24/09/2025
NAMES YOU HEAR IN COURT AND WHAT THEY REALLY MEAN
Defendant โ The person being taken to court. In a criminal case, this is the accused person. In a civil case, this is the person being sued.
Claimant โ The one who starts a civil case. If you sue someone over debt or land, you are the Claimant.
Petitioner โ The one who starts special cases like divorce, election petitions, or human rights cases.
Respondent โ The one replying to a Petition. If your spouse files for divorce and you are answering, you are the Respondent.
Appellant โ If you lose a case and are not satisfied, you can appeal. The person who files the appeal is the Appellant.
Witness โ Anyone who comes to court to give evidence of what they know, saw, or signed.
Plaintiff โ This is an older word for Claimant. Many still use it, especially in older documents.
Prosecutor โ In criminal cases, this is the lawyer who brings the case against the accused on behalf of the State. For example, in a theft case, the prosecutor represents the government.
Counsel โ A formal name for the lawyer representing a party in court. You may hear โCounsel for the Defendantโ or โCounsel for the Claimant.โ
Judge โ The one who hears the case and delivers judgment. At the High Court and above, we have Judges.
Magistrate โ Similar to a Judge but sits in the Magistrate Court, which handles smaller cases and lower monetary claims.
Registrar โ The court official who calls cases, and handles court documents.
Bailiff โ The court official who serves court papers, enforces court orders, and can carry out the seizure of property if judgment is not obeyed.
Complainant โ In criminal law, this is the person who reports a crime to the authorities or initiates the charge.
Accused Person โ Another word for Defendant in criminal cases.
Each of these names has a clear meaning. They are not just fancy titles; they tell the court the exact role each person is playing in the case.