Defendant
Definition 1 of 1
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Legal Context
Used strictly in legal situations to describe someone being tried or sued. The court addressed the defendant regarding the lawsuit.
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Presumption of Innocence
'Defendant' doesn't mean guilty; it indicates someone's charges are not yet proven. The defendant maintained their innocence as the trial began.
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Neutral Term
The term is neutral and does not imply character judgment. Legal documents referred to Mr. Smith as the defendant.