Washington Code > Chapter 4.56 – Judgments — Generally
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Terms Used In Washington Code > Chapter 4.56 - Judgments -- Generally
- Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
- Adjournment sine die: The end of a legislative session "without day." These adjournments are used to indicate the final adjournment of an annual or the two-year session of legislature.
- Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
- 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.
- Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
- 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.
- 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.
- Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
- Appraisal: A determination of property value.
- Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Association: means any association organized under the laws of this state or the laws of the United States of America;
Washington Code 33.46.010Bank: means a savings bank or commercial bank organized under the laws of this state; and
Washington Code 33.46.010Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses. Committee membership: Legislators are assigned to specific committees by their party. Seniority, regional balance, and political philosophy are the most prominent factors in the committee assignment process. Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant. Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed. Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant. 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. Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff. Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries. Decedent: A deceased person. 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. Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial. Director: means a member of the board of directors of an association, savings bank, or commercial bank, as applicable;
Washington Code 33.46.010Discovery: 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: Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings. Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts Escheat: Reversion of real or personal property to the state when 1) a person dies without leaving a will and has no heirs, or 2) when the property (such as a bank account) has been inactive for a certain period of time. Source: OCC Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met. 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. Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: A government corporation that insures the deposits of all national and state banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System. Source: OCC Federal Reserve System: The central bank of the United States. The Fed, as it is commonly called, regulates the U.S. monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D.C. (the Board of Governors) and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. Source: OCC Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator. 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. Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another. Gross estate: The total fair market value of all property and property interests, real and personal, tangible and intangible, of which a decedent had beneficial ownership at the time of death before subtractions for deductions, debts, administrative expenses, and casualty losses suffered during estate administration. Hearsay: Statements by a witness who did not see or hear the incident in question but heard about it from someone else. Hearsay is usually not admissible as evidence in court. 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. 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 Legislative session: That part of a chamber's daily session in which it considers legislative business (bills, resolutions, and actions related thereto). Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity. 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. Oath: A promise to tell the truth. 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. Oral argument: An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court and also to answer the judges' questions. 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: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080 Personal property: All property that is not real property. Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit. Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer. Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way. Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents. Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law. Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government. Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide. Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land. 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. Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings. Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals). 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. Statute: A law passed by a legislature. Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony. Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system. Testify: Answer questions in court. Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries. Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition. Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence. Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust. Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried. Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.