Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 1-166

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.

When the plaintiff is ignorant of the name of a defendant the latter may be designated in a pleading or proceeding by any name;? and when his true name is discovered, the pleading or proceeding may be amended accordingly. (C.C.P., s. 134; Code, s. 275; Rev., s. 510; C.S., s. 550.)