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Law vocabulary · Lawsuits & Procedure

Defendant

Meaning in law, with examples

/dɪˈfendənt/nounCore term

In law, defendant means: The person or company that a case is brought against: the side that must answer a civil claim or a criminal charge.

In Turkish: davalı, sanık

How it is used

Used in both civil and criminal cases in the UK and the US. Lawyers 'act for' or 'represent' the defendant, and a judgment can be 'entered against' the defendant.

Example sentences

  1. The defendant denies that the goods were damaged when they arrived.

  2. The court ordered the defendant to pay the claimant's legal costs.

Common collocations

  • the defendant denies
  • represent the defendant
  • co-defendant
  • judgment against the defendant
  • plaintiffThe person or company that starts a civil case in court against someone else and asks the court for a remedy.
  • partyEach person or organisation directly involved in a contract or a court case, such as the buyer and the seller, or the claimant and the defendant.
  • lawsuitA claim that one person or company brings against another in a civil court, usually asking for money or for an order to stop something.
  • claimA formal demand for money, property or another remedy, especially one made in court; also a statement that something is true which has not yet been proved.
  • sueTo start a legal claim against a person or organisation in a civil court, usually to get money for harm or loss they caused.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Lawsuits & Procedure

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