Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws > Chapter 31-47 - Motor Vehicle Reparations Act

• Administrator: means the administrator of the division of motor vehicles in the department of revenue. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Commissioner: means the insurance commissioner of this state. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• 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.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Dealer engaged in the business of leasing motor vehicles: means any person engaged in the business of regularly making available, offering to make available, or arranging for another person to use a motor vehicle pursuant to a bailment, lease, or other contractual arrangement. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• Driver: means every person who drives, or is in actual physical control of, a motor vehicle. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• 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.
• Financial security bond: means for each motor vehicle a bond executed by the owner and by a surety company duly authorized to transact business in this state. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• Financial security deposit: means for each motor vehicle the deposit with the assistant director of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) in cash or securities, such as may legally be purchased by savings banks or trust funds, of a market value of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000). See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• in writing: include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of the usual form. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16
• 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.
• 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}
• License: includes any license, permit, or privilege to operate a motor vehicle issued under the laws of this state including:

  (i)  Any temporary instruction permit or examiner's driving permit;

  (ii)  The privilege of any person to drive a motor vehicle whether or not the person holds a valid license; or

  (iii)  Any nonresident's operating privilege. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2

• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• Motor vehicle: means every vehicle required to display registration plates for operation upon public highways of this state. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• motor vehicle accident: means any accident involving a motor vehicle that results in bodily injury to, or death of, any person, or damage to the property of any person in excess of five hundred dollars ($500). See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• Nonresident: means every person who is not a resident of this state. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• Owner: means a person who holds the legal title of a motor vehicle. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• 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.
• Person: includes every natural person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Proof of financial security: means proof of ability to respond in damages for liability arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle as evidenced by an owner's policy of liability insurance, a financial security bond, a financial security deposit, or qualification as a self-insurer under this title, or in the case of a nonresident, under self-insurance provisions of the laws of the jurisdiction of that nonresident. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• Registration: means registration certificates and registration plates issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the registration of motor vehicles. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• 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: when used in this chapter, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, means any state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any province of the Dominion of Canada. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9
• United States: include the several states and the territories of the United States. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-8