Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes > Chapter 31 - Food

• Administrator: means the commissioner of commerce. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
• Aeronautics: means transportation by aircraft; the operation, construction, repair, or maintenance of aircraft, aircraft power plants, and accessories; the design, establishment, construction, extension, operation, improvement, repair, or maintenance of airports, restricted landing areas, or other air navigation facilities, and air instruction. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Agent: means an individual, other than a broker-dealer, who represents a broker-dealer in effecting or attempting to effect purchases or sales of securities or represents an issuer in effecting or attempting to effect purchases or sales of the issuer's securities. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Air navigation: means the operation or navigation of aircraft in the air space over this state, or upon any airport or restricted landing area within this state. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Air navigation facility: means any facility other than one owned or controlled by the federal government, used in, available for use in, or designed for use in, aid of air navigation, including airports, restricted landing areas, and any structures, mechanisms, lights, beacons, marks, communicating systems, electronic device, or other instrumentalities or devices used or useful as an aid, or constituting an advantage or convenience, to the safe takeoff, navigation, and landing of aircraft, or the safe and efficient operation or maintenance of an airport or restricted landing area, and any combination of any or all of such facilities. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Air school: means any person engaged in giving, or offering to give, instruction in aeronautics, either in flying or ground subjects, or both, for or without hire or reward, and advertising, representing, or holding out as giving or offering to give such instructions. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Aircraft: means any contrivance now known or hereafter invented, used, or designed for navigation of or flight in the air, but excluding parachutes. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Airport: means any area of land or water, except a restricted landing area, which is designed for the landing and takeoff of aircraft, whether or not facilities are provided for the shelter, surfacing, or repair of aircraft, or for receiving or discharging passengers or cargo, and all appurtenant areas used or suitable for airport buildings or other airport facilities, and all appurtenant rights-of-way, whether heretofore or hereafter established. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Airport protection privileges: means easements through or other interest in air space over land or water, interest in airport hazards outside the boundaries of airports or restricted landing areas, and other protection privileges, the acquisition or control of which is necessary to insure safe approaches to the landing areas of airports and restricted landing areas and the safe and efficient operation thereof. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Airport purposes: means and includes airport, restricted landing area, and other air navigation facility purposes. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• 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.
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• Appraisal assignment: means an engagement for which an appraiser is retained to act, as a disinterested third party in giving an unbiased analysis, opinion, or conclusion relating to the nature, quality, value, or utility of named interests in, or aspects of, identified real estate. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02
• Appraisal management company: means a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, subsidiary, unit, or other business entity that directly or indirectly performs the following appraisal management services:

  (1) within a given 12-month period, as defined in section 82C. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02

• Appraisal management services: means the process of directly or indirectly performing any of the following functions on behalf of a lender, financial institution, client, or any other person to:

  (1) administer an appraiser panel;

  (2) recruit, qualify, verify licensing or certification, and negotiate fees and service level expectations with persons who are part of an appraiser panel;

  (3) receive an order for an appraisal from one person, and deliver the order for the appraisal to an appraiser that is part of an appraiser panel for completion;

  (4) track and determine the status of orders for appraisals;

  (5) conduct quality control of a completed appraisal prior to the delivery of the appraisal to the person that ordered the appraisal; or

  (6) provide a completed appraisal performed by an appraiser to one or more clients. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02

• Appraisal review: means the act of developing and communicating an opinion about the quality of another appraiser's work that was performed as part of an appraisal assignment, except that an examination of an appraisal for grammatical, typographical, or other similar errors that do not make a substantive valuation change shall not be an appraisal review. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02
• Appraisal Subcommittee: means the Appraisal Subcommittee of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02
• Appraiser: means a person who is expected to perform valuation services competently and in a manner that is independent, impartial, and objective, and who is licensed under chapter 82B. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02
• Appraiser panel: means a network of licensed or certified appraisers who are independent contractors to the appraisal management company that have:

  (1) responded to an invitation, request, or solicitation from an appraisal management company, in any form, to perform appraisals for persons that have ordered appraisals through the appraisal management company, or to perform appraisals for the appraisal management company directly, on a periodic basis, as requested and assigned by the appraisal management company; and

  (2) been selected and approved by an appraisal management company to perform appraisals for any client of the appraisal management company that has ordered an appraisal through the appraisal management company, or to perform appraisals for the appraisal management company directly, on a periodic basis, as assigned by the appraisal management company. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02

• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Association: means a group of two or more persons, who are not all members of an immediate family, acting in concert. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• 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.
• Bailee: means a person that by a warehouse receipt, bill of lading, or other document of title acknowledges possession of goods and contracts to deliver them. See Minnesota Statutes 336.7-102
• Ballot question: means a question or proposition that is placed on the ballot and that may be voted on by:

  (1) all voters of the state;

  (2) all voters of Hennepin County;

  (3) all voters of any home rule charter city or statutory city located wholly within Hennepin County and having a population of 75,000 or more; or

  (4) all voters of Special School District No. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01

• Ballot question political committee: means a political committee that makes only expenditures to promote or defeat a ballot question and disbursements permitted under section 10A. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• Bequest: Property gifted by will.
• Board: means the state Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Broker-dealer: means a person engaged in the business of effecting transactions in securities for the account of others or for the person's own account. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Candidate: means an individual who seeks nomination or election as a state constitutional officer, legislator, or judge. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Carrier: means a person that issues a bill of lading. See Minnesota Statutes 336.7-102
• Chair: includes chairman, chairwoman, and chairperson. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
• Chambers: A judge's office.
• Clean: means a letter of credit that is not conditioned on the delivery of any other documents or materials. See Minnesota Statutes 79A.04
• Client: means any person or entity that contracts with, or otherwise enters into an agreement with, an appraisal management company for the performance of real estate appraisal services or appraisal management services. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of commerce. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of the Department of Administration. See Minnesota Statutes 13.02
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of transportation of the state of Minnesota. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• 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.
• Consignee: means a person named in a bill of lading to which or to whose order the bill promises delivery. See Minnesota Statutes 336.7-102
• Consignor: means a person named in a bill of lading as the person from which the goods have been received for shipment. See Minnesota Statutes 336.7-102
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contribution: includes a loan or advance of credit to a political committee, political fund, principal campaign committee, local candidate, or party unit, if the loan or advance of credit is: (1) forgiven; or (2) repaid by an individual or an association other than the political committee, political fund, principal campaign committee, local candidate, or party unit to which the loan or advance of credit was made. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Controlling person: means :

  (1) any owner, officer, or director of an appraisal management company seeking to offer appraisal management services in this state;

  (2) an individual employed, appointed, or authorized by an appraisal management company that has the authority to enter into a contractual relationship with other persons for the performance of appraisal management services and has the authority to enter into agreements with appraisers for the performance of appraisals;

  (3) an individual who possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of an appraisal management company; or

  (4) an individual who enters into:

  (i) contractual relationships with clients for the performance of appraisal management services; and

  (ii) agreements with employed and independent appraisers for the performance of real estate appraisal services. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02

• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
• court administrator: means the court administrator of the court in which the action or proceeding is pending, and "court administrator's office" means that court administrator's office. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Department: means the Minnesota Department of Transportation. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
• Depository: means a bank, savings association, or credit union organized under federal or state law and transacting business within this state. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Depository institution: means :

  (A) a bank; or

  (B) a savings institution, trust company, credit union, or similar institution that is organized or chartered under the laws of a state or of the United States, authorized to receive deposits, and supervised and examined by an official or agency of a state or the United States if its deposits or share accounts are insured to the maximum amount authorized by statute by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, or a successor authorized by federal law. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41

• Devise: To gift property by will.
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• domestic animals: include poultry. See Minnesota Statutes 35.01
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Election: means a primary, special primary, general, or special election. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Election cycle: means the period from January 1 following a general election for an office to December 31 following the next general election for that office, except that "election cycle" for a special election means the period from the date the special election writ is issued to 15 days after the special election is held. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. ^{Source: OCC}
• Employee: means an individual who is treated as an employee for purposes of compliance with federal income tax laws. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02
• Employee: includes an independent contractor who performs advisory functions on behalf of an investment adviser. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
• Evergreen clause: means one which specifically states that expiration of a letter of credit will not take place without a 60-day notice by the insurer and one which allows the issuer to conduct an annual review of the account party's financial condition. See Minnesota Statutes 79A.04
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• expenditure: includes the dollar value of a donation in kind. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is a set of United States statutes added as Title VIII of the Consumer Credit Protection Act. Its purpose is to ensure ethical practices in the collection of consumer debts and to provide consumers with an avenue for disputing and obtaining validation of debt information in order to ensure the information's accuracy. It is often used in conjunction with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
• Fault: means wrongful act, omission, breach, or default. See Minnesota Statutes 336.2A-103
• Federal covered investment adviser: means a person registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Federal covered security: means a security that is, or upon completion of a transaction will be, a covered security under Section 18(b) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: A government corporation that insures the deposits of all national and state banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System. ^{Source: OCC}
• Federal Reserve System: The central bank of the United States. The Fed, as it is commonly called, regulates the U.S. monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D.C. (the Board of Governors) and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Filing: means the receipt under this chapter of a record by the administrator or a designee of the administrator. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Finance lease: means a lease in which

