What do you call the person being defended in court?

Asked by: Jana Gislason IV  |  Last update: July 31, 2023
Score: 5/5 (11 votes)

A. Accused: formally charged but not yet tried for committing a crime; the person who has been charged may also be called the defendant. Acquittal: a judgment of court, based on the decision of either a jury or a judge, that a person accused is not guilty of the crime for which he has been tried.

What is the person being defended by a lawyer called?

Turn on any TV show about lawyers, and you'll see some of them defending the defendant, and others trying to convict the defendant. Defendants are definitely on the defensive. Definitions of defendant. a person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law; the person being sued or accused.

What do you call the person who is suing?

Plaintiff: The person who sues or starts a civil case, also called the petitioner or the complainant.

What does being the defendant mean?

: a person or group against whom a criminal or civil action is brought : someone who is being sued or accused of committing a crime. if the jury finds the defendant not guilty. compare plaintiff.

What are plaintiffs and defendants?

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.

My answer to "how do you defend someone you think is guilty"

17 related questions found

What is the opposite of defendant in court?

The plaintiff is a person or entity that files a lawsuit. The lawsuit includes a complaint and a summons which must be filed in the appropriate court. The defendant the person or entity that is being sued. Plaintiff and defendant are terms usually used in civil cases and/or a civil lawsuit.

What is the opposite of plaintiff?

Plaintiff means; prosecutor, claimant, complainant, litigant, the prosecution. Opposites of Plaintiff; defendant.

Is the respondent the plaintiff or defendant?

The respondent is the party against whom a petition is filed, especially one on appeal. The respondent can be either the plaintiff or the defendant from the court below, as either party can appeal the decision thereby making themselves the petitioner and their adversary the respondent.

What does it mean to be the defendant in a trial?

Defendant: a person who has been formally charged with committing a crime; the person accused of a crime. Defense Attorney: the lawyer who represents the defendant in legal proceedings.

Is a defendant a witness?

Simply put, a defendant can be a witness in their own criminal case. If you have been charged with a crime, you have the right to testify on your own behalf, and to raise your own defense. However, most criminal defendants don't testify in their criminal trials.

What term refers to someone who is engaged in a lawsuit?

Litigants: Any person or persons, as well as group or groups, engaged in a lawsuit. Often referred to as the "parties" in a case.

What is the role of a plaintiff?

A plaintiff (Π in legal shorthand) is the party who initiates a lawsuit (also known as an action) before a court. By doing so, the plaintiff seeks a legal remedy. If this search is successful, the court will issue judgment in favor of the plaintiff and make the appropriate court order (e.g., an order for damages).

What is the difference between a respondent and a defendant?

Defendant is normally used as the opposing party to a plaintiff, in a civil cause of action. It also refers to the accused in a criminal matter. Respondent is normally used as the responding party to an applicant, in motions, in certain statutory relief, relief based in judicial review, etc.

Who defends the defendants?

In a criminal case, the accused person is called the defendant. Defendants are represented by an attorney, who may be an attorney from the Federal Public Defender's Office if they can't afford a private attorney.

What is the opposite of a defending lawyer?

A prosecutor is a lawyer who works for a state or government organization and is responsible for starting legal proceedings and then proving in court that the suspect committed the crime he's accused of. The opposite of a prosecutor is a defense attorney.

What does defended mean in law?

law : to deny or oppose the right of a plaintiff in regard to (a suit or a wrong charged) : contest. 5. : to retain or seek to retain (something, such as a title or position) against a challenge in a contest. they successfully defended their championship.

What is the defendant in a civil trial called?

In civil cases, the defendant is the person or entity that is being sued by the plaintiff. In certain types of actions, the defendant is called the respondent. However, the term respondent is usually used to designate the person responding to an appeal.

What is the root word for defendant?

"defend, resist," and directly from Latin defendere "ward off, protect, guard, allege in defense," from de "from, away" (see de-) + -fendere "to strike, hit, push," attested only in compounds (such as offendere "to strike against; encounter;" infensus "aggressive, hostile"), from PIE root *gwhend- "to strike, kill" ( ...

What is an example of a defendant?

In a criminal case, the defendant is the person accused of committing a crime. For example, if someone is accused of murder, the government will bring a criminal case against them. The government is the plaintiff, and the accused is the defendant.

Who is usually the plaintiff?

In Civil Cases, the Plaintiff is the person(s) who has alleged that a wrongdoing has been done to the them. The Defendant is the person(s) or entity that has been accused of committing a wrongful act.

Is the petitioner the defendant?

The petitioner is the party who presents a petition to the court. On appeal, the petitioner is usually the party who lost in the lower court. This can be either the plaintiff or defendant from the court below, as either of the parties can present the case to a higher court for further proceedings. See also respondent.

What is the opposite of respondent?

▲ Opposite of a person who is being interviewed or questioned. inquirer. interviewer. questioner.

What is the other name for plaintiff?

On this page you'll find 7 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to plaintiff, such as: complainant, litigant, prosecutor, and suer.

What is the other word for plaintiff?

synonyms: complainant. Antonyms: defendant, suspect. a person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law; the person being sued or accused. types: petitioner, suer.