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In most common-law jurisdictions, the term "claimant" used in
England and Wales since 1999 (see below) is used only in specific, often non-judicial contexts. In particular, in American usage, terms such as "claimant" and "claim form" are limited to extrajudicial process in
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Criminal cases are usually brought by the prosecution, not a plaintiff. The prosecution may bring the case formally in the name of the monarch, state or government. In many
Commonwealth realms, this is the king (or queen, when the monarch is female), named
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came into force on 26 April 1999. The move, which brings
England and Wales out of line with general usage in English-speaking jurisdictions, was reportedly based on an assessment that the word "claimant" is more acceptable as
319:, an American claimant in need of further relief would turn to the courts, file a complaint (thus establishing a real court case under judicial supervision) and become a plaintiff.
377:; or, in the case of a petition, a respondent. Subsequent references to a case may use only one of the names, typically that of the first nongovernmental party.
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by delivery of these documents on the defendant by a process server; they are only filed with the court subsequently with an
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353:, most plaintiffs are called "applicants", but in admiralty and corporations law matters they are called "plaintiffs".
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or defendants with a demand for relief. In other jurisdictions, the action is commenced by service of
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from the process server that they had been given to the defendant according to the rules of
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brings the case against the defendant, but the key complaining party is often called the "
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The similar term "complainant" denotes the complaining witness in a criminal proceeding.
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19:"Pursuer" redirects here. For the comic book character by that name, see
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can be traced to the year 1278, and stems from the Anglo-French word
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Case names are usually given with the plaintiff first, as in
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373:). The party against whom the complaint is made is the
178:, where a plaintiff has, since the introduction of the
23:. For the Waikymas on the Lithuanian coat of arms, see
413:, the prosecution of a criminal case is captioned as
326:, the term "claimant" replaced "plaintiff" after the
221:, that set forth the alleged wrongs committed by the
162:. If this search is successful, the court will issue
166:in favor of the plaintiff and make the appropriate
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
245:In most English-speaking jurisdictions, including
594:"The Place of 'The People' in Criminal Procedure"
311:. After exhausting remedies available through an
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190:, where the party has always been known as the "
557:Federal Court of Australia – Starting a Matter
284:meaning "complaining". It was identical to "
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
591:
417:, followed by the name of the state, or
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570:New York Official Reports Style Manual
397:). In several U.S. states, including
209:, a lawsuit is commenced by filing a
158:. By doing so, the plaintiff seeks a
291:A plaintiff identified by name in a
58:adding citations to reliable sources
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538:from the original on 19 August 2019
343:" and a defendant as a "defender".
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257:(except in federal jurisdiction),
16:Party which initiates a court case
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339:a plaintiff is referred to as a "
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335:" than the word "plaintiff". In
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146:) is the party who initiates a
45:needs additional citations for
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624:Common law legal terminology
515:UK Civil courts to modernize
395:R against (versus) Defendant
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629:Judicial legal terminology
592:Simonson, Jocelyn (2019).
415:The People of the State of
351:Federal Court of Australia
194:". In criminal cases, the
182:in 1999, been known as a "
18:
25:Coat of arms of Lithuania
501:Ministry of Justice (UK)
497:"Civil Procedure Rules"
363:Plaintiff v. Defendant
532:Judiciary of Scotland
328:Civil Procedure Rules
265:, as well as in both
180:Civil Procedure Rules
170:(e.g., an order for
54:improve this article
599:Columbia Law Review
271:Republic of Ireland
476:"Etymology Online"
309:administrative law
213:, claim form or a
150:(also known as an
456:Findings of facts
436:Conclusion of law
324:England and Wales
317:government agency
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357:In case names
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110:December 2007
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43:This article
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575:. Retrieved
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385:abbreviated
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337:Scottish law
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160:legal remedy
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52:Please help
47:verification
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431:Brief (law)
421:for short.
241:Terminology
200:complainant
168:court order
154:) before a
69:"Plaintiff"
618:Categories
542:24 January
528:"Glossary"
482:2008-04-24
462:References
399:California
383:the Crown,
367:Plaintiff
196:prosecutor
80:newspapers
446:Defendant
393:(orally,
375:defendant
371:Defendant
365:(orally,
305:insurance
286:plaintive
278:plaintiff
276:The word
255:Australia
247:Hong Kong
231:affidavit
223:defendant
219:pleadings
215:complaint
134:plaintiff
577:April 7,
536:Archived
425:See also
411:New York
407:Michigan
403:Illinois
282:pleintif
269:and the
261:and the
205:In some
188:Scotland
184:claimant
164:judgment
451:Lawsuit
389:, thus
349:In the
341:pursuer
313:insurer
251:Nigeria
211:summons
192:pursuer
172:damages
148:lawsuit
94:scholar
513:BBC, "
419:People
409:, and
259:Canada
186:" and
152:action
96:
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156:court
101:JSTOR
87:books
606:(1).
579:2023
544:2017
307:and
73:news
604:119
369:and
322:In
315:or
202:".
142:in
56:by
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132:A
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