Terms Used In Utah Code > Title 77 > Chapter 13 - Pleas

• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Alternate means: means a method of filing a legible and complete notice or other document with the registry other than electronically, as established by the division by rule. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Anticipated improvement: means an improvement:
       (2)(a) for which preconstruction service is performed; and
       (2)(b) that is anticipated to follow the performing of preconstruction service. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Applicable county recorder: means the office of the recorder of each county in which any part of the property on which a claimant claims or intends to claim a preconstruction or construction lien is located. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Claimant: means a person entitled to claim a preconstruction or construction lien. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Construction lien: means a lien under this chapter for construction work. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Contestable notice: means a notice of preconstruction service under Section 38-1a-401, a preliminary notice under Section 38-1a-501, or a notice of completion under Section 38-1a-506. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Contesting person: means an owner, original contractor, subcontractor, or other interested person. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Division: means the Division of Professional Licensing created in Section 58-1-103. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Entry number: means the reference number that:
       (16)(a) the designated agent assigns to each notice or other document filed with the registry; and
       (16)(b) is unique for each notice or other document. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Equal: means , with respect to biological sex, of the same value. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• 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.
• Improvement: means :
       (21)(a) a building, infrastructure, utility, or other human-made structure or object constructed on or for and affixed to real property; or
       (21)(b) a repair, modification, or alteration of a building, infrastructure, utility, or object referred to in Subsection (21)(a). See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
• 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}
• 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.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Original contractor: means a person, including an owner-builder, that contracts with an owner to provide preconstruction service or construction work. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Owner: means a person who possesses an interest in a project property and contracts with an original contractor for preconstruction service or construction work. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Owner-builder: means an owner, including an owner who is also an original contractor, who:
       (27)(a) contracts with one or more other persons for preconstruction service or construction work for an improvement on the owner's real property; and
       (27)(b) obtains a building permit for the improvement. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Person: means :
       (24)(a) an individual;
       (24)(b) an association;
       (24)(c) an institution;
       (24)(d) a corporation;
       (24)(e) a company;
       (24)(f) a trust;
       (24)(g) a limited liability company;
       (24)(h) a partnership;
       (24)(i) a political subdivision;
       (24)(j) a government office, department, division, bureau, or other body of government; and
       (24)(k) any other organization or entity. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Preconstruction lien: means a lien under this chapter for a preconstruction service. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Process: means a writ or summons issued in the course of a judicial proceeding. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• Project property: means the real property interest on or for which preconstruction service or construction work is or will be provided. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Property: includes both real and personal property. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• real property: includes :
       (31)(a) land;
       (31)(b) a tenement;
       (31)(c) a hereditament;
       (31)(d) a water right;
       (31)(e) a possessory right; and
       (31)(f) a claim. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Registry: means the State Construction Registry under Part 2, State Construction Registry. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Signature: includes a name, mark, or sign written with the intent to authenticate an instrument or writing. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• Subcontractor: means a person that contracts to provide preconstruction service or construction work to:
       (34)(a) a person other than the owner; or
       (34)(b) the owner, if the owner is an owner-builder. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Supervisory subcontractor: means a person that:
       (36)(a) is a subcontractor under contract to provide preconstruction service or construction work; and
       (36)(b) contracts with one or more other subcontractors for the other subcontractor or subcontractors to provide preconstruction service or construction work that the person is under contract to provide. See Utah Code 38-1a-102
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Writing: includes :
       (48)(a) printing;
       (48)(b) handwriting; and
       (48)(c) information stored in an electronic or other medium if the information is retrievable in a perceivable format. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5