The person defending or denying; the party against whom relief orrecovery is sought in an action or suit. Jew- ett Car Co. v. lvirkpatrick Const. Co. (C. C.)107 Fed. 022; Brower v. Nellis, 6 Ind. App. 323, 33 N. E. 672; Tyler v. State, 63 Vt.300, 21 Atl. 611; Insurance Co. v. Alexandre (D. C.) 16 Fed. 281.In common usage, this term is applied to the party put upon his defense, orsummoned to answer a charge or complaint, in any species of action, civil or criminal,at law or in equity. Strictly, however, it does not apply to the person against whom areal action is brought, for in that proceeding the technical usage is to call the parties respectively the “demandant” and the “tenant.”
Black’s Law Online Dictionary
