Terms Used In Oregon Statutes > Chapter 144 - Parole; Post-Prison Supervision; Work Release; Executive Clemency; Standards for Prison Terms and Parole; Presentence Reports Standards for Prison Terms and Parole; Presentence Reports

• Account debtor: means a person obligated on an account, chattel paper or general intangible. See Oregon Statutes 79.0102
• 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.
• Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• 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.
• Annual percentage rate: The cost of credit at a yearly rate. It is calculated in a standard way, taking the average compound interest rate over the term of the loan so borrowers can compare loans. Lenders are required by law to disclose a card account's APR. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Any other state: includes any state and the District of Columbia. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• 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.
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Articles: means articles of incorporation, articles of conversion or articles of merger. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Articles of incorporation: means the articles described in ORS § 60. See Oregon Statutes 60.001
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Attorney-in-fact: A person who, acting as an agent, is given written authorization by another person to transact business for him (her) out of court.
• 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.
• Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}
• Bequest: Property gifted by will.
• Board: means board of directors. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Business: includes every trade, occupation, profession and commercial activity. See Oregon Statutes 67.005
• Chattel paper: means a record or records that evidence both a monetary obligation and a security interest in specific goods, a security interest in specific goods and software used in the goods, a security interest in specific goods and license of software used in the goods, a lease of specific goods, or a lease of specific goods and license of software used in the goods. See Oregon Statutes 79.0102
• Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
• City: includes any incorporated village or town. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Collateral: means the property subject to a security interest or agricultural lien. See Oregon Statutes 79.0102
• 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.
• Consumer transaction: means a transaction in which:

  (i) An individual incurs an obligation primarily for personal, family or household purposes;

  (ii) A security interest secures the obligation; and

  (iii) The collateral is held or acquired primarily for personal, family or household purposes. See Oregon Statutes 79.0102

• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Cooperative: means a cooperative corporation that is subject to the provisions of this chapter. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• 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.
• Corporation: means a corporation that is not a cooperative. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
• County court: includes board of county commissioners. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Defense attorney: Represent defendants in criminal matters.
• Delivery: means any method of delivery used in conventional commercial practice, including by hand, mail, commercial delivery and, in accordance with ORS § 60. See Oregon Statutes 60.001
• Delivery: means a method of delivery that is used in conventional commercial practice and includes hand delivery, mail delivery, commercial delivery and electronic transmission. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Devise: To gift property by will.
• Dissociated partner: means a partner with respect to whom an event specified in ORS § 67. See Oregon Statutes 67.005
• Distribution: means a direct or indirect transfer of money or other property, except of a corporation's own shares, or a corporation's incurrence of indebtedness to or for the benefit of the corporation's shareholders in respect of any of the corporation's shares, in the form of a declaration or payment of a dividend, a purchase, redemption or other acquisition of shares, a distribution of indebtedness, or otherwise. See Oregon Statutes 60.001
• Distribution: means a transfer of money or other property from a partnership to a partner in the partner's capacity as a partner or to the partner's transferee. See Oregon Statutes 67.005
• Domestic limited liability company: means an entity that is an unincorporated association that has one or more members and that is organized under ORS Chapter 63. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Domestic nonprofit corporation: means a corporation not for profit that is incorporated under ORS Chapter 65. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Electronic transmission: means a method of communicating information that:

  (a) Does not directly involve a transfer of a physical object that embodies the communication; and

  (b) Enables the recipient to store, retrieve and reproduce the information. See Oregon Statutes 62.015

