Terms Used In Vermont Statutes > Title 12 > Chapter 169 > Subchapter 1 - General Provisions

• 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.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Articles of organization: means the articles of organization of a mutual benefit enterprise required by section 302 of this title. See
• Board of directors: means the board of directors of a mutual benefit enterprise. See
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• 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.
• Entity: means a person other than an individual. See
• 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.
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Member: means a person that is admitted as a patron member or investor member or both in a mutual benefit enterprise. See
• Mutual benefit enterprise: means an enterprise organized under this title. See
• 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.
• Organic law: means the statute providing for the creation of an entity or principally governing its internal affairs. See
• Organic rules: means the articles of organization and bylaws of a mutual benefit enterprise. See
• Person: shall include any natural person, corporation, municipality, the State of Vermont or any department, agency, or subdivision of the State, and any partnership, unincorporated association, or other legal entity. See
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• 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.
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• State: means a state of the United States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U. See
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Voting power: means the total current power of members to vote on a particular matter for which a vote may or is to be taken. See
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.