The person or business who starts a court case by suing someone else.
What it means
In Australia, a plaintiff is the party who commences a civil court proceeding, usually by filing a statement of claim. The term is most common in courts that handle claims for money or other relief, such as a Local, District or Supreme Court. In some courts and in tribunals the same role is instead called the "applicant". The plaintiff carries the burden of proving their case on the balance of probabilities.
How it's used
As the plaintiff, Maria filed a statement of claim seeking the $12,000 the builder still owed her.
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.
