Terms Used In Virginia Code > Title 32.1 > Chapter 7 - Vital Records

• Adult: means a person 18 years of age or more. See Virginia Code 1-203
• 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.
• 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.
• Clerk of court: An officer appointed by the court to work with the chief judge in overseeing the court's administration, especially to assist in managing the flow of cases through the court and to maintain court records.
• Dead body: means a human body or such parts of such human body from the condition of which it reasonably may be concluded that death occurred. See Virginia Code 32.1-249
• Department: means the State Department of Health. See Virginia Code 32.1-3
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Fetal death: means death prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of human conception, regardless of the duration of pregnancy; death is indicated by the fact that after such expulsion or extraction the fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles. See Virginia Code 32.1-249
• File: means the presentation of a vital record provided for in this chapter for registration by the Department. See Virginia Code 32.1-249
• Final disposition: means the burial, interment, cremation, removal from the Commonwealth or other authorized disposition of a dead body or fetus. See Virginia Code 32.1-249
• forest trees: includes shade trees of any species around houses, along highways and within cities and towns if the trees constitute an insect or disease menace to nearby timber trees or timber stands. See Virginia Code 10.1-1178
• 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.
• Induced termination of pregnancy: means the intentional interruption of pregnancy with the intention to produce other than a live-born infant or to remove a dead fetus and which does not result in a live birth. See Virginia Code 32.1-249
• Institution: means any establishment, public or private, which provides inpatient medical, surgical, or diagnostic care or treatment, or nursing, custodial or domiciliary care, or to which persons are committed by law. See Virginia Code 32.1-249
• Live birth: means the complete or substantial expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of human conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy, which, after such expulsion or extraction, breathes or shows any other evidence of life such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached. See Virginia Code 32.1-249
• Locality: means a county, city, or town as the context may require. See Virginia Code 1-221
• Person: means an individual, corporation, partnership, or association or any other legal entity. See Virginia Code 32.1-3
• Physician: means a person authorized or licensed to practice medicine or osteopathy in this Commonwealth. See Virginia Code 32.1-249
• Registration: means the acceptance by the Department and the incorporation of vital records as provided for in this chapter into its official records. See Virginia Code 32.1-249
• Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
• Sole ownership: The type of property ownership in which one individual holds legal title to the property and has full control of it.
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena duces tecum: A command to a witness to produce documents.
• substantial expulsion or extraction: means , in the case of a headfirst presentation, the infant's entire head is outside the body of the mother or, in the case of a breech delivery, when any part of the infant's trunk past the navel is outside the body of the mother. See Virginia Code 32.1-249
• sworn: means "affirm" or "affirmed. See Virginia Code 1-250
• System of vital records: means the registration, collection, preservation, amendment, and certification of vital records; the collection of other reports required by this chapter; and related activities. See Virginia Code 32.1-249
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Town: means any existing town or an incorporated community within one or more counties which became a town before noon, July 1, 1971, as provided by law or which has within defined boundaries a population of 1,000 or more and which has become a town as provided by law. See Virginia Code 1-254
• Vital records: means certificates or reports of births, deaths, fetal deaths, adoptions, marriages, divorces or annulments and amendment data related thereto. See Virginia Code 32.1-249