  (1) the lessor does not select, manufacture, or supply the goods,

  (2) the lessor acquires the goods or the right to possession and use of the goods in connection with the lease, and

  (3) either

  (i) the lessee receives a copy of the contract evidencing the lessor's purchase of the goods or a disclaimer statement on or before signing the lease contract, or

  (ii) the lessee's approval of the contract evidencing the lessor's purchase of the goods or a disclaimer statement is a condition to effectiveness of the lease contract. See Minnesota Statutes 336.2A-103

• Financial institution: means a lending institution chartered by an agency of the federal government or regulated by the commissioner of commerce. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. ^{Source: OCC}
• Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
• General treasury money: means money that an association other than a principal campaign committee, party unit, or political committee accumulates through membership dues and fees, donations to the association for its general purposes, and income from the operation of a business. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Goods: means all things that are movable at the time of identification to the lease contract, or are fixtures (section 336. See Minnesota Statutes 336.2A-103
• Goods: means all things that are treated as movable for the purposes of a contract for storage or transportation. See Minnesota Statutes 336.7-102
• Governing body: means the council, board of trustees, board of commissioners, board of supervisors, or other body, board, commission, or other authority charged with governing any municipality, and in municipalities in which the board of park commissioners or other body in charge of the park system of the municipality controls airports owned by the municipality includes such board or other body. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Government data: means all data collected, created, received, maintained or disseminated by any government entity regardless of its physical form, storage media or conditions of use. See Minnesota Statutes 13.02
• Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Holiday: includes New Year's Day, January 1; Martin Luther King's Birthday, the third Monday in January; Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday, the third Monday in February; Memorial Day, the last Monday in May; Juneteenth, June 19; Independence Day, July 4; Labor Day, the first Monday in September; Indigenous Peoples Day, the second Monday in October; Veterans Day, November 11; Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November; and Christmas Day, December 25; provided, when New Year's Day, January 1; or Juneteenth, June 19; or Independence Day, July 4; or Veterans Day, November 11; or Christmas Day, December 25; falls on Sunday, the following day shall be a holiday and, provided, when New Year's Day, January 1; or Juneteenth, June 19; or Independence Day, July 4; or Veterans Day, November 11; or Christmas Day, December 25; falls on Saturday, the preceding day shall be a holiday. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
• In forma pauperis: In the manner of a pauper. Permission given to a person to sue without payment of court fees on claim of indigence or poverty.
• Independent expenditure: means an expenditure expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or local candidate, if the expenditure is made without the express or implied consent, authorization, or cooperation of, and not in concert with or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or any candidate's principal campaign committee or agent or any local candidate or local candidate's agent. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Independent expenditure political committee: means a political committee that makes only independent expenditures and disbursements permitted under section 10A. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Independent expenditure political fund: means a political fund that makes only independent expenditures and disbursements permitted under section 10A. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Insurance company: means a company organized as an insurance company whose primary business is writing insurance or reinsuring risks underwritten by insurance companies and which is subject to supervision by the insurance commissioner or a similar official or agency of a state. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
• Investment adviser: means a person that, for compensation, engages in the business of advising others, either directly or through publications or writings, as to the value of securities or the advisability of investing in, purchasing, or selling securities or that, for compensation and as a part of a regular business, issues or promulgates analyses or reports concerning securities. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Investment adviser representative: means an individual employed by or associated with an investment adviser or federal covered investment adviser and who makes any recommendations or otherwise gives investment advice regarding securities, manages accounts or portfolios of clients, determines which recommendation or advice regarding securities should be given, provides investment advice or holds herself or himself out as providing investment advice, receives compensation to solicit, offer, or negotiate for the sale of or for selling investment advice, or supervises employees who perform any of the foregoing. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Irrevocable: means a letter of credit that cannot be modified or revoked without the consent of the beneficiary, once the beneficiary is established. See Minnesota Statutes 79A.04
• Issuer: means a bailee that issues a document of title or, in the case of an unaccepted delivery order, the person that orders the possessor of goods to deliver. See Minnesota Statutes 336.7-102
• Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
• Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Lease: means a transfer of the right to possession and use of goods for a term in return for consideration, but a sale, including a sale on approval or a sale or return, or retention or creation of a security interest is not a lease. See Minnesota Statutes 336.2A-103
• Lease agreement: means the bargain, with respect to the lease, of the lessor and the lessee in fact as found in their language or by implication from other circumstances including course of dealing or usage of trade or course of performance as provided in this article. See Minnesota Statutes 336.2A-103
• Lease contract: means the total legal obligation that results from the lease agreement as affected by this article and any other applicable rules of law. See Minnesota Statutes 336.2A-103
• Legacy: A gift of property made by will.
• Legislative session: That part of a chamber's daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto).
• Lessee: means a person who acquires the right to possession and use of goods under a lease. See Minnesota Statutes 336.2A-103
• Lessor: means a person who transfers the right to possession and use of goods under a lease. See Minnesota Statutes 336.2A-103
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Loan: means an advance of money or anything of value made to a political committee, political fund, principal campaign committee, local candidate, or party unit. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Lobbyist: means an individual:

