Rule 13. Counterclaim
and Crossclaim
. . .
(g) Crossclaim Against a Coparty. A pleading may state as a
crossclaim any claim by one party against a coparty if the claim arises
out of the transaction or
occurrence that is the subject matter of the original action or of a
counterclaim, or if the claim relates to any property that is the
subject matter of the original
action. The crossclaim may include a claim that the coparty is or may
be liable to the crossclaimant for all or part of a claim asserted in
the action against the
crossclaimant.
(h) Joining Additional Parties. Rules 19 and 20 govern the
addition of a person as a party to a counterclaim or crossclaim.
Rule 14. Third-Party
Practice
(a) When a Defending Party May Bring in a Third Party.
(1) Timing of the Summons and Complaint. A
defending party may, as third-party plaintiff, serve a summons and
complaint on a nonparty
who is or may be liable to it for all or part of the
claim against it. But the third-party plaintiff must, by motion, obtain
the court’s leave if it
files the third-party complaint more than 14 days
after serving its original answer.
(2) Third-Party Defendant’s Claims and
Defenses. The person served with the summons and third-party
complaint — the “third-party defendant”:
(A) must assert any defense
against the third party plaintiff’s claim under Rule 12;
(B) must assert any counterclaim
against the third-party plaintiff under Rule 13(a), and may assert any
counterclaim against the
third-party plaintiff under Rule
13(b) or any crossclaim against another third-party defendant under
Rule 13(g);
(C) may assert against the
plaintiff any defense that the third-party plaintiff has to the
plaintiff’s claim; and
(D) may also assert against the
plaintiff any claim arising out of the transaction or occurrence that
is the subject matter of the
plaintiff’s claim against the
third-party plaintiff.
(3) Plaintiff’s Claims Against a Third-Party
Defendant. The plaintiff may assert against the third-party
defendant any claim arising out
of the transaction or occurrence that is the subject
matter of the plaintiff’s claim against the third-party plaintiff. The
third-party defendant
must then assert any defense under Rule 12 and any
counterclaim under Rule 13(a), and may assert any counterclaim under
Rule 13(b) or any
crossclaim under Rule 13(g).
. . .
(5) Third-Party Defendant’s Claim Against a
Nonparty. A third-party defendant may proceed under this rule
against a nonparty who
is or may be liable to the third-party defendant for
all or part of any claim against it.
. . .
(b) When a Plaintiff May Bring in a Third Party. When a claim is
asserted against a plaintiff, the plaintiff may bring in a third party
if this rule would
allow a defendant to do so.
Rule 18. Joinder of
Claims
(a) In General. A party asserting a claim, counterclaim,
crossclaim, or third-party claim may join, as independent or
alternative claims, as many
claims as it has against an opposing party.
Rule 20. Permissive
Joinder of Parties
(a) Persons Who May Join or Be Joined.
(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 . . . 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 transactions or occurrences; and
(B) any question of law or fact
common to all defendants will arise in the action.