Defendant

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/defendant

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What does the word "defendant" mean in a courtroom?A defendant is the person or group that the case is about. They are the one accused in a criminal case or sued in a civil case.
2. Why does a defendant have the right to stay silent?The right to stay silent helps protect the defendant from saying something that could hurt them and keeps the trial fair.

Indictment: A formal accusation by a grand jury that there is sufficient evidence to bring a criminal charge.
Civil Litigation: The process of resolving disputes between individuals or organizations through the court system.
Due Process: Fair treatment through the normal judicial system, especially as a citizen's entitlement.