Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes > Chapter 1 > Article 48 - Notices

• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• 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.
• 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}
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgage: includes a deed of trust. See North Carolina General Statutes 28A-1-1
• Personal representative: includes both an executor and an administrator, but does not include a collector. See North Carolina General Statutes 28A-1-1
• property: shall include all property, both real and personal. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• 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.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.