Terms Used In Iowa Code > Chapter 441 - Assessment and Valuation of Property

• actual value: means the "actual value" as determined by subsections 1 through 3 without application of any percentage reduction and entered opposite each item, and as listed on the tax list as provided in section 443. See Iowa Code 441.21
• Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
• Agricultural land: means land in tracts of ten acres or more excluding any buildings or other structures located on the land, and not laid off into lots of less than ten acres or divided by streets and alleys into parcels of less than ten acres, lying within a school corporation and in good faith used for agricultural or horticultural purposes. See Iowa Code 425A.2
• agricultural property: includes all of the following:
   a. See Iowa Code 441.21
• 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.
• Business: means any trade, occupation, activity, or enterprise engaged in for the purpose of selling or distributing tobacco products in this state. See Iowa Code 453A.42
• Child: includes child by adoption. See Iowa Code 4.1
• clerk: means clerk of the court in which the action or proceeding is brought or is pending; and the words "clerk's office" mean the office of that clerk. See Iowa Code 4.1
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Contiguous parcels: means any of the following:
   (a) Parcels that share a common boundary. See Iowa Code 441.21
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• 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.
• Director: means the director of the department of revenue. See Iowa Code 453A.42
• 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:
• 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.
• 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.
• following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
• 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.
• 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.
• Land-leased community: means the same as defined in sections 335. See Iowa Code 441.21
• 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}
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Manufacturer: means a person who manufactures and sells tobacco products. See Iowa Code 453A.42
• month: means a calendar month, and the word "year" and the abbreviation "A. See Iowa Code 4.1
• 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.
• Owner: means any of the following:
   a. See Iowa Code 425A.2
• Parcel: means the same as defined in section 445. See Iowa Code 441.21
• Person: means any individual, firm, association, partnership, joint stock company, joint adventure, corporation, trustee, agency, or receiver, or any legal representative of any of the foregoing. See Iowa Code 453A.42
• 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.
• property: includes personal and real property. See Iowa Code 4.1
• Property unit: means a parcel or contiguous parcels all of which are located within the same county, with the same property tax classification, are owned by the same person, and are operated by that person for a common use and purpose. See Iowa Code 441.21
• real property: include lands, tenements, hereditaments, and all rights thereto and interests therein, equitable as well as legal. See Iowa Code 4.1
• 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.
• residential property: includes all land and buildings of multiple housing cooperatives organized under chapter 499A and includes land and buildings used primarily for human habitation which land and buildings are owned and operated by organizations that have received tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and rental income from the property is not taxed as unrelated business income under section 422. See Iowa Code 441.21
• Rule: includes "regulation". See Iowa Code 4.1
• Sale: means any transfer, exchange, or barter, in any manner or by any means whatsoever, for a consideration, and includes and means all sales made by any person. See Iowa Code 453A.42
• 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.
• Signature: includes an electronic signature as defined in section 554D. See Iowa Code 4.1
• solar energy system: means either of the following:
   (1) A system of equipment capable of collecting and converting incident solar radiation or wind energy into thermal, mechanical or electrical energy and transforming these forms of energy by a separate apparatus to storage or to a point of use which is constructed or installed after January 1, 1978. See Iowa Code 441.21
• state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Storage: means any keeping or retention of tobacco products for use or consumption in this state. See Iowa Code 453A.42
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• 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.
• United States: includes all the states. See Iowa Code 4.1
• Unrelated business income: means the income which is defined in section 512 of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder. See Iowa Code 422.25A
• Uphold: The decision of an appellate court not to reverse a lower court decision.
• Use: means the exercise of any right or power incidental to the ownership of tobacco products. See Iowa Code 453A.42
• year: means twelve consecutive months. See Iowa Code 4.1