Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes > Title 17 > Chapter 26 > Part XIV - Campus Free Expression

• 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.
• 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.
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• 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.
• 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.
• Cross examine: Questioning of a witness by the attorney for the other side.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Expressive activities: include but are not limited to any lawful verbal or written means by which individuals or groups communicate ideas to one another, as provided by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America and by the Constitution of Louisiana, including all forms of peaceful assembly, protest, speech, distribution of literature, carrying signs, and circulating petitions. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:3399.31
• 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.
• Material and substantial disruption: means when a person, with the intent and knowledge of doing so, significantly hinders expressive activity, prevents the communication of the message, or prevents the transaction of the business of a lawful meeting, gathering, or procession by either of the following:

              (a) Engaging in fighting, violence, or similar unlawful behavior. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:3399.31

• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• 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.
• 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.
• Plea agreement: An arrangement between the prosecutor, the defense attorney, and the defendant in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for special considerations. ^Source:
• 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).
• Student: means any person who is enrolled on a full-time or part-time basis in a public postsecondary education institution. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:3399.31
• Student organization: means an officially recognized group at a public postsecondary education institution, or a group seeking official recognition, comprised of enrolled students. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:3399.31
• Student-on-student discriminatory harassment: means unwelcome conduct that targets its victim on the basis of a class protected under federal, state, or local law and that is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive and so undermines and detracts from the victim's educational experience that the victim is effectively denied equal access to an institution's resources and opportunities. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:3399.31
• 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.