In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
State Law
Arizona
means a person or entity that is formally charged by complaint, indictment or information of committing a criminal offense Arizona Laws 13-4401
means any party defending against a claim asserted against him by another party to an action Arizona Laws 12-2301
California
includes a cross-defendant California Code of Civil Procedure 587.5
includes a cross-defendant or other person against whom an action is commenced California Code of Civil Procedure 583.110
includes a person in the position of defendant in a counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim California Commercial Code 1201
means a person (including corporation, association, partnership and firm or governmental entity) against whom a litigation is brought or maintained or sought to be brought or maintained California Code of Civil Procedure 391
means that person whose election or nomination is contested or those persons receiving an equal and highest number of votes, other than the contestant, where, in other than primary elections, the body canvassing the returns declares that no one person has received the highest number of votes for the contested office California Elections Code 16002
Florida
means any party on whom service by publication is authorized by this chapter, without regard to his or her designation in the pleadings or position in the action Florida Statutes 49.031
Hawaii
means a person (including a corporation, association, partnership, firm, or governmental entity) against whom litigation is brought or maintained, or sought to be brought or maintained Hawaii Revised Statutes 634J-1
Iowa
means the principal on a bail bond issued or deposit filed in relation to a criminal proceeding in order to assure the presence of the defendant at trial Iowa Code 80A.1
Louisiana
means an offender who has been convicted of a capital offense and sentenced to death in accordance with the provisions of La Louisiana Revised Statutes 46:1851
Michigan
includes a person in the position of defendant in a counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim Michigan Laws 440.1201
means a person charged with or convicted of having committed a serious misdemeanor against a victim Michigan Laws 780.811
means a person charged with, convicted of, or found not guilty by reason of insanity of committing a crime against a victim Michigan Laws 780.752
New York
means a person who has been charged by an accusatory instrument with the commission of an offense N.Y. Criminal Procedure Law 710.10
shall mean a state or local officer against whom a forfeiture action is commenced N.Y. Retirement and Social Security Law 156
North Carolina
means a party, including a counterdefendant, cross-defendant, or third-party defendant, from whom a claimant seeks relief with respect to punitive damages North Carolina General Statutes 1D-5
means a person obligated to appear in court as required upon penalty of forfeiting bail under a bail bond North Carolina General Statutes 15A-531
Ohio
means a person who is alleged to be the perpetrator of a criminal offense in a complaint, indictment, or information that charges the commission of a criminal offense and that provides the basis for the criminal prosecution and subsequent proceedings to which this chapter makes reference Ohio Code 2930.01
Tennessee
means a person accused of an offense under this title and includes any person who aids or abets the commission of such offense Tennessee Code 39-11-106
means a person who:

(A) Is convicted of a crime in this state Tennessee Code 29-13-402
Utah
means an individual who has been convicted of, or entered into a plea disposition for, criminal conduct Utah Code 77-38b-102
means each person against whom an allegation is made in the verified petition described in Subsection 20A-1-803(1) Utah Code 20A-1-802
means a veteran charged with a criminal offense Utah Code 78A-5-302
Virginia
means any person charged with a sexually violent offense who is deemed to be an unrestorably incompetent defendant pursuant to § 19 Virginia Code 37.2-900
West Virginia
means a person charged with a crime or convicted of a crime after trial, by entry of a plea of guilty or by entry of a plea of nolo contendere in any court in this state West Virginia Code 14-2B-3
means , for purposes of determining an obligation to pay damages to another under this chapter, any person against whom a claim is asserted including a counter-claim defendant, cross-claim defendant or third-party defendant West Virginia Code 55-7-13b