In civil litigation, the person who must be served with process is commonly referred to as the

• A. Plaintiff
• B. Clerk
• C. Named defendant
• D. Respondent

Answer: (C)

The key idea is who must be given notice when a civil case starts. In civil litigation, the party who must receive the service of process is the person being sued—the defendant. When the complaint names a particular person or entity as the party against whom the claims are brought, that person is the named defendant. Proper service to the named defendant is required to give due process and allow them an opportunity to respond. The plaintiff is the party who filed the suit, not the one who must be served; the clerk is a court official handling filings and procedures; and respondent is a term used in some other contexts (like appellate or administrative matters) and isn’t the standard label for the party who must be served in a civil action.