Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws > Chapter 15-15 - Domestic Abuse Prevention

• 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.
• 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.
• Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
• 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.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Course of conduct: means a pattern of conduct composed of a series of acts over a period of time, evidencing a continuity of purpose. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-15-1
• Cyberstalking: means transmitting any communication by computer to any person or causing any person to be contacted for the sole purpose of harassing that person or his or her family. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-15-1
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Domestic abuse: means :

  The occurrence of one or more of the following acts between present or former family members, parents, stepparents, a plaintiff parent's minor child(ren) to which the defendant is not a blood relative or relative by marriage, adult plaintiffs who are or have been in a substantive dating or engagement relationship within the past one year and who are (either individually or together) parents of minor children, or persons who are or have been in a substantive dating or engagement relationship within the past one year in which at least one of the persons is a minor:

  (i)  Attempting to cause or causing physical harm;

  (ii)  Placing another in fear of imminent serious physical harm;

  (iii)  Causing another to engage involuntarily in sexual relations by force, threat of force, or duress; or

  (iv)  Stalking or cyberstalking. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-15-1

• engagement relationship: means a significant and personal/intimate relationship that shall be adjudged by the court's consideration of the following factors:

  (i)  The length of time of the relationship;

  (ii)  The type of relationship; and

  (iii)  The frequency of interaction between the parties. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-15-1

• 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.
• 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.
• Harassing: means following a knowing and willful course of conduct directed at a specific person with the intent to seriously alarm, annoy, or bother the person, and which serves no legitimate purpose. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-15-1
• 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.
• person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Sexual exploitation: means the occurrence of any of the following acts by any person who knowingly or willfully encourages, aids, or coerces any child under the age of eighteen (18) years:

  (i)  Recruiting, employing, enticing, soliciting, isolating, harboring, transporting, providing, persuading, obtaining, or maintaining, or so attempting, any minor for the purposes of commercial sex acts or sexually explicit performances; or selling or purchasing a minor for the purposes of commercial sex acts. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-15-1

• Sexually explicit performance: means an act or show, intended to arouse, satisfy the sexual desires of, or appeal to the prurient interests of patrons or viewers, whether public or private, live, photographed, recorded, or videotaped. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-15-1
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.