"In certain appellate situations, where the old form of petition for review is prescribed, the name of the petitioner -- the party seeking review -- goes first,

"In certain appellate situations, where the old form of petition for review is prescribed, the name of the petitioner -- the party seeking review -- goes first, whether the petitioner is plaintiff or defendant. Thus in the familiar "certiorari" ... where the Court is responding to the request of the party seeking review." Source: https://books.google.com/books?id=lLHBCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT70&lpg=PT70&dq=plaintiff+name+first+certiorari&source=bl&ots=z_JP_KI6dG&sig=lENZjd_IE3cuJE9UJXwOXrF8xDM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ImWRVc7KJMLhuQT--IMg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=plaintiff%20name%20first%20certiorari&f=false https://books.google.com/books?id=lLHBCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT70&lpg=P...