  (1) engaged for pay or other consideration of more than $3,000 from all sources in any year:

  (i) for the purpose of attempting to influence legislative or administrative action, or the official action of a political subdivision, by communicating or urging others to communicate with public or local officials; or

  (ii) from a business whose primary source of revenue is derived from facilitating government relations or government affairs services if the individual's job duties include offering direct or indirect consulting or advice that helps the business provide those services to clients; or

  (2) who spends more than $3,000 of the individual's personal funds, not including the individual's own traveling expenses and membership dues, in any year for the purpose of attempting to influence legislative or administrative action, or the official action of a political subdivision, by communicating or urging others to communicate with public or local officials. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01

• Markup: The process by which congressional committees and subcommittees debate, amend, and rewrite proposed legislation.
• Minor: means an individual under the age of 18. See Minnesota Statutes 645.451
• Minor political party: means a minor political party as defined in section 200. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgage loan: A loan made by a lender to a borrower for the financing of real property. ^{Source: OCC}
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• Municipality: means a city of any class, including a city organized under a charter framed pursuant to the Constitution of the state of Minnesota, article IV, section 36, article XI, section 4, or article XII, section 5, a county, a town, or a statutory city in this state, the regents of the University of Minnesota, and any other political subdivision, public corporation, authority, or district in this state which is or may be authorized by law to acquire, establish, construct, maintain, improve, and operate airports and other air navigation facilities. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• National Credit Union Administration: The federal regulatory agency that charters and supervises federal credit unions. (NCUA also administers the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, which insures the deposits of federal credit unions.) ^{Source: OCC}
• National Registry: means the registry of state-registered appraisal management companies and federally regulated appraisal management companies maintained by the Appraisal Subcommittee. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Oath: includes "affirmation" in all cases where by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath; and in like cases "swear" includes "affirm" and "sworn" "affirmed. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
• Offer to purchase: includes an attempt or offer to obtain, or solicitation of an offer to sell, a security or interest in a security for value. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• 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.
• party unit: means the state committee, the party organization within a house of the legislature, or any other party organization designated by the chair of the political party in an annual certification of party units provided to the board. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Person: means a natural person, firm, partnership, limited liability partnership, corporation, association, limited liability company, or other form of business organization and the officers, directors, employees, or agents of that person. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02
• Person: means an individual, an association, a political subdivision, or a public higher education system. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Person: means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, business trust, or a legal representative of an organization. See Minnesota Statutes 13.02
• Person: means an individual; corporation; business trust; estate; trust; partnership; limited liability company; association; joint venture; government; governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality; public corporation; or any other legal or commercial entity. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Person: means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint stock association, or body politic; and includes any trustee, receiver, assignee, or other similar representative thereof. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• 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.
• Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
• Political committee: means an association whose major purpose is to influence the nomination or election of one or more candidates or local candidates or to promote or defeat a ballot question, other than a principal campaign committee, local candidate, or a political party unit. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Political fund: means an accumulation of dues or voluntary contributions by an association other than a political committee, principal campaign committee, or party unit, if the accumulation is collected or expended to influence the nomination or election of one or more candidates or local candidates or to promote or defeat a ballot question. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Political party: means a major political party or a minor political party. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Political subdivision: means the Metropolitan Council, a metropolitan agency as defined in section 473. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Population: means the population established by the most recent federal census, by a special census taken by the United States Bureau of the Census, by an estimate made by the Metropolitan Council, or by an estimate made by the state demographer under section 4A. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Predecessor Act: means Minnesota Statutes 2002, sections 80A. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
• Principal: means an individual or association that:

