Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes > Title 34-B > Chapter 3 > Subchapter 3 > Article 1 - General Provisions

• Adult: means a person who has attained the age of 18 years. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Agency: means a person, firm, association or corporation, but does not include the individual or corporate professional practice of one or more psychologists or psychiatrists. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 34-B Sec. 3601
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Case management services: means those services which assist an individual in gaining access to and making effective use of the range of medical, psychological and other related services available to them. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 34-B Sec. 3601
• Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Health and Human Services or the commissioner's designee, except that when the term "commissioner and only the commissioner" is used, the term applies only to the person appointed Commissioner of Health and Human Services and not to any designee. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 34-B Sec. 1001
• 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.
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Department: means the Department of Health and Human Services. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 34-B Sec. 1001
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• 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.
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
• 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.
• Long-term mentally ill: means persons who suffer certain mental or emotional disorders, such as organic brain syndrome, schizophrenia, recurrent depressive and manic-depressive disorders, paranoid and other psychoses, plus other disorders which may become chronic, that erode or prevent the capacities in relation to 3 or more of the primary aspects of daily life, such as personal hygiene and self-care, self-direction, interpersonal relationships, social transactions, learning, recreation and economic self-sufficiency. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 34-B Sec. 3601
• Mental health services: means out-patient counseling, other psychological, psychiatric, diagnostic or therapeutic services and other allied services. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 34-B Sec. 3601
• Military forces: means the state military forces, as defined in section 102. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 37-B Sec. 101-A
• Municipality: includes cities, towns and plantations, except that "municipality" does not include plantations in Title 10, chapter 110, subchapter IV; or Title 30?A, Part 2. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Oath: includes an affirmation, when affirmation is allowed. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Probate: Proving a will
• 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.
• 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.
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• 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.
• Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72