The Parties to a Lawsuit: Plaintiff and Defendant, are defined (Legalese 101)

Although we've all watched Law and Order and Judge Judy, the parties to a lawsuit and what they do still can remain confusing for some people. When you're caught up in the middle of a lawsuit because you got into a car accident, were injured in a slip-and-fall, or even attacked by a dog, you need to know the legal jargon that you're going to encounter. The following is a description of the parties to a lawsuit: the plaintiff and the defendant.

The Plaintiff
 Generally, that's you. The plaintiff is the person (or party) that brings the law suit against the other person. If you are injured in a car accident, and think you have a personal injury or accident case, and want to sue the person that hit you, you would be the plaintiff if you bring suit before the other person does. The plaintiff files the first complaint with the court. Personal injury attorneys or also known as an accident lawyers can help you accomplish. The complaint contains allegations (statements) which the plaintiff must prove in order to obtain a recovery from the defendant. (One way to remember this is the plaintiff has a "tiff" to settle with someone.)

The Defendant
The defendant is the person the plaintiff is suing. Think about it this way: the defendant is the person that has to defend their actions to the court. The defendant is responsible for the answer (response) to the plaintiff's complaint. In this answer or response, the plaintiff will learn what the defendant is going to argue in the lawsuit. It is here that the defendant would either:

  • deny or accept fault,
  • admit or deny fact allegations, and/or
  • possibly bring a counter-claim, which would be the equivalent of a lawsuit inside of a lawsuit because the defendant would be arguing that the plaintiff was at fault as well.

For more information:
What Does A Personal Injury Lawyer or Accident Attorney Actually Do For Accident Victims?
Do I need to hire and attorney to help me with my accident case?




We at the Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon and Associates strongly believe that public education is the first step in the prevention of an accident or in the recovery from one.  

We are experienced personal injury attorneys, trial lawyers, negotiators, litigators and staff that have been proudly working to get accident victims the justice they deserve for over 30 years in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, Inverness, and the rest of North Central Florida and North Florida. Accidents involving a car crash, truck wreck, and motorcycle, bicycle, or pedestrian accidents, dog bites, slip and falls and medical malpractice are all included in our practice.

Based on Jeffrey Meldon's, founder of The Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon & Associates, over 30 years of helping accident victims get justice and a fair shake from the insurance companies he has written the consumer guide book, Seven Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Florida Accident Case.  You can request your free, no obligation copy right now, or contact our office for your complimentary copy sent to you today.

Contact the Law Office of Jeffrey Meldon at (800) 373-8000 or (352) 373-8000 immediately if you have been involved in a serious auto, truck or motorcycle accident.  We are in your community, have the experience and resources required to work towards obtaining a fair settlement for you - we are here to help you.

We proudly handle accidents that occur on all roads and in the areas including: I-75, I-10, I-95, U.S. Route 301, U.S. Route 441, State Road 40, State Road 26, State Road 24, Archer Road, Main St, and University Avenue.  Our law firm has  been representing accident victims in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, Inverness, Palatka, Crystal River, Daytona Beach, Interlachen, Spring Hill, Dunnellon, Bunnell, Live Oak, Starke, Jasper, Cross City, Perry, Trenton,  Leesberg,  Lake Butler,  Tavares, Chiefland, Bronson, Brooksville, The Villages and the counties of Alachua, Marion, Columbia, Citrus, Volusia, Sumter, Levy, Lake, Bradford, Flagler, Hamilton, Dixie, Gilchrist, Union, Hernando, Suwannee, Union, and Putnam since 1971!