# § 3911. Definitions
For the purposes of this chapter:
**(1)** **Servicemember** section 101(a)(5) of title 10
The term “servicemember” means a member of the uniformed services, as that term is defined in .
**(2)** **Military service** The term “military service” means—
**(A)** in the case of a servicemember who is a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard—
**(i)** active duty, as defined in section 101(d)(1) of title 10, and
**(ii)** in the case of a member of the National Guard, includes service under a call to active service authorized by the President or the Secretary of Defense for a period of more than 30 consecutive days under section 502(f) of title 32 for purposes of responding to a national emergency declared by the President and supported by Federal funds;
**(B)** in the case of a servicemember who is a commissioned officer of the Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, active service; and
**(C)** any period during which a servicemember is absent from duty on account of sickness, wounds, leave, or other lawful cause.
**(3)** **Period of military service** The term “period of military service” means the period beginning on the date on which a servicemember enters military service and ending on the date on which the servicemember is released from military service or dies while in military service.
**(4)** **Dependent** The term “dependent”, with respect to a servicemember, means—
**(A)** the servicemember’s spouse;
**(B)** the servicemember’s child (as defined in section 101(4) of title 38); or
**(C)** an individual for whom the servicemember provided more than one-half of the individual’s support for 180 days immediately preceding an application for relief under this chapter.
**(5)** **Court** The term “court” means a court or an administrative agency of the United States or of any State (including any political subdivision of a State), whether or not a court or administrative agency of record.
**(6)** **State** The term “State” includes—
**(A)** a commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States; and
**(B)** the District of Columbia.
**(7)** **Secretary concerned** The term “Secretary concerned”—
**(A)** with respect to a member of the armed forces, has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(9) of title 10;
**(B)** with respect to a commissioned officer of the Public Health Service, means the Secretary of Health and Human Services; and
**(C)** with respect to a commissioned officer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, means the Secretary of Commerce.
**1** **Motor vehicle** section 30102(a)(6) of title 49[^1]
The term “motor vehicle” has the meaning given that term in .
See References in Text note below.
**(9)** **Judgment** The term “judgment” means any judgment, decree, order, or ruling, final or temporary.
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**Source Credit**: (Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 888, title I, § 101, as added Pub. L. 108–189, § 1, Dec. 19, 2003, 117 Stat. 2836; amended Pub. L. 108–454, title VII, § 701, Dec. 10, 2004, 118 Stat. 3624; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1742(c)(1), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 681.)
## Editorial Notes
### References in Text
, referred to in par. (8), was redesignated by , , .
### Codification
Section was formerly classified to section 511 of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.
### Prior Provisions
A prior section 101 of , art. I, ; , , ; , , ; , , , related to definitions, prior to the general amendment of this Act by .
### Amendments
2023—Par. (2)(A). inserted “Space Force,” after “Marine Corps,” in introductory provisions.
2004—Par. (9). added par. (9).
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date
Section applicable to any case not final before , see , set out as a note under .