Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes > Title 49 > Chapter 2 > Part II-B - Expropriation by a Declaration of Taking

• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• 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.
• Coastal zone: means the coastal zone boundary as defined in Louisiana Revised Statutes 49:214.61
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Department: means the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority or its successor. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 49:214.61
• 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.
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Property: means the servitude of use, easement or right-of-way over, through, along and across immovable property necessary to establish, maintain or operate a project for barrier island preservation, restoration, or creation for coastal wetlands purposes, including rights of ingress and egress to public or private areas on which such projects are being established, maintained or operated. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 49:214.61
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.