Wisconsin Statutes > Chapter 59 – Counties

		Sections
Subchapter I	Definitions	59.001
Subchapter II	Legal Status; Organization	59.01 – 59.08
Subchapter III	County Board of Supervisors	59.10 – 59.15
Subchapter IV	County Officers	59.17 – 59.48
Subchapter V	Powers and Duties of Counties	59.51 – 59.58
Subchapter VI	Finance and Budget	59.60 – 59.66
Subchapter VII	Land Use, Information and Regulation, Environmental Protection, Surveys, Planning and Zoning	59.69 – 59.76
Subchapter VIII	Populous Counties	59.79 – 59.90

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Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes > Chapter 59 - Counties

Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
Adult: means a person who has attained the age of 18 years, except that for purposes of investigating or prosecuting a person who is alleged to have violated any state or federal criminal law or any civil law or municipal ordinance, "adult" means a person who has attained the age of 17 years. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
Allegation: something that someone says happened.
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.
Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
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.
Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}
Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
chief of a fire department: includes the chief of a department under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
Chiropractor: means a person holding a license issued by the chiropractic examining board. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
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.
Commission: means the office of the commissioner of railroads in the case of water carriers and the public service commission in the case of other public service corporations. See Wisconsin Statutes 201.01
Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
Communicable disease: means any disease that the department of health services determines, by rule, to be communicable in fact. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
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.
Credit report: A detailed report of an individual's credit history prepared by a credit bureau and used by a lender in determining a loan applicant's creditworthiness. ^{Source: OCC}
Credit Score: A number, roughly between 300 and 800, that measures an individual's credit worthiness. The most well-known type of credit score is the FICO score. This score represents the answer from a mathematical formula that assigns numerical values to various pieces of information in your credit report. ^{Source: OCC}
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.
Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
Donee: The recipient of a gift.
Donor: The person who makes a gift.
Electronic funds transfer: The transfer of money between accounts by consumer electronic systems-such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and electronic payment of bills-rather than by check or cash. (Wire transfers, checks, drafts, and paper instruments do not fall into this category.) ^{Source: OCC}
Employee: as used in this chapter means:

(1)

(a) Every person, including all officials, in the service of the state, or of any local governmental unit in this state, whether elected or under any appointment or contract of hire, express or implied, and whether a resident of the state or employed or injured within or without the state. See Wisconsin Statutes 102.07

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}

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.

Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.

Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.

Fire department: includes a department under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Fire fighter: includes a person serving under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

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.

Folio: means 100 words or figures. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. ^{Source: OCC}

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.

Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.

Grantor: includes every person from or by whom any freehold estate or interest passes in or by any deed; and "grantee" includes every person to whom any such estate or interest passes in like manner. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

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.

Heretofore: means any time previous to the day on which the statute containing it takes effect; "hereafter" means the time after the statute containing such word takes effect. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Highway: includes all public ways and thoroughfares and all bridges upon the same. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.

Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.

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}

Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.

Juror: A person who is on the jury.

Land: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments and all rights thereto and interests therein. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

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}

Lineal descendant: Direct descendant of the same ancestors.

Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.

Minor: means a person who has not attained the age of 18 years, except that for purposes of investigating or prosecuting a person who is alleged to have violated a state or federal criminal law or any civil law or municipal ordinance, "minor" does not include a person who has attained the age of 17 years. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Month: means a calendar month unless otherwise expressed. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.

Open-end credit: A credit agreement (typically a credit card) that allows a customer to borrow against a preapproved credit line when purchasing goods and services. The borrower is only billed for the amount that is actually borrowed plus any interest due. (Also called a charge account or revolving credit.) ^{Source: OCC}

Optical disc: means a rotating circular plate on which information or images are placed in storage, and which is recorded and read by laser beams focused on the plate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Optical imaging: means transferring to a format employing an optical disc. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Outlays: Outlays are payments made (generally through the issuance of checks or disbursement of cash) to liquidate obligations. Outlays during a fiscal year may be for payment of obligations incurred in prior years or in the same year.

Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.

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.

Personal property: All property that is not real property.

Personal property: includes money, goods, chattels, things in action, evidences of debt and energy. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Personal representative: means a person, however denominated, who is authorized to administer a decedent's estate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.

Plea agreement: An arrangement between the prosecutor, the defense attorney, and the defendant in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for special considerations. ^Source:

Police department: includes a department under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Police officer: includes a person serving under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.

Probate: Proving a will

Psychologist: means a psychologist who is licensed under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.

Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.

Public service corporation: includes a holding company, as defined under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 201.01

Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.

Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.

real property: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments and all rights thereto and interests therein. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

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.

seal: includes the word "seal" the letters "L S" and a scroll or other device intended to represent a seal, if any is affixed in the proper place for a seal, as well as an impression of a seal on the instrument. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Securities: means capital stock and evidences of indebtedness of a public service corporation, but do not include any of the following:

(a) Any obligation of a public service corporation which is not a public utility as defined in the federal Power Act, falling due one year or less after its date and bearing date not later than the day of sale. See Wisconsin Statutes 201.01

Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.

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 of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.

Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.

Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.

Testify: Answer questions in court.

Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.

Town board: means the town board of supervisors. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

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.

Veto: The procedure established under the Constitution by which the President/Governor refuses to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevents its enactment into law. A regular veto occurs when the President/Governor returns the legislation to the house in which it originated. The President/Governor usually returns a vetoed bill with a message indicating his reasons for rejecting the measure. In Congress, the veto can be overridden only by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House.

Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.