DEFENDANT

defendant  (di-fen-d<<schwa>>nt).  A  person  sued  in  a  civil  proceeding  or  accused  in  a

criminal proceeding. — Abbr. D. Cf. PLAINTIFF.

John Doe defendant.An anonymous defendant labeled “John Doe” because the plaintiff does

not,  at  the  time  of  filing  suit,  know  the  person’s  name.  •  John  Doe  defendants  are  common  in

several situations, such as police-brutality lawsuits in which the plaintiff does not know the names

of the officers allegedly at fault. See JOHN DOE. [Blacks Law 8th]