N.Y. General Associations Law § 2 : General Associations — Short Title; Definitions — Definitions Date: 10 Feb 2014 TEXT PDF Current through 2016 New York Laws, Chapters 1 to 237 As used in this chapter: 1. The term "joint stock association" includes every unincorporated joint stock association, company or enterprise having written articles of association and capital stock divided into shares, but does not include a corporation or a business trust. 2. The term "business trust" means any association operating a business under a written instrument or declaration of trust, the beneficial interest under which is divided into shares represented by certificates. 3. The term "stockholder" means every member of a joint stock association. 4. The term "association," as used in article four of this chapter, means a joint stock association or a business trust as defined in this section. N.Y. Gen. Ass'ns Law § 2