The person who initiates a civil action is called the plaintiff or petitioner, depending on the jurisdiction and cause of action. The opposing party is named the respondent or defendant. A petitioner can also seek compensation from the government by petitioning the legislature or city council.
Whenever a civil action is filed, the person initiating the action is called the plaintiff. The document filed to initiate or open a civil suit is called a petition or complaint, depending on the jurisdiction and cause of action filed. In both cases, the person who initiates the action is the plaintiff. Another word used as a synonym for plaintiff is plaintiff in many cases. A petitioner can also be someone who is petitioning the government itself for redress, such as in a petition before the legislature.
The term “claimant” is used because the person is essentially “requesting” the court or government for some type of legal remedy. Common examples of civil actions initiated by a petitioner include a divorce, small claims, or adoption. Whenever someone asks the court to order something or orders someone to refrain from doing something, a petition or complaint must first be filed. There may be more than one applicant, such as when a husband and wife jointly apply to adopt a child.
In a civil action where a petition or claim is filed, the other party or the opponent is named as the respondent or defendant. As a rule, if the original document filed is a claim, the other party is listed as the respondent. If the original brief is a petition, the opposing party is generally known as the defendant.
A petitioner can also be someone who seeks compensation from the government by petitioning the legislature, the senate, or even the city council. A petition can be filed asking the government to do something or change something. A petition can also be filed telling the government that the signatories oppose a particular course of action that the government has taken or is planning to take.
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