Who Is a Defendant? Understanding Criminal vs. Civil Defendants
A defendant is the person, or sometimes the organization, that has been accused or sued in court. In a criminal case, this means they are being charged with committing a crime. In a civil case, they are being accused of legal wrongdoing that isn’t classified as a crime, something like breach of contract, causing injury, or failing to fulfill a legal duty. Sometimes, the word respondent is used instead of…