« Back to Glossary Index
« Back to Glossary Index
The person against whom a claim is made. In a civil suit, the defendant is the person being sued. In a criminal case, the defendant is the person charged with committing a crime.
Defendant (Wikipedia)
In court proceedings, a defendant is a person or object who is the party either accused of committing a crime in criminal prosecution or against whom some type of civil relief is being sought in a civil case.
Terminology varies from one jurisdiction to another. In Scots law, the terms "accused" or "panel" are used instead in criminal proceedings and "defender" in civil proceedings. Another term in use is "respondent".
Defendant (Wiktionary)
English
Alternative forms
- defendaunt (obsolete)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /dɪˈfɛnd.ənt/
Etymology 1
From Middle English defendaunt (“defending; defending in a suit
... Read More
