing. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/7-102
  • Goods: means all things that are treated as
  •     
    movable for the purposes of a contract for storage or transportation. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/7-102
  • Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. Source: Federal Reserve
  • Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
  • 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.
  • Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
  • harassing: means knowing conduct which is not necessary to accomplish a purpose that is reasonable under the circumstances, that would cause a reasonable person emotional distress and does cause emotional distress to another. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/26.5-0.1
  • Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.
  • 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
  • Intangible property: Property that has no intrinsic value, but is merely the evidence of value such as stock certificates, bonds, and promissory notes.
  • Interrogatories: Written questions asked by one party of an opposing party, who must answer them in writing under oath; a discovery device in a lawsuit.
  • Irrevocable trust: A trust arrangement that cannot be revoked, rescinded, or repealed by the grantor.
  • Issuer: means a bailee that issues a document of
  •     
    title or, in the case of an unaccepted delivery order, the person that orders the possessor of goods to deliver. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/7-102
  • Joint tenancy: A form of property ownership in which two or more parties hold an undivided interest in the same property that was conveyed under the same instrument at the same time. A joint tenant can sell his (her) interest but not dispose of it by will. Upon the death of a joint tenant, his (her) undivided interest is distributed among the surviving joint tenants.
  • Jurisprudence: The study of law and the structure of the legal system.
  • Juror: A person who is on the jury.
  • Legacy: A gift of property made by will.
  • Legal tender: coins, dollar bills, or other currency issued by a government as official money. Source: U.S. Mint
  • Legatee: A beneficiary of a decedent
  • Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
  • limiting rate: means a fraction the numerator of which is the aggregate extension base times 1. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/18-246
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Livestock: means animals bred or raised for human consumption. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Material support or resources: means currency or other financial securities, financial services, lodging, training, safe houses, false documentation or identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances, explosives, personnel, transportation, any other kind of physical assets or intangible property, and expert services or expert assistance. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
  • Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
  • museum district: means a museum district organized under this Division. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-31003
  • 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
  • New property: means (i) the assessed value, after final board of review or board of appeals action, of new improvements or additions to existing improvements on any parcel of real property that increase the assessed value of that real property during the levy year multiplied by the equalization factor issued by the Department under Section 17-30 and (ii) the assessed value, after final board of review or board of appeals action, of real property not exempt from real estate taxation, which real property was exempt from real estate taxation for any portion of the immediately preceding levy year, multiplied by the equalization factor issued by the Department under Section 17-30. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/18-246
  • 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.
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • oath: shall be deemed to include an affirmation, and the word "sworn" shall be construed to include the word "affirmed. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.12
  • officer: means an elected or appointed official; regardless of whether the official is compensated, and (ii) an "employee" means a full-time, part-time, or contractual employee. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 430/70-5
  • Outlays: Outlays are payments made (generally through the issuance of checks or disbursement of cash) to liquidate obligations. Outlays during a fiscal year may be for payment of obligations incurred in prior years or in the same year.
  • Participating unit of local government: means a unit of local government which has entered into an intergovernmental agreement or contract with a county for the administrative adjudication of violations of its ordinances by the county pursuant to this Division. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-43010
  • Person: has the meaning given in Section 2-15 of this Code and, in addition to that meaning, includes, without limitation, any charitable organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, any professional fund raiser, professional solicitor, limited liability company, association, joint stock company, association, trust, trustee, or any group of people formally or informally affiliated or associated for a common purpose, and any officer, director, partner, member, or agent of any person. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Person under legal disability: means a person 18 years or older who (a) because of mental deterioration or physical incapacity is not fully able to manage his or her person or estate, or (b) is a person with mental illness or is a person with developmental disabilities and who because of his or her mental illness or developmental disability is not fully able to manage his or her person or estate, or (c) because of gambling, idleness, debauchery or excessive use of intoxicants or drugs, so spends or wastes his or her estate as to expose himself or herself or his or her family to want or suffering. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.06
  • Petit jury: A group of citizens who hear the evidence presented by both sides at trial and determine the facts in dispute. Federal criminal juries consist of 12 persons. Federal civil juries consist of six persons.
  • Petty offense: A federal misdemeanor punishable by six months or less in prison. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • 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.
