Terms Used In Texas Government Code Chapter 499 - Population Management; Special Programs

• 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.
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
• Final canvass: means the canvass from which the official result of an election is determined. See Texas Election Code 1.005
• General election: means an election, other than a primary election, that regularly recurs at fixed dates. See Texas Election Code 1.005
• Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Independent candidate: means a candidate in a nonpartisan election or a candidate in a partisan election who is not the nominee of a political party. See Texas Election Code 1.005
• Law: means a constitution, statute, city charter, or city ordinance. See Texas Election Code 1.005
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Measure: means a question or proposal submitted in an election for an expression of the voters' will. See Texas Election Code 1.005
• Oath: includes affirmation. See Texas Government Code 311.005
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• 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.
• Primary election: means an election held by a political party under Chapter 172 to select its nominees for public office, and, unless the context indicates otherwise, the term includes a presidential primary election. See Texas Election Code 1.005
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• Residence address: means the street address and any apartment number, or the address at which mail is received if the residence has no address, and the city, state, and zip code that correspond to a person's residence. See Texas Election Code 1.005
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Special election: means an election that is not a general election or a primary election. See Texas Election Code 1.005
• Succeeding: means immediately following. See Texas Government Code 312.011
• Swear: includes affirm. See Texas Government Code 311.005
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
• Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
• Uniform election date: means an election date prescribed by § 41. See Texas Election Code 1.005
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.