What's the difference between plaintiff and respondent?

Asked by: Esteban Rempel  |  Last update: July 3, 2022
Score: 4.8/5 (65 votes)

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.

Is respondent the same as defendant?

The defendant in a lawsuit is the person against whom the action is brought, by the plaintiff. A defendant in an arbitration case or a divorce case is called the "respondent." U.S. Law has two kinds of court cases which involve defendants: Criminal cases, which involve a defendant who is accused of a crime.

Is the difference between a plaintiff and a defendant?

The Defendant is the individual(s) being accused of a crime or code. 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.

What is a respondent in a lawsuit?

"Petitioner" refers to the party who petitioned the Supreme Court to review the case. This party is variously known as the petitioner or the appellant. "Respondent" refers to the party being sued or tried and is also known as the appellee.

Who is considered the respondent?

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.

Who is called a Plaintiff/Defendant/Petitioner/Respondent -Legal Lotus, Miami Trial & Family Lawyers

29 related questions found

Do respondents have to respond?

The petitioner is the party that files a petition to appeal a court's decision. The respondent is the party who must respond to that petition. Respondents can be plaintiffs or defendants in a lawsuit depending on who files the petition to appeal.

Who is the plaintiff?

A plaintiff is the person who initiates a legal claim. The defendant is the person who then defends the claim. Eventually in the course of a normal court case, there will be a trial and then the judge which make a decision about the dispute between the plaintiff and the defendant.

Who is considered the plaintiff?

plaintiff, the party who brings a legal action or in whose name it is brought—as opposed to the defendant, the party who is being sued. The term corresponds to petitioner in equity and civil law and to libelant in admiralty.

How do you identify a plaintiff and defendant?

Plaintiff is related to the words plaintive and complain. You can think of a plaintiff as the person who makes a complaint in court. Defendant is related to the word defend. A defendant is the person who must defend themselves against the complaints brought forward by the plaintiff.

What are the 2 sides in court called?

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.)

What is another word for respondents?

In this page you can discover 17 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for respondent, like: answerer, applicant, respondents, informant, defendant, appellant, employer, responser, accused, answering and responder.

Is plaintiff the same as petitioner?

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.

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 the defendant of the case?

defendant - In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.

Who is the plaintiff in a divorce?

The spouse who starts the divorce proceedings is referred to as the Plaintiff and the other spouse the Defendant. A divorce summons: Must state that there is no reasonable prospect of restoring the relationship.

What is the 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 examples of plaintiff?

A plaintiff is an individual or party that files a lawsuit. For example, in debt collection, the plaintiff is usually the creditor, debt collection company, organization, or any other entity the defendant owes money to. In this case, the defendant is the party being sued by the plaintiff.

What is another word for plaintiff?

In this page you can discover 19 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for plaintiff, like: accuser, complainant, prosecutor, claimant, pursuer, litigant, defendant, the-prosecution, debtor, suer and tortfeasor.

What's the opposite of plaintiff?

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

Is the victim the defendant?

Victim: an individual who has suffered direct physical, emotional, or economic harm as a result of the commission of a crime. Defendant: the person accused of committing a crime.

Who is 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.”

What happens if respondent does not appear in court?

Answers (1) If the respondent does not appear in the court even after several dates and after serving proper notice on him, thee Court may proceed ex-parte i.e. may pass the order without the appearance of the Respondent in the favour of the Plaintiff, if Plaintiff has sufficient evidence to prove his case.

What happens if a defendant does not answer a complaint?

— If the defendant fails to answer within the time specified in these rules, the court shall, upon motion of the plaintiff, order judgment against the defendant by default, and thereupon the court shall proceed to receive the plaintiff's evidence and render judgment granting him such relief as the complaint and the ...

How long does a court hearing last?

A typical preliminary hearing may take from a half-hour to two hours, while some only last a few minutes. Trials can last hours, days, or weeks. No jury. A judge (not a jury) will conduct a preliminary hearing.

Who defends the accused?

Right to be defended

Section 303 of CrPC and Article 22(1) of the constitution of India provides a right to all the accused persons, to be defended by a pleader of his choice.