Wisconsin Statutes > Chapter 5 > Subchapter II – Ballot Form
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Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes > Chapter 5 > Subchapter II - Ballot Form
- Acquire: when used in connection with a grant of power to any person, includes the acquisition by purchase, grant, gift or bequest. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- American Indian: means a person who is recognized by an elected tribal governing body in this state as a member of a federally recognized Wisconsin tribe or band of Indians. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- Chambers: A judge's office.
- Chiropractor: means a person holding a license issued by the chiropractic examining board. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Civil forfeiture: The loss of ownership of property used to conduct illegal activity.
- 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.
- 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.
- County board: means the county board of supervisors. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- 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.
- Dentist: means a person who is licensed as a dentist under subch. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
- Department: means the department of health services. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01
- Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
- Dependent person: means an individual who is eligible for relief under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01
- Devise: To gift property by will.
- 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:
- Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
- Domestic animal: means any of the following:
1. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001Donor: The person who makes a gift. 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 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 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. Farm-raised deer: means a cervid that is kept in captivity or a cervid that is present in the wild and that has an ear tag or other mark identifying it as being raised on a farm. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001 Farm-raised fish: means any fish egg that is present on a fish farm or any fish that is reared on a fish farm. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001 Farm-raised game bird: has the meaning given in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001 Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it. 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. Fish farm: means a facility at which a person hatches fish eggs or rears fish for the purpose of introduction into the waters of the state, human or animal consumption, permitting fishing, use as bait or fertilizer or any other purpose specified by the department by rule or for sale to another person to rear for one of those purposes. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001 Following: when used by way of reference to any statute section, means the section next following that in which the reference is made. 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. Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value. Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. Source: Federal Reserve 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. Health care services: means such emergency and nonemergency medical, surgical, dental, hospital, nursing and optometric services as are reasonable and necessary under the circumstances, as determined by the county or tribal governing body. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 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 homestead: means the dwelling and so much of the land surrounding it as is reasonably necessary for use of the dwelling as a home, but not less than one-fourth acre, if available, and not exceeding 40 acres. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 in writing: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols or figures. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 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 Irrevocable trust: A trust arrangement that cannot be revoked, rescinded, or repealed by the grantor. 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. Joint tenancy: A form of property ownership in which two or more parties hold an undivided interest in the same property that was conveyed under the same instrument at the same time. A joint tenant can sell his (her) interest but not dispose of it by will. Upon the death of a joint tenant, his (her) undivided interest is distributed among the surviving joint tenants. 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. 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 Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity. Licensed practical nurse: includes a licensed practical/vocational nurse who holds a multistate license, as defined in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt. Life estate: A property interest limited in duration to the life of the individual holding the interest (life tenant). Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants. Live birth: means the complete expulsion or extraction from his or her mother, of a human being, at any stage of development, who, after the expulsion or extraction, breathes or has a beating heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, regardless of whether the umbilical cord has been cut, and regardless of whether the expulsion or extraction occurs as a result of natural or induced labor, a cesarean section, or an abortion, as defined in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Marital child: means either of the following:
(a) A child who is conceived or born while his or her parents are lawfully intermarried. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01Minor: 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. Municipality: includes cities and villages; it may be construed to include towns. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Nonmarital child: means a child who is neither conceived nor born while his or her parents are lawfully intermarried, who is not adopted and whose parents do not subsequently intermarry under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Oath: A promise to tell the truth. Oath: includes affirmation in all cases where by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 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. Officers: when applied to corporations include directors and trustees. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program. Paratuberculosis: means the disease of domestic ruminants, commonly known as Johne's disease, that is caused by mycobacterium paratuberculosis. See Wisconsin Statutes 95.001 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: includes all partnerships, associations and bodies politic or corporate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 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 Physician assistant: means a person who is licensed as a physician assistant under subch. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit. 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 Population: means that shown by the most recent regular or special federal census. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 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. Preceding: when used by way of reference to any statute section, means the section next preceding that in which the reference is made. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law. 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. Promulgate: when used in connection with a rule, as defined under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Property: includes real and personal property. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government. Psychologist: means a psychologist who is licensed under…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide. Qualified: when applied to any person elected or appointed to office, means that such person has done those things which the person was by law required to do before entering upon the duties of the person's office. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 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 Registered nurse: includes a registered nurse who holds a multistate license, as defined in…. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Relief: means assistance that is provided to a dependent person and funded by a relief block grant. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 Relief agency: means a tribal governing body or an agency under contract with a tribal governing body to administer relief if the tribal governing body operates a relief program funded by a relief block grant. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 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. 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). Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation. Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action. Revocable trust: A trust agreement that can be canceled, rescinded, revoked, or repealed by the grantor (person who establishes the trust). 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 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. State: when applied to states of the United States, includes the District of Columbia, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the several territories organized by Congress. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Statute: A law passed by a legislature. 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. Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system. Sworn: includes "affirmed" in all cases where by law an affirmation may be substituted for an oath. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Tax-free land: means land in this state within the boundaries of a federally recognized reservation or within the bureau of Indian affairs service area for the Winnebago tribe, which is not subject to assessment or levy of a real property tax either as a general tax or as a payment in lieu of taxes. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 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. Tenancy in common: A type of property ownership in which two or more individuals have an undivided interest in property. At the death of one tenant in common, his (her) fractional percentage of ownership in the property passes to the decedent Testify: Answer questions in court. Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries. Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident. Town: may be construed to include cities, villages, wards or districts. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 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. Tribal governing body: means an elected tribal governing body of a federally recognized American Indian tribe. See Wisconsin Statutes 49.01 Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. Source: OCC Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust. United States: includes the District of Columbia, the states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the territories organized by congress. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried. 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. Village: means incorporated village. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Week: means 7 consecutive days. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01 Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed; "year" alone means "year of our Lord". See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01