Terms Used In New York Laws > General Municipal > Article 17-A - Consolidation and Dissolution of Local Government

• 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.
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• 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.
• 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.
• Board: shall mean the drug utilization review board. See N.Y. Public Health Law 270
• Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
• Clinical drug review program: means the clinical drug review program created by section two hundred seventy-four of this article. See N.Y. Public Health Law 270
• 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.
• Component local government entity: shall mean a local government entity that, as a result of successful consolidation proceedings, is combined into a consolidated local government entity. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Consolidated local government entity: shall mean a local government entity resulting from successful consolidation proceedings conducted pursuant to this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Consolidation: shall mean either (a) the combination of two or more local government entities resulting in the termination of the existence of each of the entities to be consolidated and the creation of a new entity which assumes jurisdiction over all of the terminated entities, or (b) the combination of two or more local government entities resulting in the termination of the existence of all but one of the entities which shall absorb the terminated entity or entities. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Contiguous: shall mean when a portion of a town or village abuts the boundary of another town or village, including a town or village separated from the exact boundary of another town or village by a street, road, railroad, highway, river or other natural or artificial stream or body of water. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• 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.
• Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
• 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.
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Dissolution: shall mean the termination of the existence of a local government entity. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Dissolution plan: shall mean a written document that contains terms and information regarding the dissolution of a local government entity and that has been finalized and approved by such entity's governing body pursuant to this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• drug: means a drug defined in subdivision seven of § 6802 of the education law, for which a prescription is required under the federal food, drug and cosmetic act. See N.Y. Public Health Law 270
• Elector: shall mean a registered voter of this state registered to vote in the local government entity subject to consolidation or dissolution proceedings conducted pursuant to this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Elector initiated consolidation plan: shall mean a written document that contains terms and information regarding the consolidation of two or more local government entities, a majority of whose electors have voted to consolidate, and that has been finalized and approved by the governing body or bodies of such entities or a judicial hearing officer pursuant to this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Elector initiated dissolution plan: shall mean a written document that contains terms and information regarding the dissolution of a local government entity, a majority of whose electors have voted to dissolve, that has been finalized and approved by such entity's governing body or a judicial hearing officer pursuant to this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Emergency condition: means a medical or behavioral condition as determined by the prescriber or pharmacists, the onset of which is sudden, that manifests itself by symptoms of sufficient severity, including severe pain, and for which delay in beginning treatment prescribed by the patient's health care practitioner would result in:
  
  (a) placing the health or safety of the person afflicted with such condition or other person or persons in serious jeopardy;
  
  (b) serious impairment to such person's bodily functions;
  
  (c) serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part of such person;
  
  (d) serious disfigurement of such person; or
  
  (e) severe discomfort. See N.Y. Public Health Law 270
• entity: shall mean a town, village, district, special improvement district or other improvement district, including, but not limited to, special districts created pursuant to articles eleven, twelve, twelve-A or thirteen of the town law, library districts, and other districts created by law; provided, however, that a local government entity shall not include school districts, city districts or special purpose districts created by counties under county law. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• 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.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Finance charge: The total cost of credit a customer must pay on a consumer loan, including interest. The Truth in Lending Act requires disclosure of the finance charge. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Governing body: shall mean the body in which the general legislative, governmental and/or public powers of a local government entity are vested and by authority of which the official business of such entity is conducted. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Initiative: shall mean the filing of the petition containing a proposal for a referendum to be placed on the ballot for an election. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Joint consolidation agreement: shall mean a written document that contains terms and information regarding the consolidation of two or more local government entities and that has been finalized and approved by the governing body or bodies of such entities pursuant to this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Joint resolution: A legislative measure which requires the approval of both chambers.
• 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.
• Juror: A person who is on the jury.
• Legal tender: coins, dollar bills, or other currency issued by a government as official money. ^{Source: U.S. Mint}
• 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.
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Non preferred drug: means a prescription drug that is included in the preferred drug program and is not one of the drugs on the preferred drug list because it is either: (a) in a therapeutic class that is included in the preferred drug program and is not one of the drugs on the preferred drug list in that class or (b) manufactured by a pharmaceutical manufacturer with whom the commissioner is negotiating or has negotiated a manufacturer agreement and is not a preferred drug under a manufacturer agreement. See N.Y. Public Health Law 270
• 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.
• Panel: means the elderly pharmaceutical insurance coverage panel established pursuant to § 244 of the elder law. See N.Y. Public Health Law 270
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• 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.
• 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.
• Preferred drug: means a prescription drug that is either (a) in a therapeutic class that is included in the preferred drug program and is one of the drugs on the preferred drug list in that class or (b) a preferred drug under a manufacturer agreement. See N.Y. Public Health Law 270
• Preferred drug program: means the preferred drug program established under section two hundred seventy-two of this article. See N.Y. Public Health Law 270
• Prior authorization: means a process requiring the prescriber or the dispenser to verify with the applicable state public health plan or its authorized agent that the drug is appropriate for the needs of the specific patient. See N.Y. Public Health Law 270
• Proposed dissolution plan: shall mean a written document that contains terms and information regarding the dissolution of a local government entity, and that has been proposed, but not yet finalized and approved, by such entity's governing body pursuant to this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Proposed elector initiated consolidation plan: shall mean a written document that contains terms and information regarding the consolidation of two or more local government entities, a majority of whose respective electors have voted to consolidate such entities, that has been proposed, but not yet finalized and approved, by the governing body or bodies of such entities pursuant to this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Proposed elector initiated dissolution plan: shall mean a written document that contains terms and information regarding the dissolution of a local government entity, a majority of whose electors have voted to dissolve such entity, and that has been proposed, but not yet finalized and approved, by such entity's governing body pursuant to this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Proposed joint consolidation agreement: shall mean a written document that contains terms and information regarding the consolidation of two or more local government entities and that has been proposed, but not yet finalized and approved, by such entities' governing body or bodies pursuant to this article. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Referendum: shall mean a vote seeking approval by a majority of electors of a local government entity or entities voting on a question of consolidation or dissolution placed on the ballot by initiative. See N.Y. General Municipal Law 750
• 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.
• 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.
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• 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}
• 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.
• State public health plan: means the medical assistance program established by title eleven of Article 5 of the social services law (referred to in this article as "Medicaid"), the elderly pharmaceutical insurance coverage program established by title three of Article 2 of the elder law (referred to in this article as "EPIC"), and the family health plus program established by § 369 of the social services law to the extent that section provides that the program shall be subject to this article. See N.Y. Public Health Law 270
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• 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.
• 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}