Daily AncestorDefendant
A defendant is the person who is sued in a civil case or accused in a criminal one; in a case title the defendant is named second.
The defendant is the party against whom the case is brought and who must answer the charge or complaint, civil or criminal. In certain types of actions the same party is called the respondent.
Old court books abbreviate it deft. or defts. In estate and land suits several relatives may be named together as defendants.
As seen in a recordCounty court minutes, 1800s
The State vs. Jacob Pruett, deft. Assault. Deft. pleads not guilty
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Daily Ancestor. "Defendant." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/defendant. Last checked 2026-10-12.