Title GCN, General Construction

§ 1. Short title. This chapter shall be known as the "General Construction Law."

§ 10. Acknowledge and acknowledgment. The terms acknowledge and acknowledgment, when used with reference to the execution of an instrument or writing other than a deed of real property, include a compliance with the provisions of the next section by either such proof or acknowled…

§ 100. Effect of consolidation upon laws passed at same session or before consolidation takes effect. No provision of any chapter of the consolidation of the general laws, of which this chapter is a part, shall supersede or repeal by implication any law passed at the same sessio…

§ 101. Effect of consolidated laws on penal law, criminal procedure law and civil practice law and rules. The consolidated laws shall not be construed to amend, repeal or otherwise affect any provision of the penal law, civil practice law and rules or criminal procedure law unle…

§ 11. Acknowledgment or proof of instrument. When the execution of any instrument or writing is authorized or required by law to be acknowledged, or to be proven so as to entitle it to be filed or recorded in a public office, the acknowledgment may be taken or the proof made befo…

§ 11-a. Acquisition. The term "acquisition" means the act of acquiring any title to, right or interest in, real property through the exercise of the power of eminent domain pursuant to the provisions of the eminent domain procedure law.

§ 11-b. Appropriation. The term "appropriation" when used in reference to the acquiring of any title to, right or interest in real property through the exercise of the power of eminent domain, shall be deemed to mean acquisition.

§ 110. Application of chapter. This chapter is applicable to every statute unless its general object, or the context of the language construed, or other provisions of law indicate that a different meaning or application was intended from that required to be given by this chapter…

§ 12. Affidavit. When an affidavit is authorized or required it may be sworn to before any officer authorized by law to take the acknowledgment of deeds in this state, unless a particular officer is specified before whom it is to be taken.

§ 120. Laws repealed. Of the laws enumerated in the schedule hereto annexed, that portion specified in the last column is hereby repealed.

§ 121. When to take effect. This chapter shall take effect immediately.

§ 13. Adjournment of meeting. Any meeting referred to in section forty-one of this chapter may be adjourned by a less number than a quorum.

§ 13-a. Armed forces of the United States. "Armed forces of the United States" means the army, navy, marine corps, air force, space force and coast guard including all components thereof, and the national guard when in the service of the United States pursuant to call as provide…

§ 13-b. Board of supervisors. The term "board of supervisors" means the elective governing body of a county, by whatever name designated.

§ 14. Bond and undertaking. A provision of law authorizing or requiring a bond to be given shall be deemed to have been complied with by the execution of an undertaking to the same effect.

§ 15. Chattels. The term chattels includes goods and chattels; and, where the term appears in any statute or rule pertaining to an action to recover the same, it also includes all specific personal property, such as, but not limited to, certificates of stock, bonds, notes, or oth…

§ 16. Choose. The term choose includes elect and appoint.

§ 16-a. Civil action. The term "civil action" means any action except when prosecuted in the name of the people of the state of New York, as plaintiffs against a party charged with crime.

§ 16-b. Condemnation. The term "condemnation" when used in reference to the acquiring of any title to, right or interest in, real property through the exercise of the power of eminent domain, shall be deemed to mean acquisition.

§ 17. Criminal code. The term criminal code means the code of criminal procedure.

§ 18. Consolidated laws. The term Consolidated Laws shall mean the compilation of the statutes prepared by the board of statutory consolidation and the amendments thereof.

§ 18-a. Criminal action. A "criminal action" is prosecuted in the name of the people of the state of New York, as plaintiffs, against a party charged with crime.

§ 19. Day, calendar. A calendar day includes the time from midnight to midnight. Sunday or any day of the week specifically mentioned means a calendar day.

§ 20. Day, computation. A number of days specified as a period from a certain day within which or after or before which an act is authorized or required to be done means such number of calendar days exclusive of the calendar day from which the reckoning is made. If such period i…

§ 20-a. Distinct parcel. "Distinct parcel" of real property is a part of the property which is or may be set off by boundary lines as distinguished from an undivided share or interest therein.

§ 22. Gender. Whenever words of the masculine or feminine gender appear in any law, rule, regulation, or resolution unless the sense of the sentence indicates otherwise, they shall be deemed to refer to persons of any gender. This construction shall apply to gender indicative su…

§ 23. Heretofore and hereafter. Each of the terms, heretofore, and hereafter, in any provision of a statute, relates to the time such provision takes effect.

