Terms Used In New York Laws > Election > Article 6 - Designation and Nomination of Candidates

• adult: means an individual eighteen years of age or older. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 82.02
• advance directive: means a legally recognized written or oral instruction by an adult relating to the provision of health care to the adult if and when they become incapacitated, including but not limited to a health care proxy, a consent to the issuance of an order not to resuscitate or other orders for life-sustaining treatment recorded in a patient's medical record, or other legally-recognized statements of wishes or beliefs. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 82.02
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• available resources: means resources such as, but not limited to, visiting nurses, homemakers, home health aides, adult day care and multipurpose senior citizen centers, powers of attorney, health care proxies, trusts, representative and protective payees, and residential care facilities. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 81.03
• Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses.
• Codicil: An addition, change, or supplement to a will executed with the same formalities required for the will itself.
• 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.
• 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.
• decision-maker: means an adult who has executed, or seeks to execute, a supported decision-making agreement. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 82.02
• 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.
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for 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.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• facilitator: means an individual or entity authorized by the office for people with developmental disabilities that works with and educates the decision-maker and his or her supporter or supporters about supported decision-making and supported decision-making agreements authorized under this article. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 82.02
• facility: means a facility, hospital, or school, or an alcoholism facility in this state as such terms are defined in section 1. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 81.03
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• financial exploitation: has the meaning given in § 473 of the social services law. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 82.02
• 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.
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• functional level: means the ability to provide for personal needs and/or the ability with respect to property management. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 81.03
• good faith: means honest in fact and in the observance of reasonable standards of fair dealing. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 82.02
• 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.
• guardian: means a person who is eighteen years of age or older, a corporation, or a public agency, including a local department of social services, appointed in accordance with terms of this article by the supreme court, the surrogate's court, or the county court to act on behalf of an incapacitated person in providing for personal needs and/or for property management. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 81.03
• 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.
• Joint meeting: An occasion, often ceremonial, when the House and Senate each adopt a unanimous consent agreement
• 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.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• mental hygiene facility: means a facility, hospital, or school, or an alcoholism facility in this state as such terms are defined in section 1. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 81.03
• neglect: has the meaning defined in paragraph (d) of subdivision one of § 473 of the social services law. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 82.02
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• 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.
• 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.
• personal needs: means needs such as, but not limited to, food, clothing, shelter, health care, and safety. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 81.03
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• physical coercion: means to place under duress, menace, or threaten physical violence or imprisonment. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 82.02
• 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}
• 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.
• property management: means taking actions to obtain, administer, protect, and dispose of real and personal property, intangible property, business property, benefits, and income and to deal with financial affairs. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 81.03
• 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.
• 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.
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• supported decision-making: means a way by which a decision-maker utilizes support from trusted persons in their life, in order to make their own decisions about their life, including, but not limited to, decisions related to where and with whom the decision-maker wants to live; decisions about finances; the services, supports, and health care the decision-maker wants to receive; and where the decision-maker wants to work. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 82.02
• supported decision-making agreement: is a n agreement a decision-maker enters into with one or more supporters under this section that describes how the decision-maker uses supported decision-making to make their own decisions. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 82.02
• supporter: means an adult who has voluntarily entered into a supported decision-making agreement with a decision-maker, agreeing to assist the decision-maker in making their own decisions as prescribed by the supported decision-making agreement, and who is not ineligible under section 82. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 82.02
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• 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.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• undue influence: means moral or mental coercion that leads someone to carry out the wishes of another instead of their own because they are unable to refuse or resist. See N.Y. Mental Hygiene Law 82.02
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.