Terms Used In Vermont Statutes > Title 27 > Chapter 15 > Subchapter 2 - Protection of Tenants in Conversion of Rental Units

• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Apartment: means a part of the property intended for any type of independent use, including commercial uses. See
• Building: means a building containing two or more apartments, or two or more buildings containing a total of two or more apartments, and comprising a part of the property. See
• Comparable housing: means housing that is decent, safe, sanitary, and in compliance with all local and State housing codes, and provided with facilities equivalent to those provided by the landlord in the dwelling unit in which the tenant then resides in regard to each of the following: apartment size, rent range, major kitchen and bathroom facilities, special facilities necessary for persons with disabilities or who have an infirmity, and desirability of neighborhood, school facilities, or area. See
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conversion: means a change in character of residential real property from a rental to an ownership basis. See
• 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.
• Declarant: means any person who offers for transfer ownership interests in a common interest community as part of an initial common promotional plan. See
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• 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.
• following: when used by way of reference to a section of the law shall mean the next preceding or following section. See
• 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.
• 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
• 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}
• Magistrate: shall mean any Supreme Court Justice, Superior judge, District judge, or Probate judge. See
• Mobile home park: has the meaning given in 10 V. 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.
• Person: means an individual, corporation, partnership, association, trustee, or other legal entity. 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
• Presentence report: A report prepared by a court's probation officer, after a person has been convicted of an offense, summarizing for the court the background information needed to determine the appropriate sentence. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Probate: Proving a will
• Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
• Probation officers: Screen applicants for pretrial release and monitor convicted offenders released under court supervision.
• Property: includes the land, the building or site and all improvements and structures thereon all owned in fee simple absolute or any other estate in real property recognized by law and all easements, rights, and appurtenances thereto, and all articles of personal property intended for use in connection therewith, which have been or are intended to be made subject to this chapter. See
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• seal: shall include an impression of the official seal made upon paper alone or by means of a wafer or wax affixed thereto. 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