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plaintiff
Respondent
A defendant is the party being sued in a civil or criminal lawsuit. In some types of cases, such as that of divorce, a defendant is also called a respondent.
It depends on what kind of case it is. In a criminal case the parties are called prosecutor and defendant; in a civil case they are the plaintiff and the defendant; and in family law they are the petitioner and respondent.
(1) a plaintiff files a complaint against a defendant (2) a ruling is made and damages are delivered
The plaintiff is the person or organization that INITIATES a legal action, against another person, who is called the defendant.
In the United States federal court system, the document used to initiate a civil lawsuit against a defendant is called a complaint. In the state court systems, this document is usually called a petition.
In civil law, the party who is served with the papers beginning the civil action, and is defending the lawsuit is called the "defendant"; the party who brings the lawsuit is called the "plaintiff". In the strictest sense, the person in a criminal 'lawsuit' not a civil proceeding, is called a "defendant". The party, in the criminal action, who brings the lawsuit, a criminal proceeding, is called the "State". The representative for the criminal action against the is a Prosecutor. Please see the discussion page for further notions about using the word "defendant" instead of the label "accused" in a criminal proceeding.
A plaintiff initiates a lawsuit against a defendant.
In criminal court. There is the prosecution and the defense.Added: In a civil case it is the Plaintiff and the Defendant
Defendant. He has to defend him self against the plaintiff's accusation.
In a criminal case it is the accuser. In a civil case - think Judge Judy - it is the Plaintiff