Toni Imudia
In court, the accusing side has a formal name—depending on the type of case.
In criminal court, the accuser is called a prosecutor. They represent the government.
The victim reports the crime, but the prosecutor files the charges.
In civil cases, the accuser is the plaintiff—the person who files a lawsuit.
The person being accused is called the defendant—in both civil and criminal courts.
Criminal: Prosecutor (accuser) Civil: Plaintiff (accuser) Both: Defendant (accused)