Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws > Chapter 42-87 - Civil Rights of People with Disabilities

• Auxiliary aids and services: includes :

  (i)  Qualified interpreters or other effective methods of making aurally delivered materials available to individuals with hearing impairments;

  (ii)  Qualified readers, taped texts, or other effective methods of making visually delivered materials available to individuals with visual impairments;

  (iii)  Acquisition or modification of equipment or devices; and

  (iv)  Other similar services and actions. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-87-1.1

• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the 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.
• Disability: means , with respect to an individual:

  (i)  A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual;

  (ii)  A record of such impairment; or

  (iii)  Being regarded as having such an impairment (as described in paragraph (4));

  (iv)  Includes any disability which is provided protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rhode Island General Laws 42-87-1

• drug: means a controlled substance, as defined in schedules I through V of §?202 of the controlled substances act. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-87-1
• 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.
• illegal use of drugs: means the use of drugs, the possession or distribution of which is unlawful under the controlled substances act (Rhode Island General Laws 42-87-1
• 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.
• 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}
• Major life activities: include , but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating and working. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-87-1
• ordinary eyeglasses or contact lenses: means lenses that are intended to fully correct visual acuity or eliminate refractive error; and

  (ii)  The term "low-vision devices" means devices that magnify, enhance, or otherwise augment a visual image. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-87-1

• person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
• Qualified individual: means :

  (i)  With respect to employment, a person who, with or without reasonable accommodations, can perform the essential functions of the employment position that such individual holds or desires. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-87-1

• Readily achievable: means easily accomplishable and able to be carried out without much difficulty or expense. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-87-1.1
• Substantially limits: includes :

  (i)  An impairment that substantially limits one major life activity but need not limit other major life activities in order to be considered a disability. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-87-1

• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Undue hardship: means :

  (i)  An action requiring significant difficulty or expense, when considered in light of the factors set forth in subparagraph (ii) herein. See Rhode Island General Laws 42-87-1.1