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Criminal Law & Justice vocabulary · Victims' Rights

Complainant

Meaning in criminal law & justice, with examples

/kəmˈpleɪnənt/nounCommon term

In criminal law & justice, complainant means: The person who reports a crime and says they were harmed by it, especially in court before it has been decided whether the crime took place.

In Turkish: müşteki, şikayetçi, şikayet eden

How it is used

Formal court language in the UK and other common law countries. Judges and lawyers use 'complainant' rather than 'victim' during the trial so as not to assume the defendant's guilt. In sexual offence cases the complainant's identity is usually protected.

Example sentences

  1. The complainant gave evidence from behind a screen.

  2. The defence lawyer suggested that the complainant had remembered the date wrongly.

  3. The complainant does not wish to be named.

Common collocations

  • the complainant alleged
  • the complainant's evidence
  • protect the complainant
  • complainant's identity
  • victimA person who has been harmed, injured or killed as a result of a crime, or who has lost money or property because of it.
  • press chargesTo make a formal complaint against someone so that they can be charged with a crime; used mainly about victims.
  • witnessA person who saw or heard something connected with a crime, or who gives information about it in court.
  • victim impact statementA written or spoken statement in which a victim explains how a crime has affected their life, which the court can consider before sentencing.

More terms: Victims' Rights

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.