countersuit

/ˈkaʊntɝˌsut/ noun

**Countersuit** is a lawsuit filed by the defendant against the plaintiff who originally sued them. It flips the legal script, allowing the defendant to claim damages or relief. The two cases usually proceed side‑by‑side in the same courtroom. A countersuit often emerges when the defendant believes the original claim is baseless or when they have suffered separate harm. By filing a countersuit, the defendant can seek compensation, challenge the plaintiff’s conduct, or create leverage for settlement. The move transforms a defensive posture into an offensive claim, and courts treat it as a distinct but related action within the same proceeding.

【核心含义】指被告对原告提起的反向诉讼,即被告反过来起诉原告。

常与“提起/发起”搭配,区别于“反诉”更强调“反向起诉”的动作本身。注意不要与“上诉”混淆。

【Significado central】Es la demanda que el demandado presenta contra el demandante que lo llevó originalmente a juicio, permitiéndole reclamar daños o reparaciones dentro del mismo proceso.

(Legal, formal) En español se traduce como "contrademanda" o "demanda reconvencional" y se usa con verbos como "presentar" o "interponer" una contrademanda. Surge generalmente cuando el demandado considera infundada la demanda original o ha sufrido un perjuicio propio. No debe confundirse con la "apelación" (que impugna una sentencia ante un tribunal superior) ni con el "recurso de casación". Ambos litigios suelen tramitarse de forma simultánea en el mismo juzgado, lo que convierte una postura defensiva en una reclamación activa. Ejemplo: "La empresa presentó una contrademanda por difamación". Es una herramienta frecuente para ejercer presión en negociaciones de acuerdos extrajudiciales.

Word Origin From counter- 'against' and suit, which comes from Latin sequi 'to follow' — originally a lawsuit was a 'following up' of a legal claim. So a countersuit is literally 'a following against,' a lawsuit filed in response to another. The root sequi gives us sequence, sequel, pursue (follow forward), and suit (as in a set of clothes that 'follow' each other in style). The counter- prefix appears in countless words like counteract and counterfeit (made in opposition to the real). The PIE root *sek- 'to follow' also gives us second and social (following companionship).

noun A lawsuit filed against a party that has filed a suit against one. countable

The company filed a countersuit alleging defamation.

(名词) 反诉

该公司提起了反诉,指控对方诽谤。

(sustantivo) contrademanda; demanda reconvencional; reconvención [Una demanda presentada contra una parte que ha presentado una demanda contra uno.]

La empresa presentó una contrademanda alegando difamación.

(nom) demande reconventionnelle; action reconventionnelle; contre-plainte; plainte reconventionnelle [Action en justice intentée contre la partie qui a elle-même déposé une plainte.]

L'entreprise a déposé un countersuit pour diffamation.

(Substantiv) Gegenklage [Eine Klage, die als Reaktion auf eine bereits eingereichte Klage gegen den Kläger erhoben wird.]

Das Unternehmen reichte eine **countersuit** wegen Verleumdung ein.

(名詞) 反訴(自分に対して訴訟を起こした相手に対して逆に起こす訴訟)

その会社は名誉毀損を理由に反訴を起こした。

(substantivo) reconvenção; contraprocesso; ação reconvencional; contra-ação [Uma ação judicial movida contra uma parte que moveu uma ação contra alguém.]

A empresa entrou com um contraprocesso alegando difamação.

Word parts: counter + suit

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