Who is referred to as the person filing an appeal?

The person filing an appeal is referred to as the appellant. An appellant is the individual or party who brings a case to a higher court for review after losing at a lower court. This term is specific to the context of appeals within the judicial process, where the appellant seeks to challenge the decision made by a trial court.

For clarity, the defendant is typically the party accused or sued in a legal proceeding, while the respondent is the party against whom the appeal is filed, often the original prevailing party in the lower court. The term "appellate" refers to the court that has the authority to hear appeals, not the party initiating the appeal itself. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for anyone involved in legal processes, as it accurately identifies the roles of the parties within an appeal.