In a legal dispute, who is the party being claimed against?

The party being claimed against in a legal dispute is known as the defendant. In legal terminology, the defendant is the individual or entity who is accused of a wrongdoing or is being sued in a civil case. This party must respond to the claims brought against them in court.

In the context of a lawsuit, the claimant—sometimes referred to as the plaintiff—brings a legal action asserting their rights, while the defendant is the one who must defend themselves against these allegations. The accused is a term often used in criminal law to refer specifically to someone who is charged with a crime, which can lead to confusion when distinguishing between civil and criminal cases. The prosecutor is the legal representative of the state or government in criminal cases, responsible for presenting the case against the accused. In this question, the focus is on the party being claimed against, which identifies them as the defendant in a legal context.