Terms Used In Tennessee Code > Title 55 > Chapter 50 > Part 7 - Reciprocity Agreements

• Administrator: means the federal motor carrier safety administrator, the chief executive of the federal motor carrier safety administration, an agency within the United States department of transportation. See Tennessee Code 55-50-102
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
• bond: means any cash or other security deposited to secure an appearance for trial, following a citation by an arresting officer for violation of a traffic law, ordinance, rules or regulation. See Tennessee Code 55-50-701
• Chauffeur: means every person who is employed for the principal purpose of operating a motor vehicle and every person who drives a motor vehicle while in use as a public or common carrier of persons or property. See Tennessee Code 55-50-102
• Citation: means any citation, summons, ticket, or other document issued by an arresting officer for violation of a traffic law, ordinance, rule, or regulation, ordering the arrested motorist to appear in court or before a magistrate. See Tennessee Code 55-50-701
• Code: includes the Tennessee Code and all amendments and revisions to the code and all additions and supplements to the code. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of safety. See Tennessee Code 55-50-701
• Department: means department of safety. See Tennessee Code 55-50-701
• 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.
• 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.
• License: means any operator's or chauffeur's permit or any other license or permit to operate a motor vehicle issued under the laws of a reciprocating state including:
  (A) Any temporary or learner's permit. See Tennessee Code 55-50-701
• Motor vehicle: means a vehicle, low speed vehicle or medium speed vehicle as defined in this section, machine, tractor, trailer or semitrailer propelled or drawn by mechanical power used on highways or any other vehicle required to be registered under the laws of this state, but does not include any vehicle, machine, tractor, trailer or semitrailer operated exclusively on a rail. See Tennessee Code 55-50-102
• Nonresident: means every person who is not a resident of the state. See Tennessee Code 55-50-102
• Operator: means every person, other than a chauffeur, who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle upon a highway or who is exercising control over or steering a vehicle being towed by a motor vehicle. See Tennessee Code 55-50-102
• Person: means every natural person, firm, copartnership, association or corporation. See Tennessee Code 55-50-102
• Personal recognizance: means a signed agreement by an arrested motorist that the motorist will comply with the terms of the citation served upon the motorist at the time of arrest. See Tennessee Code 55-50-701
• Reciprocating state: means any state that extends by its laws or by written agreement with this state to residents of this state substantially the rights and privileges provided by this part. See Tennessee Code 55-50-701
• Resident: means every person that lives in this state for a period of time exceeding thirty (30) days, has taken employment, or who would qualify as a registered voter, or has taken action to establish Tennessee as principal place of domicile. See Tennessee Code 55-50-102
• signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• State: means the state of Tennessee. See Tennessee Code 55-50-701
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Traffic: means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances either singly or together while using any highway for purposes of travel. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Vehicle: means every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway, excepting devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See Tennessee Code 55-50-102
• Violation: means a conviction except as otherwise provided in §. See Tennessee Code 55-50-102
• written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105