  • police force: shall be construed to include such persons in the employ of a municipality as members of the department of police, who are or shall hereafter be appointed and sworn as policemen. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.20
  • political party: means a political party as defined in Section 7-2 of The Election Code. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-31003
  • Population: means the number of inhabitants as determined by the last preceding federal decennial census. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/2-3001
  • Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Probation officers: Screen applicants for pretrial release and monitor convicted offenders released under court supervision.
  • Processed food: means any food other than a raw agricultural commodity and includes any raw agricultural commodity that has been subject to processing, such as canning, cooking, freezing, dehydration, or milling. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Proposal: means the offer to enter into a design-build contract as submitted by a design-build entity in accordance with this Division. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-45010
  • Public art designer: means an individual, sole proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, corporation, professional corporation, or other entity that has demonstrated experience with the design and fabrication of public art including any media that has been planned and executed with the intention of being staged in the physical public domain outside and accessible to all or any art which is exhibited in a public space including publicly accessible buildings, or interpretive exhibits including communication media that is designed to engage, excite, inform, relate, or reveal the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of a topic or story being presented. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-45010
  • Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
  • Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
  • Raw agricultural commodity: means any food in its raw or natural state, including all fruits that are washed, colored, or otherwise treated in their unpeeled natural form prior to marketing and honey that is in the comb or that is removed from the comb and in an unadulterated condition. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on
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    a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/7-102
  • Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. Source: FDIC
  • Recovered tax increment value: means the amount of the 1994 equalized assessed value, in the first year after a city terminates the designation of an area as a redevelopment project area previously established under the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code or previously established under the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law of the Illinois Municipal Code, or previously established under the Economic Development Area Tax Increment Allocation Act, of each taxable lot, block, tract, or parcel of real property in the redevelopment project area over and above the initial equalized assessed value of each property in the redevelopment project area. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/18-246
  • 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).
  • Request for proposal: means the document used by the county to solicit proposals for a design-build contract. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-45010
  • Revolving credit: A credit agreement (typically a credit card) that allows a customer to borrow against a preapproved credit line when purchasing goods and services. The borrower is only billed for the amount that is actually borrowed plus any interest due. (Also called a charge account or open-end credit.) Source: OCC
  • Scope and performance criteria: means the requirements for the public project, including, but not limited to, the intended usage, capacity, size, scope, quality and performance standards, life-cycle costs, and other programmatic criteria that are expressed in performance-oriented and quantifiable specifications and drawings that can be reasonably inferred and are suited to allow a design-build entity to develop a proposal. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-45010
  • Seller: means a person who sells or contracts to
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    sell goods. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/2-103
  • Service provider agency: means an entity that enters into a services contract with a municipality or county for the purpose of providing special services in and for a special service area. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/27-5
  • Services contract: means an agreement between a service provider agency and a municipality or county for the purpose of providing special services in and for a special service area. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/27-5
  • 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.
  • sewerage system: means and includes any or all of the following: Sewerage treatment plant or plants, collecting, intercepting, and outlet sewers, lateral sewers and drains, including combined storm water and sanitary drains, force mains, conduits, pumping stations, ejector stations, and all other appurtenances, extensions and improvements necessary, useful or convenient for the collection, treatment and disposal in a sanitary manner of storm water, sanitary sewage and industrial wastes. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-15002
  • 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
  • speaker: means the county board member elected by the county board to serve as the lead representative for the county board, and may be referred to as the "county board speaker" "speaker" "county board chair" or "chair". See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/2-5003
  • Special districts: has the meaning ascribed to that term in Article VII of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.29
  • Special purpose extensions: includes , but is not limited to, extensions for levies made on an annual basis for unemployment compensation, workers' compensation, self-insurance, contributions to pension plans, and extensions made under § 6-601 of the Illinois Highway Code for a road district's permanent road fund, whether levied annually or not. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/18-246
  • Special Service Area: means a contiguous area within a municipality or county in which special governmental services are provided in addition to those services provided generally throughout the municipality or county, the cost of the special services to be paid from revenues collected from taxes levied or imposed upon property within that area. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/27-5
  • Special service area commission: means a local board established by the corporate authorities of a municipality or county for the purpose of managing a particular special service area. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/27-5
  • Special Services: means all forms of services pertaining to the government and affairs of the municipality or county, including but not limited to weather modification and improvements permissible under Article 9 of the Illinois Municipal Code, and contracts for the supply of water as described in § 11-124-1 of the Illinois Municipal Code which may be entered into by the municipality or by the county on behalf of a county service area. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/27-5
  • Station adjustment: has the meaning given to that term in Section 1-3 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-1.5-5
  • Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
  • Subpoena duces tecum: A command to a witness to produce documents.
