Defendant
group · 3 works · 4 mentions · 11 anchored passages
also in the atlas: Defendant the figure
defendant · accused · debtor · respondent · the accused · the defendant
in the texts
Kātyāyana Smṛti
The party against whom a legal claim is brought, entitled to reply, time for preparation, and (except in serious crimes) representation.
When a plaint of this kind has been formulated by the plaintiff, the defendant should then give a reply that is relevant to that plaint.
Having heard the matter contained in the written plaint, if the defendant, for a valid reason, requests time in the dispute, it should undoubtedly be granted to him.
Another person who is appointed by the plaintiff in the court of justice is to be known as the defendant, as is one who accepts the role himself.
The Law of Torts
The party defending an action for defamation, who may plead defences such as justification, fair comment, or privilege.
Where money has been paid into court in an action for libel, the plaintiff is not entitled to interrogate the defendant as to the sources of his information or the means used to verify it.
What the defendant has to prove is truth in substance, that is, he must show that the imputation made or repeated by him was true as a whole and in every material part thereof.
Apparently it would make no difference in law that the defendant had made a defamatory statement without any belief in its truth, if it turned out afterwards to have been true when made:
Nāradasmṛti
The party against whom a suit is brought, who must respond with a denial, admission, special plea, or plea of former judgment.
A denial, an admission, a special plea, or a plea of former judgment—the reply may be of four kinds.
The defendant, having heard the contents of the first plaint, should then submit his counter-plaint, which is connected to the substance of the first plaint.
If the accused denies the accusation, the accuser must provide proof, unless the accused has made a special plea.