Attorney

Definition

An attorney is defined as one who is legally appointed on another’s behalf. An attorney-at-law is an individual who has achieved the necessary educational requirements (J.D.) and is licensed to practice law by the highest court of a state or some other forms of jurisdiction. In civil cases (e.g., personal injury, medical malpractice), there are plaintiff and defense attorneys. The plaintiff attorney represents the injured party (e.g., plaintiff) in an action against the party they allege to be responsible for the damages; the defense attorney represents the defendant (e.g., insurance company, hospital, and doctor). In criminal matters, there are prosecution and defense attorneys. The prosecuting attorney represents the party (e.g., federal, state, or local government) who has accused and wants to convict the offender of some type of criminal action (e.g., murder, assault). The defense attorney represents the party (e.g., defendant) who has been accused of committing the...