Terms Used In Oregon Statutes > Chapter 254 > General Provisions

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Articles of incorporation: means the articles of incorporation described in ORS § 65. See Oregon Statutes 65.001
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• ballot: includes material posted in a voting compartment or delivered to an elector by mail. See Oregon Statutes 254.005
• Board of directors: means the individual or individuals who are vested with overall management of the affairs of a domestic corporation or foreign corporation, irrespective of the name that designates the individual or individuals. See Oregon Statutes 65.001
• Bylaws: means a set of provisions for managing and regulating a corporation's affairs that the corporation must adopt under ORS § 65. See Oregon Statutes 65.001
• City: includes any incorporated village or town. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• 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.
• 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.
• County clerk: means the county clerk or the county official in charge of elections. See Oregon Statutes 254.005
• County court: includes board of county commissioners. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Director: means an individual who acts as a member of the board of directors, who has a right to vote on questions concerning the management and regulation of a corporation's affairs and who is:

  (a) An appointed director;

  (b) A designated director; or

  (c) A director elected by the incorporators, directors or members. See Oregon Statutes 65.001

• Elector: means an individual qualified to vote under section 2, Article II, Oregon Constitution. See Oregon Statutes 254.005
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• 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.
• local government: means all cities, counties and local service districts located in this state, and all administrative subdivisions of those cities, counties and local service districts. See Oregon Statutes 174.116
• Major political party: means a political party that has qualified as a major political party under ORS § 248. See Oregon Statutes 254.005
• Marital deduction: The deduction(s) that can be taken in the determination of gift and estate tax liabilities because of the existence of a marriage or marital relationship.
• Measure: includes any of the following submitted to the people for their approval or rejection at an election:

  (a) A proposed law. See Oregon Statutes 254.005

• Minor political party: means a political party that has qualified as a minor political party under ORS § 248. See Oregon Statutes 254.005
• Notice: means a notice described in ORS § 65. See Oregon Statutes 65.001
• Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Revocable trust: A trust agreement that can be canceled, rescinded, revoked, or repealed by the grantor (person who establishes the trust).
• 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 Treasury: includes those financial assets the lawful custody of which are vested in the State Treasurer and the office of the State Treasurer relating to the custody of those financial assets. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• 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.
• United States: includes territories, outlying possessions and the District of Columbia. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
• Vote: means an authorization by written ballot or written consent, where permitted, or by another method that a corporation specifies as an authorization. See Oregon Statutes 65.001
• Vote tally system: means one or more pieces of equipment necessary to examine and tally automatically the marked ballots. See Oregon Statutes 254.005
• Written: means embodied as a document. See Oregon Statutes 65.001