Caption Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Caption, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Caption?

(n) Caption is the heading of the court documents containing the names of plaintiff, defendant, petition or case number, name of the court etc pertaining to the case. Different courts or courts in different jurisdiction practices different form of caption formats

History and Meaning of Caption

A caption is a section of a legal document that identifies the parties involved, the court name, the case number and other crucial details about a lawsuit. A caption usually comes at the beginning of any legal document and the format of a caption may vary depending on the court or the jurisdiction. The primary purpose of the caption is to enable the court and the parties involved to identify the suit and follow proceedings accordingly.

Examples of Caption

  1. In a civil lawsuit, the caption would include the names of the plaintiff and defendant, the case number, and the name of the court hearing the case.
  2. In a criminal lawsuit, the caption would include the names of the parties involved, the case number, the charges, and the court name.
  3. In an appeal, the caption would include the name of the party appealing the case, the name of the court they're appealing from, and the case number.

Legal Terms Similar to Caption

  1. Heading: The heading is a title given to a document to identify it.
  2. Docket: The docket is a log of all hearings or proceedings scheduled in a court.
  3. Pleadings: Pleadings refer to written submissions made to a court in a lawsuit.