Definition

1. Noun:
   • A party to a lawsuit: A "litigant" is a person or entity directly involved in a lawsuit, either as the party bringing the case (plaintiff) or the party defending against it (defendant).
   • Someone engaged in litigation: The term refers specifically to someone who is a participant in the formal, legal process of resolving a dispute in court.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The judge addressed both litigants before the trial began.
  • As a litigant in the case, she had the right to be present at all hearings.
  • The new law aims to protect the rights of individual litigants against large corporations.

Advanced Usage

• "Pro se litigant": A person who represents themselves in a court case without a lawyer.

  • The court provided special assistance for the pro se litigant.

• "Adverse litigant": Refers to the opposing party in a lawsuit.

  • The attorney questioned the adverse litigant during the deposition.

Variants and Related Words

• Litigate (verb): To engage in a lawsuit; to bring a dispute to a court of law for settlement.

  • They decided to litigate the contract dispute.

• Litigation (noun): The process of taking legal action; the conduct of a lawsuit.

  • The lengthy litigation exhausted both parties financially.

• Litigator (noun): A lawyer who specializes in taking cases to court.

  • She is a skilled litigator with many trial victories.

Synonyms

• Party (in a legal context): One of the persons or sides in a legal proceeding.
• Contestor: One who contests or is involved in a contest (often used in broader dispute contexts).
• Suer (archaic): One who brings a suit; a plaintiff.

Related Phrases

• "Litigant in person": Another term for a pro se litigant; a party who conducts their own case without legal representation.

  • The court has guidelines for dealing with a litigant in person.

• "Prevailing litigant": The party who wins the lawsuit.

  • The court awarded costs to the prevailing litigant.

Noun

1. (law) a party to a lawsuit; someone involved in litigation
   • plaintiffs and defendants are both litigants