  (1) spends more than $500 in the aggregate in any calendar year to engage a lobbyist, compensate a lobbyist, or authorize the expenditure of money by a lobbyist; or

  (2) is not included in clause (1) and spends a total of at least $50,000 in any calendar year on efforts to influence legislative action, administrative action, or the official action of metropolitan governmental units, as described in section 10A. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01

• Principal campaign committee: means a principal campaign committee formed under section 10A. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• private self-insurer: includes both current and former members of the self-insurers' security fund; and "private self-insurers' estimated future liability" means the private self-insurers' total of estimated future liability as determined by an Associate or Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society every year for group member private self-insurers and, for a nongroup member private self-insurer's authority to self-insure, every year for the first five years. See Minnesota Statutes 79A.04
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probate: Proving a will
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• public record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Public waters: means public waters as defined in section 103G. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. ^{Source: FDIC}
• 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.
• Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• Restricted landing area: means any area of land, water, or both, which is used or is made available for the landing and takeoff of aircraft, the use of which shall, except in case of emergency, be only as provided from time to time by the commissioner. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Right of rescission: Right to cancel, within three business days, a contract that uses the home of a person as collateral, except in the case of a first mortgage loan. There is no fee to the borrower, who receives a full refund of all fees paid. The right of rescission is guaranteed by the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). ^{Source: OCC}
• Sale: includes every contract of sale, contract to sell, or disposition of, a security or interest in a security for value, and "offer to sell" includes every attempt or offer to dispose of, or solicitation of an offer to purchase, a security or interest in a security for value. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• seal: includes an impression thereof upon the paper alone, as well as an impression on a wafer, wax, or other substance thereto attached. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
• Securities and Exchange Commission: means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Security: means a note; stock; treasury stock; security future; bond; debenture; evidence of indebtedness; certificate of interest or participation in a profit-sharing agreement; collateral trust certificate; preorganization certificate or subscription; transferable share; investment contract; voting trust certificate; certificate of deposit for a security; fractional undivided interest in oil, gas, or other mineral rights; put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on a security, certificate of deposit, or group or index of securities, including an interest therein or based on the value thereof; put, call, straddle, option, or privilege entered into on a national securities exchange relating to foreign currency; or, in general, an interest or instrument commonly known as a "security"; or a certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, guarantee of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the foregoing. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Self-regulatory organization: means a national securities exchange registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, a national securities association of broker-dealers registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board established under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• 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.
• Shipper: means a person that enters into a contract of transportation with a carrier. See Minnesota Statutes 336.7-102
• State: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See Minnesota Statutes 80A.41
• state board: means the Board of Animal Health. See Minnesota Statutes 35.01
• State committee: means the organization that, by virtue of the bylaws of a political party, is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the political party at the state level. See Minnesota Statutes 10A.01
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Structure: means any object constructed or installed, including, but without limitation, buildings, towers, smokestacks, and overhead transmission lines. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Summary data: means statistical records and reports derived from data on individuals but in which individuals are not identified and from which neither their identities nor any other characteristic that could uniquely identify an individual is ascertainable. See Minnesota Statutes 13.02
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Supplier: means a person from whom a lessor buys or leases goods to be leased under a finance lease. See Minnesota Statutes 336.2A-103
• Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• this state: means the state of Minnesota. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• 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.
• Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
• Tree: means any object of natural growth. See Minnesota Statutes 360.013
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• USPAP: means the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice as established by the Appraisal Foundation. See Minnesota Statutes 82C.02
• Usury: Charging an illegally high interest rate on a loan. ^{Source: OCC}
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Violate: includes failure to comply with. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
• Warehouse: means a person engaged in the business of storing goods for hire. See Minnesota Statutes 336.7-102
• Wetlands: means lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.