Terms Used In South Carolina Code > Title 29 > Chapter 4 - Reverse Mortgages

• Autopsy: means the dissection of a dead body and the removal and examination of bone, tissue, organs, and foreign objects for the purpose of determining the cause of death and manner of death. See South Carolina Code 17-5-5
• Cause of death: refers to the agent that has directly or indirectly resulted in a death. See South Carolina Code 17-5-5
• 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.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Coroner: means the person elected or serving as the county coroner pursuant to Section 24 of Article V of the South Carolina Constitution, 1895, this chapter, and Chapter 7 of Title 17. See South Carolina Code 17-5-5
• Deputy coroner: means a person appointed pursuant to § 17-5-70. See South Carolina Code 17-5-5
• Deputy medical examiner: means a licensed physician employed by the medical examiner, with the approval of the commission, to perform post-mortem examinations, autopsies, and examinations of other forms of evidence as required by this chapter. See South Carolina Code 17-5-5
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• 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.
• Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. ^{Source: OCC}
• Inquest: means an official judicial inquiry before a coroner and coroner's jury for the purpose of determining the manner of death. See South Carolina Code 17-5-5
• Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. ^{Source: OCC}
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Medical examiner: means the licensed physician or pathologist designated by the county medical examiner's commission pursuant to Article 5 of this chapter for the purpose of performing post-mortem examinations, autopsies, and examinations of other forms of evidence required by this chapter. See South Carolina Code 17-5-5
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Peace officer in charge: means members of the county, city, or town policemen, county, city, or town detectives, South Carolina Highway Patrol, or South Carolina Law Enforcement Division who may be in charge of the investigation of any case involving a death covered by this chapter. See South Carolina Code 17-5-5
• Post-mortem examination: means examination after death and includes an examination of the dead body and surroundings by the medical examiner but does not include dissection of the body for any purpose. See South Carolina Code 17-5-5
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• reverse mortgage: means a nonrecourse loan secured by real property which:
  
  (1) provides cash advances to a borrower based on the equity or future appreciation in value in a borrower's owner-occupied principal residence;
  
  (2) requires no payment of principal or interest until the entire loan becomes due and payable; and
  
  (3) is made by a lender authorized to engage in business as a bank, savings institution, or credit union under the laws of the United States or of South Carolina, or a mortgage lender licensed pursuant to Chapter 22 of Title 37. See South Carolina Code 29-4-20
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Usury: Charging an illegally high interest rate on a loan. ^{Source: OCC}