Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes > Title 1 > Chapter 3 - Rules of Construction

• 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.
• Attorney-at-law: A person who is legally qualified and licensed to practice law, and to represent and act for clients in legal proceedings.
• bail: means the obtaining of the release of the defendant upon an undertaking that the defendant shall appear at the time and place required and that the defendant shall conform to each condition imposed in accordance with section 1026 that is designed to ensure that the defendant shall refrain from any new criminal conduct, to ensure the integrity of the judicial process and to ensure the safety of others in the community. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1003
• Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
• Capital offense: A crime punishable by death.
• Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
• Child or children: means a person who has not attained the age of 18 years. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Codicil: An addition, change, or supplement to a will executed with the same formalities required for the will itself.
• Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
• 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: means any Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court or Superior Court or any active retired justice and any District Court Judge or active retired judge when assigned under Title 4, section 157?C. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1003
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Finance charge: The total cost of credit a customer must pay on a consumer loan, including interest. The Truth in Lending Act requires disclosure of the finance charge. ^{Source: OCC}
• Full age: means the age of 18 and over. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Grantee: means the person to whom a freehold estate or interest in land is conveyed. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Harnish bail proceeding: means a preconviction bail proceeding in which the State is offered the opportunity to obtain a judicial finding of probable cause that the defendant has committed a formerly capital offense, and the defendant, at the same proceeding, is afforded the opportunity to know and rebut the case against the defendant. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1003
• Infant: means a person who has not attained the age of 18 years. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Inhabitant: means a person having an established residence in a place. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Judicial officer: includes the court, as defined in subsection 2, and a bail commissioner. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1003
• Lawful age: means the age of 18 and over. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Legal age: means the age of 18 and over. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Minor or minors: means any person who has not attained the age of 18 years. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Minority: when used in reference to age shall mean under the age of 18. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Month: means a calendar month. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Oath: includes an affirmation, when affirmation is allowed. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• 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.
• Open-end credit: A credit agreement (typically a credit card) that allows a customer to borrow against a preapproved credit line when purchasing goods and services. The borrower is only billed for the amount that is actually borrowed plus any interest due. (Also called a charge account or revolving credit.) ^{Source: OCC}
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Post-conviction: means any point in a criminal proceeding after a verdict or finding of guilty or after the acceptance of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1003
• Preconviction: means any point in a criminal proceeding before a verdict in the context of a jury trial or finding of guilty in the context of a jury-waived trial or before the acceptance of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 15 Sec. 1003
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Real estate: includes lands and all tenements and hereditaments connected therewith, and all rights thereto and interests therein. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Registered apprenticeship: means an apprenticeship program registered with the Maine Apprenticeship Program in accordance with Title 26, chapter 37. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• registered mail: when used in connection with any requirement for notice by mail shall mean either registered mail or certified mail. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• State paper: means the newspaper designated by the Legislature, in which advertisements and notices are required to be published. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Timber and grass: when used in reference to the public reserved lots, so called, in unorganized territory in the State, means all growth of every description on said lots. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Under age: means under the age of 18. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Uniform Commercial Code: A set of statutes enacted by the various states to provide consistency among the states' commercial laws. It includes negotiable instruments, sales, stock transfers, trust and warehouse receipts, and bills of lading. ^{Source: OCC}