Party
A person, business, or organization that is directly involved in a lawsuit or legal proceeding.
A party is any person, business, or organization that is formally involved in a legal case. The parties are the people or entities who have a direct stake in the outcome.
In a civil case, the main parties are:
- Plaintiff: The party who files the lawsuit.
- Defendant: The party being sued.
- Third-party defendant: Someone brought into the case by the defendant.
- Intervenor: Someone who was not originally part of the case but is allowed to join because they have a strong interest in the outcome.
In a criminal case:
- Prosecution: The state of Minnesota (represented by a county attorney or city prosecutor).
- Defendant: The person accused of the crime.
People who are involved in a case but are not parties – such as witnesses – do not have the same rights or responsibilities as the parties. Only parties can file motions, present evidence, and appeal the court’s decision.
Example: In a car accident lawsuit, the injured driver is the plaintiff (one party) and the driver who caused the accident is the defendant (the other party). The injured driver’s passenger might also join the case as an additional plaintiff.
In court documents and legal proceedings, referring to the people or organizations on each side of a case.