What is a plaintiff in legal terms?

In a civil matter, the party who initiates a lawsuit (against the defendant).

What is the plaintiff side called?

In a civil case, the person or entity that files the lawsuit is called the plaintiff. The person or entity being sued is called the defendant. In a civil case, the “defendant” is the person or entity being sued and the “plaintiff” is the person or entity filing the lawsuit.

What is the legal term for defendant?

defendant. n. 1) the party sued in a civil lawsuit or the party charged with a crime in a criminal prosecution. In some types of cases (such as divorce) a defendant may be called a respondent. See also: codefendant plaintiff.

What are the two sides called in a lawsuit?

The people or entities who are directly involved in a lawsuit are called parties. They are plaintiffs (those who are suing in a civil case) or defendants (those being sued in a civil case or accused in criminal cases). The parties may be present at the counsel tables with their lawyers during the trial.

Who is the claimant and defendant?

The “claimant” is the person who has been injured and who would be making a claim for their injuries. The word “plaintiff” isn’t used until there is a lawsuit started. The party responsible for the plaintiff’s injuries is known as the “defendant.”

Is plaintiff and prosecutor the same?

Names of the sides. In criminal trials, the state’s side, represented by a district attorney, is called the prosecution. In civil trials, the side making the charge of wrongdoing is called the plaintiff. (The side charged with wrongdoing is called the defendant in both criminal and civil trials.)

Who is the claimant in a case?

Is litigant the same as plaintiff?

n. any party to a lawsuit. This means plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, cross-complainant, and cross-defendant, but not a witness or attorney.

What is the opposite of a defendant in court?

In a courtroom, the plaintiff is the person or group who is accusing another person or group of some wrongdoing. If you’re the plaintiff, you are claiming that a law was broken, and you’re in court to present your case. The plaintiff accuses, the defendant tries to prove that accusation wrong.

What are you called when you sue someone?

The party that starts the lawsuit is called the plaintiff because they are complaining about something the other side has done. This is also called “suing”, or to “sue”. The other party is called the defendant because it must defend what it has done.

What are claims called in a court?

complaint: Papers filed with the court by a plaintiff to start a lawsuit. A complaint sets out facts and legal claims (called “causes of action”). In some types of cases, it is called a “petition.”