The respondent can be either the plaintiff or the defendant from the court below, as either party can appeal the decision thereby making themselves the petitioner and their adversary the respondent. Formerly, in the equity courts of common law, the defendant was always called the respondent.
Who is a respondent in a case?
A respondent is a person who replies to something such as a survey or set of questions. 60 percent of the respondents said they disapproved of the president’s performance. A respondent is someone who has to defend a case in a law court.
What does a respondent mean in court?
“Petitioner” refers to the party who petitioned the Supreme Court to review the case. This party is variously known as the petitioner or the appellant. “Respondent” refers to the party being sued or tried and is also known as the appellee.