Terms Used In Vermont Statutes > Title 16 > Chapter 87 > Subchapter 1 - General Provisions

• Adjusted gross income: means an individual's adjusted gross income under the laws of the United States relating to federal income taxes for the tax year next preceding the school year for which a grant or loan is sought. See
• Annual meeting: when applied to towns shall mean the annual town meeting in March or an adjournment thereof. See
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• Approved postsecondary education institution: means any institution of postsecondary education that is:

• Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• biennially: shall mean the year in which a regular session of the General Assembly is held. See
• Board: means the Board of Directors of the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation. See
• Commercial operation: means the operation of a snowmobile on the SSTS by an individual participating in a guided tour or who has rented a snowmobile from an individual or corporate entity charging a fee for the tour or rental. See
• Commissioner: means Commissioner of Motor Vehicles unless otherwise stated. See
• compensation: means payment in any form except reimbursement for mileage or the normal salary paid to a person otherwise employed by the school. See
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Corporation: means the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation. See
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Dealer: means a person, partnership, corporation, or other entity engaged in the business of selling or exchanging new or used motor vehicles, snowmobiles, motorboats, or all-terrain vehicles. See
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Department: means Department of Motor Vehicles unless otherwise stated. See
• Direct supervision: means sufficiently close and able to control, by communicating visually or orally, the operation of a snowmobile by an operator under 16 years of age, taking into account the noise created by snowmobiles and protective headgear worn by the operator. See
• Enforcement officers: shall include :

• engaged in the business: means having sold or exchanged at least 12 cars or motor trucks, or a combination thereof, in the immediately preceding year, or 24 in the two immediately preceding years. See
• 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.
• Fees: shall mean earnings due for official services, aside from salaries or per diem compensation. See
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• following: when used by way of reference to a section of the law shall mean the next preceding or following section. See
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Higher Education Act: means the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, Pub. See
• Holding tank: means a container or device designed to provide for the retention of wastes on board a vessel and to prevent the discharge of wastes into the waters of this State. 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.
• Justice: when applied to a person, other than a Justice of the Supreme Court, shall mean a justice of the peace for the county for which he or she is elected or appointed. See
• Law enforcement officer: means a person designated in subdivision 4(11) of this title and includes deputy State game wardens and auxiliary State Police officers. See
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Marine toilet: means any toilet on or within any vessel except those that have been permanently sealed and made inoperative. See
• Masthead light: means a white light placed over the fore and aft centerline of the vessel showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 225 degrees and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to 22. See
• Month: means 30 days and "year" means 365 days. See
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Motorboat: means any vessel equipped with machinery capable of propelling the vessel, whether or not such machinery is the principal source of propulsion. See
• Municipality: shall include a city, town, town school district, incorporated school or fire district or incorporated village, and all other governmental incorporated units. See
• Nonresident: shall include any person who does not come under the definition of a resident. 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.
• Operate: includes an attempt to operate and shall be construed to cover all matters and things connected with the presence and use of snowmobiles whether they be at motion or rest. See
• Operator: shall include all persons 18 years of age or over properly licensed to operate motor vehicles. See
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Owner: means a person, other than a lienholder, having the property in or title to a vessel. See
• Parents: means a student's parent or parents as determined by the Corporation consistently with the requirements of the federal financial assistance programs established under Title IV of the Higher Education Act. See
• 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.
• 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
• Person: means an individual, partnership, firm, corporation, association, or other entity. See
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Personal watercraft: means a class A vessel that uses an inboard engine powering a water jet pump as its primary source of motive power and that is designed to be operated by an individual or individuals sitting, standing, or kneeling on or being towed behind the motorboat rather than in the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vessel. See
• Portable electronic device: means a portable electronic or computing device, including a cellular telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), or laptop computer. See
• Privilege to operate: includes the privilege of a nonresident to operate a motor vehicle within the State and includes the privilege of a resident to obtain a license. See
• Probate: Proving a will
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public land: means all land that is either owned or controlled by a local, State, or federal governmental body. See
• Racing shell or rowing scull: means a manually propelled vessel that is recognized by national or international racing associations for use in competitive racing, and one in which all occupants row or scull, with the exception of a coxswain, if one is provided, and is not designed to carry and does not carry any equipment not solely for competitive racing. See
• real estate: shall include lands, tenements, and hereditaments and all rights thereto and interests therein, and pews or slips in places of public worship shall be treated as real estate. See
• 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.
• Resident: as used in this title only, means any person living in the State who intends to make the State his or her principal place of domicile either permanently or for an indefinite number of years. See
• Resident: means , with respect to a student, a student who has been domiciled in Vermont for the year preceding the date of commencement of the relevant semester or academic program. See
• Sailboard: means a sailboat whose unsupported mast is attached to a surfboard-like hull by a flexible joint. See
• Sailing vessel: means any vessel under sail, provided that propelling machinery, if fitted, is not being used. See
• School year: means the year beginning July 1 and ending the next June 30. See
• seal: shall include an impression of the official seal made upon paper alone or by means of a wafer or wax affixed thereto. See
• Secretary: means the Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources. See
• Secretary: means the Secretary of Education. See
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Snowmobile: means a self-propelled vehicle intended for off-road travel primarily on snow, having a curb weight of not more than 793. See
• State: when applied to the different parts of the United States may apply to the District of Columbia and any territory and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See
• State Board: means the State Board of Education established by chapter 3 of this title. See
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Sternlight: means a white light placed as nearly as practicable at the stern, showing an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 135 degrees and so fixed as to show the light 67. See
• Student: means any person who:

• Taxable: when used in reference to a note, bond, or other obligation means that the interest on that obligation is includable in the gross income of the holder under the laws of the United States relating to federal income taxes. See
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Tour: means a snowmobile ride led by a guide or leader over a defined route or routes lasting anywhere from one-half hour to less than a day and participated in by one or more individuals that have paid a fee to an individual or corporate entity for the privilege of riding a snowmobile. See
• Town: shall include city and wards or precincts therein; "selectboard members" and "board of civil authority" shall extend to and include the mayor and aldermen of cities; "trustees" shall extend to and include bailiffs of incorporated villages; and the laws applicable to the inhabitants and officers of towns shall be applicable to the inhabitants and similar officers of all municipal corporations. See
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• VAST: means the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers. See
• Vessel: means every description of watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water or a racing shell or rowing scull occupied exclusively by individuals over 12 years of age, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water. See
• Village: shall mean an incorporated village. See
• Waste: means effluent, sewage, or any substance or material, liquid, gaseous, solid, or radioactive, including heated liquids, whether or not harmful or deleterious to waters of this State. See