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Claimant, plaintiff, applicant: one role, three names — Articles

If you bring a legal case, you will be referred to by a specific title that depends entirely on which procedure you are using. Getting the terminology wrong in a document is not usually fatal, but it signals that you are not familiar with the process.

Claimant

Used in civil proceedings under the Civil Procedure Rules (England and Wales, from 1999). You are the claimant; the person you are suing is the defendant. This replaced "plaintiff" under the Woolf reforms.

Plaintiff

The old term, still used in some older cases and in other jurisdictions (including the United States and older Commonwealth countries). In England and Wales, if you see "plaintiff" in a case decided before 1999, it means what "claimant" means today.

Applicant

Used in applications to a court or tribunal where you are seeking an order rather than a money judgment — for example, in family proceedings, immigration tribunals, or judicial review. The other party is usually the "respondent".

Petitioner

Used in specific proceedings such as divorce (historically), winding-up of companies, and some insolvency matters. Again the other party is the respondent.

This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Always check the official source and consult a qualified lawyer for your situation.

Claimant

Plaintiff

Applicant

Petitioner

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