Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A third-party defendant is someone who is brought into a lawsuit by the person who was originally sued. This means that the original defendant is saying that someone else should also be held responsible for the situation that led to the lawsuit.
Definition: A third-party defendant is a party who is brought into a lawsuit by the original defendant.
Example: Let's say that John is suing Jane for damages caused by a car accident. However, Jane believes that the accident was actually caused by a faulty part in her car, which was manufactured by XYZ Company. In this case, Jane can bring XYZ Company into the lawsuit as a third-party defendant.
Explanation: The example illustrates how a third-party defendant is brought into a lawsuit by the original defendant. In this case, Jane is the original defendant, and she brings XYZ Company into the lawsuit as a third-party defendant. This is because Jane believes that XYZ Company is responsible for the damages, not her.