What term refers to a person who is tried by a court for a crime?
Asked by: Taurean Hayes MD | Last update: February 11, 2026Score: 4.4/5 (62 votes)
The term for a person tried by a court for a crime is the defendant, also often called the accused, who is facing criminal charges brought by the state or prosecution for an alleged offense.
What term refers to a person who is tried by a court of a crime?
Criminal defendants
In a criminal trial, a defendant is a person accused (charged) of committing an offense (a crime; an act defined as punishable under criminal law).
What do you call a person being tried in court?
Defendant: A person who has been formally charged by a court with committing a specific crime.
What do you call someone who is accused of a crime?
In criminal cases, a defendant is the person accused of the crime. They have certain rights guaranteed to them by law, such as the right to an attorney and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
What is plaintiff and defendant?
In a lawsuit, the plaintiff is the person or entity who starts the legal action (the one suing), seeking a remedy for a perceived wrong, while the defendant is the person or entity being sued or accused, who must defend against the claims. The plaintiff has the burden of proof (e.g., proving their case by a preponderance of the evidence in most civil cases), and the defendant responds to these allegations.
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What is the legal term for the 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. However, the term respondent is usually used to designate the person responding to an appeal.
What is another word for plaintiff?
Common synonyms for plaintiff include complainant, petitioner, litigant, suer, and claimant, all referring to the party initiating a lawsuit or legal action, with specific contexts favoring different terms like "appellant" on appeal or "petitioner" for formal requests.
What is the accuser called in court?
In criminal cases, it's the prosecutor; in civil cases, it's the plaintiff.
What do you call someone who is being accused in court?
Accused person – is the person, against whom criminal prosecution has been initiated. Defendant – the person, against whom a judgment of conviction was rendered, which has already come to full force and effect, or a final and effective criminal order.
What is the synonym of defendant?
Common synonyms for defendant include the accused, respondent, litigant, and suspect, referring to a person or party charged with a crime or being sued in a court of law, while other related terms like offender, prisoner at the bar, or party can also be used depending on the context.
What is another word for accused person?
Synonyms to “the accused” can include “the defendant,” “the suspect,” or “the alleged offender.” If you are accused of and charged with a crime, you are still innocent until proven guilty.
Who is the person being tried in court?
Court reporter: A person who types every word said during the trial. The typewritten document is a permanent record of the trial. Defendant: The person who is accused of a crime and is being tried. Defense attorney or public defender: The lawyer who defends the accused person.
What is the opposite of plaintiff?
The opposite of a plaintiff (the one who brings a lawsuit) is the defendant, the person or entity being sued or accused in a civil or criminal case, while other related terms for the opposing party include accused, respondent, or appellant, depending on the specific legal context.
What do you call a person who is being tried in court?
Defendant: In a criminal case, this is the person on trial because of a criminal charge. In a civil case, this can be a person, entity, or organization, and they are usually called the respondent. Deliberations: The time when the jury meets to discuss the case in order to reach a verdict at the end of the trial.
Who is an accused person?
A person who has been arrested for or formally charged with a crime is referred to as "the accused." It is another name for the defendant in a criminal case.
How to be a defendant?
Tips for First-Time Defendants
- Seek Legal Representation: ...
- Be Punctual and Prepared: ...
- Dress Appropriately: ...
- Understand Your Charges: ...
- Follow Courtroom Etiquette: ...
- Listen Carefully: ...
- Communicate with Your Attorney: ...
- Follow All Court Orders:
What is a synonym for accuser?
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accuser. harasser. petitioner. troublemaker. appellant.
What is the name of the person being accused in court?
Defendant (civil case)- The person being sued in a civil case is called the defendant. Defendant (criminal case)- A person who has been charged with a crime is the defendant in a criminal case.
What's another word for being singled out?
differentiate, distinguish, secern, secernate, separate, severalise, severalize, tell, tell apart. mark as different.
Who is the person accused of a crime called?
The person accused of the crime is called the defendant. In criminal court, a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
What word can I use instead of victim?
Common synonyms for victim include casualty, prey, target, sufferer, sacrifice, dupe, and scapegoat, with other related words depending on context like innocent, mark, pawn, or martyr, highlighting harm, being hunted, being tricked, or being sacrificed.
What words can I use instead of "criminal"?
You can use words like offender, lawbreaker, culprit, felon, crook, villain, thug, perpetrator, or malefactor as nouns, and illegal, unlawful, illicit, corrupt, lawless, wicked, or nefarious as adjectives, depending on whether you're describing the person or the act, and the formality or specific context.
What are 5 strong synonyms?
Five strong synonyms for "strong" are powerful, robust, sturdy, tenacious, and resilient, offering variations for physical might, durability, determination, and ability to recover.
What is the other word for defendant?
[dih-fen-duhnt, -dant] / dɪˈfɛn dənt, -dænt / NOUN. accused. litigant offender prisoner suspect.
What is another name for a complainant in the court?
a person or entity who begins a lawsuit by filing a complaint and is usually called the plaintiff, or in some cases the petitioner.