Terms Used In Tennessee Code > Title 4 > Chapter 44 - Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial Commission Act

• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Agriculture: means :
  (i) The land, buildings and machinery used in the commercial production of farm products and nursery stock. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• 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.
• Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
• Annual percentage rate: The cost of credit at a yearly rate. It is calculated in a standard way, taking the average compound interest rate over the term of the loan so borrowers can compare loans. Lenders are required by law to disclose a card account's APR. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Any law to the contrary: includes , but is not limited to, any conflicting provision of any general statute, local law, private act, charter provision, municipal law or municipal ordinance. See Tennessee Code 16-18-301
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• 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.
• Borrower: means a natural person who occupies and owns in fee simple individually, or with another borrower as tenants by the entireties or as joint tenants with right of survivorship, an interest in residential real property securing a reverse mortgage loan, and who borrows money under a reverse mortgage loan. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• buyer: means a person who buys goods or obtains services from a retail seller in a retail installment transaction and not principally for the purpose of resale. See Tennessee Code 47-11-102
• Capital improvement property: means any real or tangible property needed for a governmental purpose and having a useful life of one (1) year or more, and any real or tangible personal property with respect to which capital outlay notes can be legally authorized and issued by a municipality. See Tennessee Code 7-51-901
• Cash sale price: means the price for which the seller would have sold or furnished to the buyer, and the buyer would have bought or obtained from the seller, the goods or services which are the subject matter of the retail installment transaction, if such sale had been a sale for cash. See Tennessee Code 47-11-102
• Code: includes the Tennessee Code and all amendments and revisions to the code and all additions and supplements to the code. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Commission: means the Tennessee commission for the United States semiquincentennial commission. See Tennessee Code 4-44-102
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of financial institutions. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• 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.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Consumer: means any natural person who resides, is present or is domiciled in this state, or who is or may become a plaintiff or complainant in a dispute in this state. See Tennessee Code 47-16-102
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• contract: means an instrument or instruments evidencing one (1) or more retail installment transactions entered into in this state pursuant to which a buyer promises to pay in installments for goods or services. See Tennessee Code 47-11-102
• Contracting party: means any party to a contract, lease or lease-purchase agreement other than a municipality, and can include individuals, corporations, partnerships, other government agencies, and other business entities. See Tennessee Code 7-51-901
• 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.
• Counselor: means either:
  (A) An individual who has completed a training curriculum on reverse mortgage counseling provided or approved by HUD and whose name is maintained on HUD's list of approved reverse mortgage counselors. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
• County mayor: means and includes "county executive" unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Credit limit: means the maximum amount of principal indebtedness which may be outstanding at any one time under a revolving credit agreement. See Tennessee Code 47-28-101
• Creditor: includes a state or national bank, a state or federal savings and loan association, a savings bank, a registrant under the Industrial Loan and Thrift Companies Act, compiled in title 45, chapter 5, a state or federal credit union, or any other individual, partnership, trust, corporation, or other legal entity permitted or authorized to enter into credit transactions secured by a mortgage. See Tennessee Code 47-28-101
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• 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.
• 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:
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Equity share: means any compensation, in addition to interest that has accrued on the outstanding balance, that the borrower has paid or agrees to pay to the lender at maturity of a reverse mortgage loan, which is equal to a percentage of the value of the property securing a reverse mortgage loan at maturity. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• 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.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• 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.
• Fannie Mae: means The Federal National Mortgage Association, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• Fannie Mae Reverse Mortgage Loan: means any reverse mortgage loan which complies with Fannie Mae guidelines and is purchased or securitized by Fannie Mae including a Home Keeper Mortgage Loan. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Fixed Rate: Having a "fixed" rate means that the APR doesn't change based on fluctuations of some external rate (such as the "Prime Rate"). In other words, a fixed rate is a rate that is not a variable rate. A fixed APR can change over time, in several circumstances:
  • You are late making a payment or commit some other default, triggering an increase to a penalty rate
  • The bank changes the terms of your account and you do not reject the change.
