Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes > Title 42 > Chapter 15 > Part IV - Miscellaneous Provisions

• Agency: means a department, office, division, agency, commission, board, committee, or other organizational unit of a governmental entity. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• Agency head: means the chief executive or administrative officer of an agency or any member of a board or commission who exercises supervision over the agency. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• Assist: means to act in such a way as to help, advise, furnish information to, or aid a person with the intent to assist such person. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• Board: means the Board of Ethics. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• Compensation: means any thing of economic value which is paid, loaned, granted, given, donated, or transferred or to be paid, loaned, granted, given, donated, or transferred for or in consideration of personal services to any person. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• 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.
• 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.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• 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:
• Elected official: means any person holding an office in a governmental entity which is filled by the vote of the appropriate electorate. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• 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.
• Governing authority: means the body which exercises the legislative functions of a political subdivision. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• Governmental entity: means the state or any political subdivision which employs the public employee or employed the former public employee or to which the elected official is elected, as the case may be. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• his agency: when used in reference to the agency of a public servant shall mean:

              (i) For public servants in the twenty principal departments of the executive branch of state government, the office in which such public servant carries out his primary responsibilities; except that in the case of the secretary, deputy secretary, or undersecretary of any such department and officials carrying out the responsibilities of such department officers it shall mean the department in which he serves; and except that in the case of public servants who are members or employees of a board or commission or who provide staff assistance to a board or commission, it shall mean the board or commission. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102

• 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.
• Legislator: means any person holding office in the Senate or the House of Representatives of the Louisiana Legislature which is filled by the vote of the appropriate electorate. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Person: means an individual or legal entity other than a governmental entity, or an agency thereof. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Political subdivision: means any unit of local government, including a special district, authorized by law to perform governmental functions. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Public employee: means anyone, whether compensated or not, who is:

              (i) An administrative officer or official of a governmental entity who is not filling an elective office. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102

• public office: means any state, district, parish or municipal office, elective or appointive, or any position as member on a board or commission, elective or appointive, when the office or position is established by the constitution or laws of this state. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1
• Public servant: means a public employee or an elected official. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• Service: means the performance of work, duties, or responsibilities, or the leasing, rental, or sale of movable or immovable property. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 42:1102
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.