  • Substantial damage: means monetary damage greater than $100,000. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/29D-10
  • subways: as used in this Division 121, includes all tunnels, entrances, exits, passageways, connections, approaches, inclines, elevators, stations, and other structures, equipment, appliances, or appurtenant property, appropriate to a system of such subways. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-121-1
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • superhighways: means streets, avenues, roads and drives constituting limited access roadways, with all auxiliary streets, avenues, roads, drives, bridges, viaducts, underpasses, and approaches for ingress and egress to and from the main thoroughfares of such streets, avenues, roads, and drives, and other necessary or appropriate appurtenances thereto, to facilitate the movement of through traffic, to be constructed in accordance with the resolutions of the County Board heretofore or hereafter approved by the Department of Public Works and Buildings or the Department of Transportation of the State of Illinois. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-33007
  • Supplemental appropriation: Budget authority provided in an appropriations act in addition to regular or continuing appropriations already provided. Supplemental appropriations generally are made to cover emergencies, such as disaster relief, or other needs deemed too urgent to be postponed until the enactment of next year's regular appropriations act.
  • Surviving spouse: means "widow" or "widower" as the case may be. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.32
  • System of administrative adjudication: means the adjudication of any violation of a county ordinance or of a participating unit of local government's ordinance, except for (i) proceedings not within the statutory or the home rule authority of counties or a participating unit of local government; and (ii) any offense under the Illinois Vehicle Code (or a similar offense that is a traffic regulation governing the movement of vehicles and except for any reportable offense under § 6-204 of the Illinois Vehicle Code). See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-43010
  • taxing district: has the meaning stated in Section 1-150. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/30-5
  • Tenancy in common: A type of property ownership in which two or more individuals have an undivided interest in property. At the death of one tenant in common, his (her) fractional percentage of ownership in the property passes to the decedent
  • 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.
  • Town trustees: means the members of the township board required by § 80-5 of the Township Code. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.30
  • 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 a trustee of a museum district. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-31003
  • Unit: means a co-responder unit created under this Division. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-1.5-5
  • Unit of local government: has the meaning as defined in the Illinois Constitution of 1970 and also includes a not-for-profit corporation organized for the purpose of conducting public business including, but not limited to, the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-43010
  • 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
  • Uphold: The decision of an appellate court not to reverse a lower court decision.
  • Variable Rate: Having a "variable" rate means that the APR changes from time to time based on fluctuations in an external rate, normally the Prime Rate. This external rate is known as the "index." If the index changes, the variable rate normally changes. Also see Fixed Rate.
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
  • Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
  • Veto: The procedure established under the Constitution by which the President/Governor refuses to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevents its enactment into law. A regular veto occurs when the President/Governor returns the legislation to the house in which it originated. The President/Governor usually returns a vetoed bill with a message indicating his reasons for rejecting the measure. In Congress, the veto can be overridden only by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House.
  • Warehouse: means a person engaged in the
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    business of storing goods for hire. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 810 ILCS 5/7-102
  • waste management: means the process of storage, treatment or disposal, but not the hauling or transport, of "waste" as defined in § 3. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-15002
  • waterworks: as used in this Division 130, means and includes a waterworks system in its entirety or any integral part thereof, including mains, hydrants, meters, valves, standpipes, storage tanks, pumping tanks, intakes, wells, impounding reservoirs, or purification plants. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-130-2
  • waterworks system: means and includes a waterworks system in its entirety, or any integral part thereof, including mains, hydrants, meters, valves, standpipes, storage tanks, pumps, tanks, intakes, wells, impounding reservoirs, machinery, purification plants, softening apparatus, and all other elements useful in connection with a water supply or water distribution system. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 55 ILCS 5/5-15002
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.