  • The rate expires (if the rate was fixed for only a certain period of time).
• 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}
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Goods: includes goods which, at the time of the sale or subsequently, are to be so affixed to real property as to become a part thereof, whether or not severable therefrom. See Tennessee Code 47-11-102
• Governing body: means the board or body in which the general legislative powers of the municipality are vested. See Tennessee Code 7-51-901
• Governmental entity: means :
  (A) The state and each of its departments, agencies, divisions, boards, commissions, and other instrumentalities. See Tennessee Code 47-17-103
• governmental entity: means any political subdivision of the state of Tennessee and any municipality, metropolitan government, county or airport authority. See Tennessee Code 7-51-1002
• Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. ^{Source: Federal Reserve}
• 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.
• Highway: includes public bridges and may be held equivalent to the words "county way" "county road" or "state road". See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Home equity conversion mortgage loan: means a loan for a definite or indefinite term:
  (A) Secured by a first mortgage or first deed of trust on the principal residence of the mortgagor. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• Home loan: means a loan which is:
  (A) Secured by real estate owned and occupied by the borrower for family residential purposes and which may include not more than three (3) additional residential units. See Tennessee Code 47-15-101
• HUD: means the United States department of housing and urban development. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.
• 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.
• Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. ^{Source: OCC}
• Joint session: When both chambers of a legislature adopt a concurrent resolution to meet together.
• 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.
• Lands: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments, and all rights thereto and interests therein, equitable as well as legal. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• 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}
• Legislative session: That part of a chamber's daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto).
• lender: means :
  (A) A bank, savings and loan association, savings bank, savings institution, or credit union chartered under the laws of the United States or of Tennessee. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• 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.
• Litigation financier: means a person, entity or partnership engaged in the business of litigation financing. See Tennessee Code 47-16-102
• Metropolitan government: means the political entity created by consolidation of all, or substantially all, of the political and corporate functions of a county and a city or cities. See Tennessee Code 7-1-101
• Minor: means any person who has not attained eighteen (18) years of age. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Month: means a calendar month. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgage: includes a mortgage, deed of trust, or other conveyance of real property securing obligations, except instruments creating or perfecting a security interest in fixtures which do not include other real property. See Tennessee Code 47-28-101
• 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.
• Municipal court: includes the city, town, mayor's, recorder's or municipal court, or other similarly functioning court, however designated, for any city, town, municipality or metropolitan government, whether the court exists pursuant to general statute, local law, private act, charter provision, municipal law, municipal ordinance or other legal authorization. See Tennessee Code 16-18-301
• Municipality: means any county or incorporated city or town of the state of Tennessee. See Tennessee Code 7-51-901
• National Bank: A bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. A national bank can be recognized because it must have "national" or "national association" in its name. ^{Source: OCC}
• Notice of meeting: means the notice of meeting referred to in this part. See Tennessee Code 7-51-901
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Oath: includes affirmation. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• 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.
• Official fees: means :
  (A) The fees prescribed by law for filing, recording or otherwise perfecting or releasing or satisfying any title or lien retained or taken by seller in connection with a retail installment transaction. See Tennessee Code 47-11-102
• 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}
• Open-end credit agreement: means a revolving credit agreement that is secured by a mortgage and that is not entered into for commercial purposes. See Tennessee Code 47-28-101
• Open-end mortgage: means a mortgage securing an open-end credit agreement. See Tennessee Code 47-28-101
• Outlays: Outlays are payments made (generally through the issuance of checks or disbursement of cash) to liquidate obligations. Outlays during a fiscal year may be for payment of obligations incurred in prior years or in the same year.
• Outstanding balance: means the current net amount of money owed by the borrower to the lender, calculated in accordance with §. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• 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.
• Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Personal property: includes money, goods, chattels, things in action, and evidences of debt. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• 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.
• Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probate: Proving a will
• Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
• 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.
