What is another legal word for defendant?
Asked by: Garnett Hermann | Last update: January 24, 2026Score: 4.7/5 (20 votes)
Defendant: In civil cases, the person who is given court papers, also called a respondent. In criminal cases, the person who is arrested and charged with a crime.
What is the legal term for defendant?
Defendant, in criminal cases , is the person accused of the crime . 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 .
What is the other word for defendant?
defendant (noun as in accused) Strongest matches. litigant offender prisoner suspect.
What is the word for the accused person in court?
defendant - In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime. defense table - The table where the defense lawyer sits with the defendant in the courtroom.
What is the person referred to as the defendant?
Defendant. A person who is charged with a criminal offence. Another word for “an accused” is “defendant”.
What is the meaning of Defendant?
What are the people who defend you in court called?
Defense Attorney. The defense attorney is the defendant's lawyer. Their job is to help the defendant and try to prove that they didn't do anything wrong. They may say things that sound like they're mad at you, but they're not.
What does SA mean in legal terms?
SA is an abbreviation for capias ad satisfaciendum, which is a post-judgment writ that commands the sheriff to imprison the defendant until the judgment is satisfied. It is a type of writ that requires an officer to take a named defendant into custody.
What is the legal term for accusation in court?
ARRAIGNMENT - When a person that is accused of committing a crime is taken to court, told about the charges, and asked to plead "guilty" or "not guilty."
What is a synonym for accused person?
A person who is accused or blamed for doing something. defendant. respondent. suspect. litigant.
What are the most common legal terms?
- Action, Case, Suit. A legal dispute brought into court for a hearing or trial.
- Answer. ...
- Acquit. ...
- Cause of Action. ...
- Challenge for Cause. ...
- Closing Argument. ...
- Complaint. ...
- Counterclaim.
What is a defendants lawyer called?
Defense attorney, also known as a defense lawyer, is an attorney representing a defendant in a lawsuit or criminal prosecution .
What is a synonym for accuser in court?
prosecutor , plaintiff , objector, complainant, libelant, informant, district attorney, judicial party, suitor, petitioner, litigant, delator, adversary, opposer, opponent , informer, government witness, state witness, rat , stool pigeon, fink, injured party, prosecuting lawyer, prosecution , narc (slang), nark (slang) ...
What is a synonym for respondent in court?
respondent (noun as in accused) Strongest matches. defendant prisoner. Strong matches. appellant litigant offender suspect.
What is the synonym of defendant?
Charges against the defendant were dismissed. Synonyms. accused. respondent. appellant.
What is the legal shorthand for the defendant?
The Greek letter Delta, a triangle, is a shorthand symbol for the Defendant. This is the section symbol and is also known as the "double S".
Who is more powerful, a judge or a prosecutor?
Prosecutors are the most powerful officials in the American criminal justice system. The decisions they make, particularly the charging and plea-bargaining decisions, control the operation of the system and often predetermine the outcome of criminal cases.
What's another word for accusing someone?
blame, fault. put or pin the blame on. criminate, impeach, incriminate. bring an accusation against; level a charge against. asperse, besmirch, calumniate, defame, denigrate, slander, smear, smirch, sully.
What do you call the accuser?
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accuser. petitioner. troublemaker. appellant.
What do you call someone who has been accused?
defendant. A person who has been charged with a criminal offence. They may also be called the accused or the accused person.
What is a formal charge against a person?
An indictment is a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime. It is a legal mechanism through which a person suspected of a crime is charged and brought to trial.
What is the word for accusing someone without proof?
It depends. If the accusation is actually or possibly true, it could be called an allegation, a suspicion, speculation, or unproven. If the accusation is false it could be called perjury (if made under oath), defamation, slander (if made orally), libel (if made in writing), or character assassination.
What is a formal written accusation against the defendant?
An indictment is sometimes referred to as a true bill. Information - The formal written accusation charging a particular crime, brought by the federal prosecutor rather than by the grand jury.
What does FA mean in legal terms?
Fieri facias (abbreviated fi. fa.) is a Latin phrase that refers to a writ of execution which directs a state specified officer, usually a sheriff, to take control of a piece of property and sell it in order to satisfy the owner's debt or tax obligations.
What does sh mean?
“SH” has found its way into this digital lexicon, and the sh meaning often stands for “self-harm” in the context of mental health. When teenagers use “SH” in their texts or online conversations, they might be referring to the challenging and sensitive topic of intentional self-injury.
What does CA stand for in Court?
CA — Class action or Court of Appeal.