• Entity: means a corporation, foreign corporation, nonprofit corporation, profit or nonprofit unincorporated association, business trust, partnership, two or more persons that have a joint or common economic interest, any state, the United States, a federally recognized Native American or American Indian tribal government and any foreign government. See Oregon Statutes 60.001
• 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}
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Extradition: The formal process of delivering an accused or convicted person from authorities in one state to authorities in another state.
• 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.
• 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}
• 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.
• 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}
• Foreign cooperative: means a cooperative corporation that is organized under laws other than the laws of this state. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Foreign corporation: means a corporation for profit that is incorporated under laws other than the laws of this state. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Foreign limited liability company: means an entity that is an unincorporated association organized under laws other than the laws of this state and that is organized under a statute under which an association may be formed that affords to each of the entity's members limited liability with respect to liabilities of the entity. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Foreign nonprofit corporation: means a corporation not for profit that is organized under laws other than the laws of this state. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Foreign professional corporation: means a professional corporation that is organized under laws other than the laws of this state. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
• General intangible: means any personal property, including things in action, other than accounts, chattel paper, commercial tort claims, deposit accounts, documents, goods, instruments, investment property, letter-of-credit rights, letters of credit, money and oil, gas or other minerals before extraction. See Oregon Statutes 79.0102
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Goods: means all things that are movable when a security interest attaches. See Oregon Statutes 79.0102
• Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. ^{Source: OCC}
• 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.
• Health-care-insurance receivable: means an interest in or claim under a policy of insurance which is a right to payment of a monetary obligation for health-care goods or services provided. See Oregon Statutes 79.0102
• Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Individual: means a natural person or the estate of an incompetent individual or a deceased individual. See Oregon Statutes 60.001
• Instrument: means a negotiable instrument or any other writing that evidences a right to the payment of a monetary obligation, is not itself a security agreement or lease, and is of a type that in ordinary course of business is transferred by delivery with any necessary indorsement or assignment. See Oregon Statutes 79.0102
• Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
• 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}
• Legislative session: That part of a chamber's daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto).
• Letter-of-credit right: means a right to payment or performance under a letter of credit, whether or not the beneficiary has demanded or is at the time entitled to demand payment or performance. See Oregon Statutes 79.0102
• 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.
• Member: means a person that is qualified and accepted for membership in a cooperative. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Membership stock: means any class of stock, continuous ownership of which is required for membership in a cooperative. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• Oral argument: An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court and also to answer the judges' questions.
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• 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.
• Partnership: means an association of two or more persons to carry on as co-owners a business for profit created under ORS § 67. See Oregon Statutes 67.005
• Partnership agreement: means the agreement, whether written, oral or implied, among the partners concerning the partnership, including amendments to the partnership agreement. See Oregon Statutes 67.005
• Partnership at will: means a partnership in which the partners have not agreed to remain partners until the expiration of a definite term or the completion of a particular undertaking. See Oregon Statutes 67.005
• Payment intangible: means a general intangible under which the account debtor's principal obligation is a monetary obligation. See Oregon Statutes 79.0102
• Person: means an individual or entity. See Oregon Statutes 60.001
• Person: means an individual, corporation, association, firm, partnership, joint stock company, cooperative or foreign cooperative. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, government, governmental subdivision, agency, instrumentality or any other legal or commercial entity. See Oregon Statutes 67.005
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
• Presentence report: A report prepared by a court's probation officer, after a person has been convicted of an offense, summarizing for the court the background information needed to determine the appropriate sentence. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Principal office: means the physical street address of an office, in or out of this state, where the principal executive offices of a domestic or foreign corporation are located and designated in the annual report or in the application for authority to transact business in this state. See Oregon Statutes 60.001
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Probate: Proving a will
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Proceeding: means a civil, criminal, administrative or investigatory action. See Oregon Statutes 60.001
• Promissory note: means an instrument that evidences a promise to pay a monetary obligation, does not evidence an order to pay, and does not contain an acknowledgment by a bank that the bank has received for deposit a sum of money or funds. See Oregon Statutes 79.0102
• Property: means all property, real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, or any interest therein. See Oregon Statutes 67.005
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• public body: means state government bodies, local government bodies and special government bodies. See Oregon Statutes 174.109
• public notice: means any legal publication which requires an affidavit of publication as required in ORS § 193. See Oregon Statutes 174.104
• 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.
• Record date: means the date established under this chapter on which a corporation determines the identity of the corporation's shareholders and their shareholdings for purposes of this chapter. See Oregon Statutes 60.001
• 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.
• Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
• Sentencing guidelines: A set of rules and principles established by the United States Sentencing Commission that trial judges use to determine the sentence for a convicted defendant. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Sequester: To separate. Sometimes juries are sequestered from outside influences during their deliberations.
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Share: means a unit into which the proprietary interest in a corporation is divided. See Oregon Statutes 60.001
• Shareholder: means a person in whose name a share is registered in the records of a corporation or the beneficial owner of a share to the extent of the rights granted by a nominee certificate on file with a corporation. See Oregon Statutes 60.001
• Shareholder: means a holder of shares of capital stock of a cooperative other than membership stock. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Shell entity: means an entity that has the characteristics described in ORS § 60. See Oregon Statutes 60.001
• Signature: means a manual, facsimile, conformed or electronic signature. See Oregon Statutes 62.015
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
• Tenancy by the entirety: A type of joint tenancy between husband and wife that is recognized in some States. Neither party can sever the joint tenancy relationship; when a spouse dies, the survivor acquires full title to the property.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
• 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.
• Transfer: includes an assignment, conveyance, lease, mortgage, deed, encumbrance, creation of a security interest and any other disposition. See Oregon Statutes 67.005
• Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Written: means embodied as a document. See Oregon Statutes 60.001