• real property: include lands, tenements and hereditaments, and all rights thereto and interests therein, equitable as well as legal. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in a perceivable form. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Released claims: means the causes of action and other claims that are released in a statewide opioid settlement agreement or as set forth in a declaration of such an agreement by the attorney general and reporter, including matters identified as released claims as that term or a comparable term is defined in a statewide opioid settlement agreement. See Tennessee Code 47-17-103
• Released entities: means the entities released in a statewide opioid settlement agreement and pursuant to a declaration of a statewide settlement agreement by the attorney general and reporter, including those identified as released entities as that term or a comparable term is defined in a statewide opioid settlement agreement. See Tennessee Code 47-17-103
• 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.
• Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
• Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• 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.
• Resolution: means any resolution duly adopted by a governing body pursuant to this part. See Tennessee Code 7-51-901
• Retail charge agreement: means an instrument or instruments prescribing the terms of retail installment transactions which may be made thereafter from time to time pursuant thereto, under which the buyer's total unpaid balance, whenever incurred, is payable in installments over a period of time and under the terms of which a time price differential, as defined in subdivision (10), is to be computed in relation to the buyer's unpaid balance from time to time. See Tennessee Code 47-11-102
• Reverse mortgage: means a mortgage or deed of trust securing a home equity conversion loan or reverse mortgage loan. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• Reverse mortgage loan: means a home equity conversion mortgage loan issued under the terms of this chapter. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• Revolving 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 open-end credit.) ^{Source: OCC}
• Revolving credit agreement: means a written agreement between a creditor and one (1) or more borrowers, under which:
  (A) It is contemplated that future advances of money or credit may be made on the request or demand of the borrower. See Tennessee Code 47-28-101
• 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}
• Right of survivorship: The ownership rights that result in the acquisition of title to property by reason of having survived other co-owners.
• Savings and loan association: includes a building and loan association, a federal or state savings and loan association, a federal savings bank, and any other financial institution, the accounts of which are insured by the [former] federal savings and loan insurance corporation (FSLIC) or any successor [repealed] of such corporation. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Securitized: means converting mortgages or deeds of trust into securities that may be purchased by investors. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• seller: means a person regularly engaged in, and whose business consists to a substantial extent of, selling goods to a retail buyer. See Tennessee Code 47-11-102
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Services: means work or labor furnished, whether or not furnished in connection with the delivery, installation, servicing, repair or improvement of goods and includes repairs, alterations or improvements upon or in connection with real property. See Tennessee Code 47-11-102
• 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.
• sex: means a person's immutable biological sex as determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth and evidence of a person's biological sex. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Shared appreciation: means an agreement by the lender and the borrower that, in addition to any interest accruing on the outstanding balance of a reverse mortgage loan, the lender may collect an additional amount equal to a percentage of any net appreciated value of the property during the term of the reverse mortgage loan. See Tennessee Code 47-30-102
• signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• State-subdivision opioid abatement agreement: means an agreement entered into by the state and one (1) or more subdivisions of the state that addresses the allocation of funds dedicated to opioid abatement. See Tennessee Code 47-17-103
• Statewide opioid settlement agreement: means a settlement agreement entered into by the state and one (1) or more entities involved in activities related to the manufacture, marketing, distribution, dispensing, or sale of opioids in which subdivision claims are addressed. See Tennessee Code 47-17-103
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• 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.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Time price differential: means the amount, however denominated or expressed, which the retail buyer contracts to pay or pays for the privilege of purchasing goods or services to be paid for by the buyer in installments. See Tennessee Code 47-11-102
• 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.
• transaction: means a contract to sell or furnish or the sale of or the furnishing of goods or services by a retail seller to a retail buyer pursuant to a retail installment contract or a retail charge agreement. See Tennessee Code 47-11-102
• 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.
• 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.
• Truth in Lending Act: The Truth in Lending Act is a federal law that requires lenders to provide standardized information so that borrowers can compare loan terms. In general, lenders must provide information on ^{Source: OCC}
• 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}
• United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Variable Rate: Having a "variable" rate means that the APR changes from time to time based on fluctuations in an external rate, normally the Prime Rate. This external rate is known as the "index." If the index changes, the variable rate normally changes. Also see Fixed Rate.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105