Terms Used In West Virginia Code > Chapter 61 > Article 13 - Anti-Organized Criminal Enterprise Act

• 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.
• 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.
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Offense: includes every act or omission for which a fine, forfeiture, or punishment is imposed by law. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• Organized criminal enterprise: means a combination of five or more persons engaging over a period of not less than six months in one or more of the qualifying offenses set forth in this section. See West Virginia Code 61-13-2
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Qualifying offense: means a violation of the felony provisions of section eleven, article forty-one, chapter . See West Virginia Code 61-13-2
• State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.