Ombudsman
A person whose occupation consists of investigating customer complaints
against his or her employer. Many governments have ombudsmen who will
investigate citizen complaints against government services.
Onus
Latin: the burden. It is usually used in the context of evidence. The
onus of proof in criminal cases lies with the state. It is the state that
has the burden of proving beyond reasonable doubt. In civil cases, the
onus of proof lies with the plaintiff who must prove his case by balance
of probabilities. So "onus" refers both to the party with the
burden, and to the scope of that burden, the latter depending whether
the context is criminal or civil.
Open-ended
agreement
An agreement or contract which does not have an ending date but which
will continue for as long as certain conditions, identified in the agreement,
exist.
Ordinance
An executive decision of a government which has not been subjected to
a legislative assembly (contrary to a statute). It is often detailed and
not, as would be a statute, of general wording or application. This term
is in disuse in many jurisdictions and the words "regulations"
or "bylaws" are preferred.
