The person or business being sued, who has to respond to the claim against them.
What it means
A defendant is the party against whom a civil claim is brought. They are served with the originating document (such as a statement of claim) and must respond, usually by filing a defence within a set time, or risk a default judgment. In matters started by application, or in tribunals like VCAT, NCAT or QCAT, the equivalent party is usually called the "respondent". A defendant can also bring their own claim back against the plaintiff by way of counterclaim.
How it's used
The defendant had 28 days to file a defence after being served with the claim.
Tell us about your situation and get a fixed-fee quote from a real lawyer. Our AI assistant, Rachel Z, takes your details in minutes and a
qualified Australian lawyer handles the rest — at a fixed fee, with no hourly billing.
