The courts
plaintiff
The party who starts a civil lawsuit by filing a complaint. In a criminal case the equivalent role is filled by the government, called the prosecution.
In full
The plaintiff claims to have been injured and asks a court for a remedy: money, an injunction, or a declaration of rights. They carry the burden of proof, which in most civil cases means showing their version is more likely true than not. On appeal the labels change: whoever appeals becomes the appellant, whether they won or lost below.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.