Single word for plaintiff or defendant

What's the single word for someone who is either a plaintiff or defendant in a court case?

Plaintiff -> the accuser

Defendant -> the accused

Plaintiff or defendant -> ???

I'd rather not refer to "plaintiff or defendant" every single time in my essay.

Solution 1:

lit·i·gant (lĭt′ĭ-gənt)
n.
A party engaged in a lawsuit.
adj.
Engaged in a lawsuit.
[French, from Old French, from Latin lītigāns, lītigant-, a disputant, from present participle of lītigāre, to bring suit; see litigate.]

Wikipedia:

The conduct of a lawsuit is called litigation. The plaintiffs and defendants are called litigants and the attorneys representing them are called litigators.

e.g.

The judge ordered both litigants of the lawsuit to attend anger management therapy.

Solution 2:

Consider also party.

party: (Law) one of the litigants in a legal proceeding, a plaintiff pr defendant.