The party that institutes a suit in a court.
[Middle English plaintif, from Anglo-Norman pleintif, from Old French plaintif, aggrieved. See plaintive.]
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The party that institutes a suit in a court.
[Middle English plaintif, from Anglo-Norman pleintif, from Old French plaintif, aggrieved. See plaintive.]
One who initially brings the Suit. In a personal action, he seeks a remedy in a court of justice for an injury to, or a withholding of, his rights.
The person who brings a lawsuit. Contrast with Defendant.
Example: A plaintiff sued for Specific Performance to force the owner of land to sell at the agreed upon terms.
noun
The party who sues in a personal legal action and who is so designated on the record.
The party who sues in a civil action; a complainant; the prosecution—that is, a state or the United States representing the people—in a criminal case.
This case reminds me of one in which I likened the Plaintiff's case to a colander, because it was so full of holes.
— George Jessel (1898-1981)
A plaintiff (Π in legal shorthand), also known as a claimant or complainant, is the party who initiates a lawsuit (also known as an action) before a court. By doing so, the plaintiff seeks a legal remedy, and if successful, the court will issue judgment in favor of the plaintiff and make the appropriate court order (eg. an order for damages).
In some jurisdictions the commencement of a lawsuit is done by filing a summons, claim form and/or a complaint — these documents are known as
pleadings — that set forth the alleged wrongs committed by the defendant or defendants with a demand for relief. In other jurisdictions the action is commenced by service of
legal process by delivery of these documents on the defendant by a process server;
they are only filed with the court subsequently with an
Not all lawsuits are plenary actions, involving a full trial on the merits of the case. There are also simplified procedures, often called proceedings, in which the parties are termed petitioner instead of plaintiff, and respondent instead of defendant. There are also cases that do not technically involve two sides, such as petitions for specific statutory relief that require judicial approval; in those cases there are no respondents, just a petitioner.
A plaintiff identified by name in a class action is called a named plaintiff.
The party to whom the complaint is against is the defendant; or in the case of a petition, a respondent. Case names are usually given with the plaintiff first, as in Plaintiff v. Defendant.
In England and Wales, since April 26 1999, when the Civil Procedure Rules 1998 came into force, the term Claimant has replaced Plaintiff.[1]
In Scotland, a plaintiff is referred to as a pursuer and a defendant as a defender.
In Hong Kong and the United States, a plaintiff is still referred to as a plaintiff. The British usage of "claimant" and "claim form" in the context of formal legal proceedings is quite confusing for Americans, who traditionally limit the application of those terms to insurance and administrative law. After exhausting remedies available through an insurer or government agency, an American who turns to the courts would file a complaint and become a plaintiff.
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Français (French)
n. - (Jur) plaignant
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (νομ.) ενάγων, μηνυτής
Italiano (Italian)
parte civile
Português (Portuguese)
n. - queixoso (m) (Jur.)
Español (Spanish)
n. - querellante, demandante
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - kärande, målsägare
中文(简体) (Chinese (Simplified))
起诉人, 原告
中文(繁體) (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 起訴人, 原告
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) المدعي, جانب الادعاء
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - תובע, מאשים
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