Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes > Chapter 5 > Open Meetings

• Acquittal:
  1. Judgement that a criminal defendant has not been proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
  2. A verdict of "not guilty."
   
• 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.
• Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses.
• Chambers: A judge's office.
• Conservation management plan: means a plan approved by the Department of Natural Resources that specifies conservation and management practices, including uses that will be conducted to preserve and restore unimproved land. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/10-405
• decree: is synonymous with the word "judgment". See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.24
• 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.
• 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.
• Executive session: A portion of the Senate's daily session in which it considers executive business.
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• 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
• Germane: On the subject of the pending bill or other business; a strict standard of relevance.
• governmental property: means funds or other property owned by the State, a unit of local government, or a school district. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 720 ILCS 5/15-10
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
• 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 meeting: An occasion, often ceremonial, when the House and Senate each adopt a unanimous consent agreement
• Managed land: means unimproved land of 5 contiguous acres or more that is subject to a conservation management plan. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/10-405
• Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
• Probation officers: Screen applicants for pretrial release and monitor convicted offenders released under court supervision.
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• 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
• 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
• Surviving spouse: means "widow" or "widower" as the case may be. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.32
• 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.
• 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
• Unimproved land: means woodlands, prairie, wetlands, or other vacant and undeveloped land that is not used for any residential or commercial purpose that materially disturbs the land. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 35 ILCS 200/10-405
• Unit: means a co-responder unit created under this Division. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-1.5-5
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.