Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws > Chapter 13-8.2 - Certificate of Recovery & Re-Entry

• Board: means the parole board within the Rhode Island department of corrections, established pursuant to the provisions of § 13-8-1. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-8.2-2
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Department: means the department of corrections. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-8.2-2
• Director: means the director of the department of corrections. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-8.2-2
• 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.
• Felony: means a conviction of a felony in this state or of an offense, that is not a crime of violence, in any other jurisdiction for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment in excess of one year, was authorized. See Rhode Island General Laws 13-8.2-2
• Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.
• 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.
• 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.
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
• 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.
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.