Rule 20 — Permissive Joinder of Parties

Fed. R. Civ. P. 20

• Source: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
• Rule: 20
• TITLE IV: PARTIES
• Citation: Fed. R. Civ. P. 20

Text

(a) PERSONSWHOMAYJOINORBEJOINED.
(1) Plaintiffs. Persons may join in one action as plaintiffs if:
(A) they assert any right to relief jointly, severally, or
in the alternative with respect to or arising out of the
same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or
occurrences; and
(B) any question of law or fact common to all plaintiffs
will arise in the action.
(2) Defendants. Persons—as well as a vessel, cargo, or other
property subject to admiralty process in rem—may be joined
in one action as defendants if:
(A) any right to relief is asserted against them jointly,
severally, or in the alternative with respect to or arising
out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of trans-
actions or occurrences; and
(B) any question of law or fact common to all defendants
will arise in the action.
(3) Extent of Relief. Neither a plaintiff nor a defendant need
be interested in obtaining or defending against all the relief
demanded. The court may grant judgment to one or more
plaintiffs according to their rights, and against one or more
defendants according to their liabilities.
(b) PROTECTIVE MEASURES. The court may issue orders—includ-
ing an order for separate trials—to protect a party against embar-
rassment, delay, expense, or other prejudice that arises from in-
cluding a person against whom the party asserts no claim and who
asserts no claim against the party.

Advisory Committee Notes

(As amended Feb. 28, 1966, eff. July 1, 1966; Mar. 2, 1987, eff. Aug. 1, 1987; Apr. 30, 2007, eff. Dec. 1, 2007.)