Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes > Chapter 14 > Article 1 - Felonies and Misdemeanors

• 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.
• Authorized representative: means the Director of the Meat and Poultry Inspection Service of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• Board: means the North Carolina Board of Agriculture. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• Commissioner: means the North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture or his authorized representative. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• 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.
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• 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.
• 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.
• fair: means a bona fide exhibition designed, arranged and operated to promote, encourage and improve agriculture, horticulture, livestock, poultry, dairy products, mechanical fabrics, domestic economy, and 4-H Club and Future Farmers of America activities, by offering premiums and awards for the best exhibits thereof or with respect thereto. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-520.1
• 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.
• Federal Meat Inspection Act: means the act so entitled approved March 4, 1907 (34 Stat. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• Firm: means any partnership, association, or other unincorporated business organization. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• 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.
• following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• 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.
• 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.
• in writing: may be construed to include printing, engraving, lithographing, and any other mode of representing words and letters: Provided, that in all cases where a written signature is required by law, the same shall be in a proper handwriting, or in a proper mark. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Intrastate commerce: means commerce within this State. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• 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.
• Label: means a display of written, printed, or graphic matter upon the immediate container (not including package liners) of any article. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• Labeling: means all labels and other written, printed, or graphic matter (i) upon any article or any of its containers or wrappers, or (ii) accompanying such article. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• 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}
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Meat food product: means any product capable of use as human food that is made wholly or in part from any meat or other portion of the carcass of any cattle, sheep, swine, goats, bison, fallow deer, or red deer, excepting products that contain meat or other portions of such carcasses only in a relatively small proportion or historically have not been considered by consumers as products of the meat food industry, and that are exempted from definition as a meat food product by the Board under such conditions as it may prescribe to assure that the meat or other portions of such carcasses contained in such product are not adulterated and that such products are not represented as meat food products. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• month: shall be construed to mean a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed; and the word "year" a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed; and the word "year" alone shall be equivalent to the expression "year of our Lord. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• Official certificate: means any certificate prescribed by regulations of the Board for issuance by an inspector or other person performing official functions under this or the subsequent Article. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• Official device: means any device prescribed or authorized by the Board for use in applying any official mark. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• Official inspection legend: means any symbol prescribed by regulations of the Board showing that an article was inspected and passed in accordance with this or the subsequent Article. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• Official mark: means the official inspection legend or any other symbol prescribed by regulations of the Board to identify the status of any article or animal under this or the subsequent Article. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• 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.
• Prepared: means slaughtered, canned, salted, smoked, rendered, boned, cut up, or otherwise manufactured or processed. See North Carolina General Statutes 106-549.15
• property: shall include all property, both real and personal. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• United States: shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3