Petitioner

Apetitioneris apersonwho pleads with governmental institution for alegal remedyor a redress of grievances, through use of apetition.

In the courts

The petitioner may seek a legal remedy if the state or another privatepersonhas acted unlawfully. In this case, the petitioner, often called aplaintiff,will submit a plea to acourtto resolve the dispute.

To the government

On the other hand, the petitioner may be complaining against thelawit to "... make no law... abridging... the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances".

A petitioner need not seek a change to an existing law. Often, petitioners speak against (or in support of)legislative proposalsas these progress.

The Whig party

A group of 17th century English politicians became known asPetitioners,due to their support of theExclusion Bill,a bill which would prevent the succession to the throne of theCatholicJames, Duke of York,the heir apparent ofKing Charles II.After theHouse of Commonspassed the Bill, Charles dissolved Parliament; when a new Parliament was elected shortly afterwards, Charles simply refused to summon it to meet. The Petitioners got their name from the many petitions they sent to Charles urging him to summon Parliament; they were opposed by theAbhorrers,who resisted the Exclusion Bill and were in no hurry to see a pro-Exclusion Bill Parliament meet. In the heat of the dispute, the two factions traded insulting epithets; with the result that the Petitioners became known as theWhigsand their opponents asTories.

See also

• Petition
• Special Leave Petitions in India
• Old Order German Baptist Brethren,also called "Petitioners"