defendant
Meaning: A person or organisation accused of a crime or sued in a civil case; the party against whom legal proceedings are brought.
In criminal law, the defendant is the person charged with an offence by the prosecution. In civil law, the defendant is the party against whom the claimant brings a case. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in criminal proceedings. The term is used universally across common law jurisdictions and is frequently encountered in news reporting and legal discussions.
Examples
- The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges at the start of the trial. 被告在庭审开始时对所有指控表示无罪。El acusado se declaró inocente de todos los cargos al inicio del juicio.被告人は公判の冒頭ですべての罪状について無罪を主張した。피고인은 재판 시작 시 모든 혐의에 대해 무죄를 주장했다.
- In civil proceedings, the defendant has twenty-eight days to file a defence after receiving the claim. 在民事诉讼中,被告在收到诉状后有二十八天的时间提交答辩。En los procedimientos civiles, el demandado dispone de veintiocho días para presentar su defensa tras recibir la demanda.民事訴訟では、被告は請求書を受領してから28日以内に答弁書を提出しなければならない。민사 소송에서 피고는 청구서를 수령한 후 28일 이내에 답변서를 제출해야 한다.
- The defendant's barrister argued that the evidence was insufficient to support a conviction. 被告的大律师辩称证据不足以支持定罪。El abogado del acusado argumentó que las pruebas eran insuficientes para sustentar una condena.被告側のバリスタは、有罪判決を裏付けるには証拠が不十分であると主張した。피고 측 변호사는 유죄 판결을 뒷받침하기에 증거가 불충분하다고 주장했다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: professional, media
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Old French defendant (defending), the present participle of defendre (to defend), from Latin defendere (to ward off, protect). The legal noun sense developed in English in the 14th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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