Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes > Title 48 > Chapter 4 - Scope of Chapter; Terms Defined

• 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.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• 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.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• autobus: as used in this chapter means and includes, except as hereinafter noted, any motor vehicle or motorbus operated over public highways or public places in this State for the transportation of passengers for hire in intrastate business, whether used in regular route, casino, charter or special bus operations, notwithstanding such motor vehicle or motorbus may be used in interstate commerce. See New Jersey Statutes 48:4-1
• 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.
• charter bus operation: as used in this chapter means and includes the operation of an autobus or autobuses, not on a regular schedule, by the person owning or leasing such bus or buses pursuant to a contract, agreement or arrangement to furnish an autobus or autobuses and a driver or drivers thereof to a person, group of persons or organization (corporate or otherwise) for a trip designated by such person, group of persons or organization for a fixed charge per trip, per autobus, per period of time or per mile. See New Jersey Statutes 48:4-1
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• 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.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• magistrate: includes any judge, municipal magistrate or officer or other person having the powers of a committing magistrate. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
• month: means a calendar month, and the word "year" means a calendar year. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
• 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: as used in this chapter means and includes any individual, copartnership, association, corporation or joint stock company, their lessees, trustees, or receivers appointed by any court. See New Jersey Statutes 48:4-1
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
• regular route bus operation: as used in this chapter means and includes the operation of an autobus between fixed termini, on a regular schedule and with provision for convenient one-way transportation in either direction, and shall also include all existing regular route operations to or from any casino licensed under the "Casino Control Act" P. See New Jersey Statutes 48:4-1
• ridesharing: as used in this chapter means the transportation of persons in a motor vehicle, with a maximum carrying capacity of not more than 15 passengers, including the driver, where such transportation is incidental to the purpose of the driver. See New Jersey Statutes 48:4-1
• special bus operation: as used in this chapter means and includes the operation by the owner or lessee of an autobus or autobuses for the purpose of carrying passengers for hire, not on a regular schedule, each passenger paying a fixed charge for his carriage, on a special trip arranged and designated by such owner or lessee, which fixed charge may or may not include special premiums. See New Jersey Statutes 48:4-1
• special paratransit vehicle: as used in this chapter means any motor vehicle which is used exclusively for the transportation of persons who are at least 60 years of age or who have disabilities or who are the clients of social service agencies, provided, that the motor vehicle is used in a service provided by a county either directly or by contract, or provided by a nonprofit organization, and the service is included by a county as part of its county plan required by section 6 of P. See New Jersey Statutes 48:4-1
• special premiums: as used in this chapter means the provision of meals, gifts, lodging, entertainment, sightseeing services or other similar inducements in connection with the purchase or issuing of a ticket. See New Jersey Statutes 48:4-1
• State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• street: as used in this chapter means and includes any street, avenue, park, parkway, highway, road or other public place. See New Jersey Statutes 48:4-1
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.