WHAT THE WORDS MEAN

Also called CWP, carry permit

A permit to carry a concealed weapon a county sheriff issues within 60 days after the application is filed, valid for 5 years.

For stalking, two or more acts that follow, monitor, observe, surveil, threaten, harass or intimidate a person or interfere with their property, by any means, a GPS or other electronic device included.

Knowingly engaging in conduct that creates a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another.

Also called controlled substance

The term the drug laws use. Possessing any dangerous drug, beyond what the marijuana law allows, is criminal possession.

Also called deferred sentence

After a guilty verdict or plea, the judge may defer imposing the sentence for up to 1 year for a misdemeanor or 3 years for a felony.

Also called paraphernalia

Using or possessing paraphernalia to grow, make, store, inject, ingest or inhale a dangerous drug is a misdemeanor, outside what the marijuana law allows.

Also called driving under the influence, drunk driving, DWI

Driving, or being in actual physical control of, a vehicle on the ways of the state open to the public while under the influence of alcohol or any drug, or with an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more, or a THC level of 5 ng/ml or more.

Also called power of attorney, POA

A power of attorney that survives the principal's incapacity. Every power of attorney is durable unless it expressly says incapacity ends it.

Also called stand your ground

A person lawfully in a place who is threatened with bodily injury or death has no duty to retreat or to summon law enforcement before using force, apart from the rule for an aggressor.

A surviving spouse's right to elect a share equal to 50% of the marital property portion of the augmented estate, whatever the will says.

Also called utilities

Heat, water, electricity, gas and the like. A landlord who purposefully interrupts one owes up to 3 months' rent or treble damages, whichever is greater.

Also called clearing a record, expunge

A district court order removing the records of arrest, investigation, detention and court proceedings for one or more misdemeanors. A person may petition only once in a lifetime.

An offense whose sentence is death or imprisonment in a state prison for more than 1 year.

Also called evading police, running from the police

When a uniformed officer in a police vehicle signals to stop, knowingly refusing to stop, speeding up, keeping going 10 or more miles an hour over the limit, turning off the lights, or otherwise trying to get away.

One of the things deadly force may be used to prevent: force likely to cause death or serious bodily harm is justified only on a reasonable belief that it is necessary to prevent imminent death or serious bodily harm, or a forcible felony.

Also called pat down, pat-down

A search of a stopped person for weapons, allowed only with reasonable cause to suspect the person is armed and presently dangerous.

Under the wrongful discharge law, a reasonable job related ground: poor performance, disrupting the operation, breaking a written policy, or another legitimate business reason.

Also called handwritten will

A will whose signature and material portions are in the maker's handwriting, valid whether or not witnessed.

Also called homestead exemption

The house or mobile home the claimant lives in and the land under it, protected from creditors up to a value limit that was $350,000 in 2021 and increases by 4% every calendar year after that.

Also called test refusal, refusing the breath test

A person who drives on the ways of the state open to the public is considered to have consented to tests of blood, breath or oral fluid for alcohol or drugs. The officer informs the person of the right to refuse, and that refusing will suspend the license for up to 1 year.

For giving alcohol to someone under 21, a quantity sufficient to produce an alcohol concentration over 0.05, or substantial or visible impairment.

Also called no fault divorce

The ground for divorce, shown by living separate and apart for more than 180 days before filing, or by serious marital discord.

Also called learner's permit, traffic education permit

A license valid for 1 year that lets the holder drive with a licensed driver seated beside.

Also called alimony, spousal support

Support ordered for a spouse who lacks property for reasonable needs and either cannot be self supporting through appropriate work or cares for a child whose circumstances make staying home appropriate.

An offense punished by county jail, a fine, or both, or by state prison for 1 year or less.

Also called citation, ticket

A written notice an officer may give instead of arresting without a warrant, directing the person to appear before a court at a certain time and place.

What burglary protects: knowingly entering or staying unlawfully in an occupied structure with the purpose of committing an offense there is burglary.

The custody escape law protects, which includes an arrest, transport, court ordered custody and community corrections.

Also called open alcohol in the car

No one may knowingly possess an open alcoholic beverage container within the passenger area of a motor vehicle on a highway.

Also called restraining order, protective order

A court order that may bar contact, keep the respondent a set distance away, and remove the respondent from the home. A temporary order issues at once on a sworn petition showing danger, and a hearing is held within 20 days.

Also called custody, visitation

The arrangement the court sets by the best interest of the child, considering every relevant factor.

Also called reasonable suspicion

The standard for a stop: circumstances that create a particularized suspicion that the person has committed, is committing or is about to commit an offense.

Also called domestic violence, PFMA

Partners are spouses and former spouses, people with a child in common, and people who are or were dating or in an intimate relationship. Family members include parents, children, siblings, step and in-law relatives, past or present.

Also called own recognizance, OR release

Release before trial on the person's own promise, without money bail, for someone otherwise eligible for bail.

Also called primary aggressor

Where both sides fought in a partner or family member assault, the officer arrests only the predominant aggressor.

Where the employer sets none, 12 months from the day the employee begins work. With extensions it may not run past 18 months.

Operating a vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property, including while passing a stopped school bus showing its flashing red signal.

Also called retaliation

Raising rent, cutting services, or bringing or threatening an eviction because a tenant complained to a code agency or the landlord, or joined a tenants' union.

In the course of a theft, inflicting bodily injury on anyone, threatening to, putting anyone in fear of immediate bodily injury, or committing or threatening another felony.

Also called deposit, damage deposit

Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord gives the departing tenant a written list of any rent due and damage and cleaning charges, with the balance of the deposit.

Also called stealing, shoplifting

Purposely or knowingly taking unauthorized control of another's property, getting it by threat or deception, or taking property known to be stolen, meaning to deprive the owner of it.

Also called squatter

Knowingly entering another's premises and residing there for any period of time without the consent of the owner, the rightful occupant or the owner's representative.

Also called wrongful termination

A discharge that was not for good cause after the probationary period, was retaliation for refusing to break public policy or for reporting a violation, broke the employer's own written policy, or was solely for legal free speech.