§ 24. Public holidays; half-holidays. The term public holiday includes the following days in each year: the first day of January, known as New Year's day; the third Monday of January, known as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day; the twelfth day of February, known as Lincoln's birth…

§ 24-a. Closing of banking organizations on Saturday; Sunday, public holiday or Saturday afternoon banking transactions; emergency bank holidays. 1. Any banking organization lawfully doing business within the state of New York may be closed on any one or more Saturdays upon the …

§ 25. Public holiday, Saturday or Sunday in contractual obligations; extension of time where performance of act authorized or required by contract is due on Saturday, Sunday or public holiday. 1. Where a contract by its terms authorizes or requires the payment of money or the pe…

§ 25-a. Public holiday, Saturday or Sunday in statutes; extension of time where performance of act is due on Saturday, Sunday or public holiday. 1. When any period of time, computed from a certain day, within which or after which or before which an act is authorized or required …

§ 25-b. Injury to property. "Injury to property" is an actionable act, whereby the estate of another is lessened, other than a personal injury, or the breach of a contract.

§ 25-c. Investment in bond and mortgage or note and mortgage. The term bond and mortgage or the term note and mortgage as heretofore or hereafter used in any statute which prescribes or authorizes investment therein, with or without a specified ratio of real property security, s…

§ 26. Judge. The term "judge" includes every judicial officer authorized, alone or with others, to hold or preside over a court of record. It also includes a justice, surrogate, recorder, Town Justice, Village Justice, City Justice or other judicial officer authorized or require…

§ 26-a. Judgment creditor. "Judgment creditor" signifies the person who is entitled to collect or otherwise enforce, in his own right, a judgment for a sum of money, or directing the payment of a sum of money.

§ 26-b. Just compensation as including loss of mortgage financing. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of law, whenever property is taken pursuant to the power of eminent domain (whether denominated condemnation, appropriation or otherwise) just compensation required by …

§ 27. Last, preceding, next and following. A reference to the last or preceding section, or other provision of a statute, means the section or other division immediately preceding, and a reference to the next or following section or other division of a statute means the section …

§ 28. Mental disability, mental illness, developmental disability, addictive disorder and addiction disorder. The terms mental disability, mental illness, developmental disability, addictive disorder and addiction disorder shall have the same meaning as they are defined pursuant…

§ 28-a. Mandate. "Mandate" includes a writ, process or other written direction, issued pursuant to law, out of a court, or made pursuant to law, by a court, a judge or person acting as a judicial officer, and commanding a court, board or other body, or an officer or other person…

§ 28-b. Magistrate. A magistrate is a judge of any court of this state.

§ 28-c. Down's syndrome. 1. On and after the effective date of this section, the term "mongolism" or "mongoloid" used as a synonym for the genetic disorder known as Down's syndrome shall not be utilized in any statute, local law, ordinance, charter, or rule or regulation promulg…

§ 29. Men. The term men includes boys.

§ 30. Month, computation. A number of months after or before a certain\nday shall be computed by counting such number of calendar months from\nsuch day, exclusive of the calendar month in which such day occurs, and\nshall include the day of the month in the last month so counted…

§ 31. Month in statute, contract and public or private instrument. In a statute, contract or public or private instrument, unless otherwise provided in such contract or instrument or by law, the term month means a calendar month and not a lunar month.

§ 32. Municipal officers. A reference to several officers of a municipal corporation holding the same office, or to a board of such officers, shall be deemed to refer to the single officer holding such office, when but one person is chosen to fill such office in pursuance of law…

§ 33. Notice. When a notice is required to be given to a board or body, service of such notice upon the clerk or chairman thereof shall be sufficient.

§ 33-a. Notify. "Notify" is used with respect to procuring the attendance of a juror, is equivalent to the word "summon" as used in the like connection, in the constitution and laws of the state.

§ 34. Now. The term now in any provision of a statute referring to other laws in force, or to persons in office, or to any facts or circumstances as existing, relates to the laws in force, or to the person in office, or to the facts or circumstances existing, respectively, immed…

§ 35. Number, singular and plural. Words in the singular number include the plural, and in the plural number include the singular.

§ 36. Oath, affidavit and swear. The terms oath and affidavit include every mode authorized by law of attesting the truth of that which is stated. The term swear includes every mode authorized by law for administering an oath.