Section 10.00. Definitions of terms of general use in this chapter


Latest version.
  • Except  where different meanings are expressly specified in subsequent
      provisions of this chapter,  the  following  terms  have  the  following
      meanings:
        1.  "Offense"  means  conduct  for  which  a  sentence  to  a  term of
      imprisonment or to a fine is provided by any law of this state or by any
      law, local law or ordinance of a political subdivision of this state, or
      by any order, rule or regulation  of  any  governmental  instrumentality
      authorized by law to adopt the same.
        2.   "Traffic  infraction"  means  any  offense  defined  as  "traffic
      infraction" by section one hundred fifty-five of the vehicle and traffic
      law.
        3. "Violation" means an offense, other than a "traffic  infraction,  "
      for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment in excess of fifteen days
      cannot be imposed.
        4. "Misdemeanor" means an offense, other than a "traffic infraction, "
      for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment in excess of fifteen days
      may  be  imposed,  but for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment in
      excess of one year cannot be imposed.
        5. "Felony" means an offense  for  which  a  sentence  to  a  term  of
      imprisonment in excess of one year may be imposed.
        6. "Crime" means a misdemeanor or a felony.
        7.  "Person"  means  a human being, and where appropriate, a public or
      private corporation, an unincorporated  association,  a  partnership,  a
      government or a governmental instrumentality.
        8.  "Possess"  means  to  have  physical  possession  or  otherwise to
      exercise dominion or control over tangible property.
        9.  "Physical  injury"  means  impairment  of  physical  condition  or
      substantial pain.
        10.  "Serious  physical  injury" means physical injury which creates a
      substantial risk  of  death,  or  which  causes  death  or  serious  and
      protracted  disfigurement, protracted impairment of health or protracted
      loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ.
        11. "Deadly physical force" means  physical  force  which,  under  the
      circumstances  in  which it is used, is readily capable of causing death
      or other serious physical injury.
        12. "Deadly weapon" means any loaded weapon from which a shot, readily
      capable of producing death or other  serious  physical  injury,  may  be
      discharged,  or  a  switchblade  knife,  gravity  knife, pilum ballistic
      knife, metal knuckle knife, dagger, billy, blackjack, plastic  knuckles,
      or metal knuckles.
        13. "Dangerous instrument" means any instrument, article or substance,
      including  a  "vehicle"  as that term is defined in this section, which,
      under the circumstances in which it is used, attempted  to  be  used  or
      threatened  to  be  used,  is  readily capable of causing death or other
      serious physical injury.
        14. "Vehicle" means a "motor vehicle", "trailer" or "semi-trailer," as
      defined in the vehicle and traffic law, any snowmobile as defined in the
      parks and recreation law, any  aircraft,  or  any  vessel  equipped  for
      propulsion by mechanical means or by sail.
        15.  "Public  servant" means (a) any public officer or employee of the
      state or of any political subdivision thereof  or  of  any  governmental
      instrumentality  within  the  state,  or  (b)  any person exercising the
      functions of any such  public  officer  or  employee.  The  term  public
      servant includes a person who has been elected or designated to become a
      public servant.
        16.  "Juror" means any person who is a member of any jury, including a
      grand jury, impaneled by any court  in  this  state  or  by  any  public
    
      servant  authorized  by  law  to  impanel  a  jury.  The term juror also
      includes a person who  has  been  drawn  or  summoned  to  attend  as  a
      prospective juror.
        17.  "Benefit"  means  any  gain  or  advantage to the beneficiary and
      includes any gain or advantage to a third person pursuant to the  desire
      or consent of the beneficiary.
        18.  "Juvenile  offender" means (1) a person thirteen years old who is
      criminally responsible for acts constituting murder in the second degree
      as defined in subdivisions one and two of section 125.25 of this chapter
      or such  conduct  as  a  sexually  motivated  felony,  where  authorized
      pursuant to section 130.91 of the penal law; and
        (2)  a  person  fourteen  or  fifteen  years  old  who  is  criminally
      responsible for acts constituting the crimes defined in subdivisions one
      and two  of  section  125.25  (murder  in  the  second  degree)  and  in
      subdivision three of such section provided that the underlying crime for
      the   murder   charge  is  one  for  which  such  person  is  criminally
      responsible; section 135.25 (kidnapping in  the  first  degree);  150.20
      (arson  in the first degree); subdivisions one and two of section 120.10
      (assault in  the  first  degree);  125.20  (manslaughter  in  the  first
      degree);  subdivisions  one and two of section 130.35 (rape in the first
      degree); subdivisions one and two of section 130.50 (criminal sexual act
      in the first degree); 130.70  (aggravated  sexual  abuse  in  the  first
      degree);  140.30  (burglary  in  the  first  degree); subdivision one of
      section 140.25 (burglary in the second degree);  150.15  (arson  in  the
      second degree); 160.15 (robbery in the first degree); subdivision two of
      section  160.10  (robbery  in  the  second  degree)  of this chapter; or
      section 265.03 of this chapter, where such machine gun or  such  firearm
      is possessed on school grounds, as that phrase is defined in subdivision
      fourteen  of  section 220.00 of this chapter; or defined in this chapter
      as an attempt to commit murder in the second degree or kidnapping in the
      first degree, or such conduct as  a  sexually  motivated  felony,  where
      authorized pursuant to section 130.91 of the penal law.
        19.  For the purposes of section 260.30 and 120.01 of this chapter the
      term "child day care provider" shall  be  defined  as  provided  for  in
      section three hundred ninety of the social services law.
        20. For purposes of sections 120.13, 120.18, 125.11, 125.21 and 125.22
      of  this  chapter,  the  term  "peace  officer" means a peace officer as
      defined in subdivision one, two, three,  four,  six,  twelve,  thirteen,
      fifteen,  sixteen,  seventeen,  eighteen,  nineteen, twenty, twenty-one,
      twenty-three,  twenty-three-a,  twenty-four,  twenty-five,   twenty-six,
      twenty-eight,  twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-four,
      thirty-five,   thirty-six,   forty-three,    forty-five,    forty-seven,
      forty-eight,  forty-nine,  fifty-one, fifty-two, fifty-eight, sixty-one,
      as added by chapter two hundred fifty-seven  of  the  laws  of  nineteen
      hundred  ninety-two,  sixty-one,  as  added  by  chapter  three  hundred
      twenty-one of the laws of nineteen  hundred  ninety-two,  sixty-two,  as
      added  by  chapter  two  hundred  four  of  the laws of nineteen hundred
      ninety-three, sixty-two, as added by chapter six hundred eighty-seven of
      the laws of nineteen hundred ninety-three, sixty-three,  as  amended  by
      chapter  six  hundred  thirty-eight  of  the laws of two thousand three,
      sixty-four, sixty-five, sixty-eight, as added  by  chapter  one  hundred
      sixty-eight  of  the  laws  of  two  thousand,  sixty-eight, as added by
      chapter three hundred eighty-one of the laws of two  thousand,  seventy,
      seventy-one,  seventy-four, as added by chapter five hundred forty-eight
      of the laws of two thousand one, seventy-five, as added by chapter three
      hundred twenty-one of the laws of two  thousand  two,  seventy-five,  as
      added  by  chapter  six hundred twenty-three of the laws of two thousand
      two, seventy-seven, as added by chapter three hundred sixty-seven of the
    
      laws of two thousand four, seventy-eight or seventy-nine,  as  added  by
      chapter  two  hundred  forty-one  of  the  laws of two thousand four, of
      section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law, as well as any  federal  law
      enforcement  officer  defined  in section 2.15 of the criminal procedure
      law.