Klagande

Klagande is a Swedish term used in legal and administrative contexts to refer to the person who files a complaint or lodges an appeal. The klagande is the party initiating the challenge to a decision or action, and is typically contrasted with the svarande, the respondent, in a proceedings context. The term can appear as a noun or as a present participle used as a noun, for example in phrases like klagande part or the klagande in a case; the definite form may be klaganden.

Usage and scope

Klagande is commonly used in civil and administrative procedures, including appeals to courts or public authorities, as well as in complaint procedures before agencies. The klagande may act personally or be represented by counsel. In texts, the word signals the party who asserts a grievance, requests reconsideration, or seeks a remedy against a decision or action taken by an authority or another party.

Relation to related terms

Klagande differs from klagomål, which refers to the complaint or grievance itself rather than the person making it. Related concepts include överklagande (appeal) and anmäla protocol in administrative procedures. In many cases the exact role of the klagande is defined by procedural rules that specify how complaints must be filed and how the respondent is to respond.

Etymology and usage notes

Klagande is formed from the verb klaga (to complain) with the agentive suffix -ande, a construction common in Swedish for denoting the person performing an action. While primarily a formal, legal term, it can also appear in broader contexts to indicate a person who is voicing a grievance.