MBE Rules · Civil Procedure
Permissive joinder of parties
FRCP 20
The rule
Plaintiffs/defendants may be joined if (1) the right to relief arises out of the same transaction or occurrence, AND (2) there is a common question of law or fact.
In plain English
You can add more people to a lawsuit if their claims or defenses are connected to the same event and they share a legal or factual question with the current parties.
Worked example
Two drivers sue a truck company after a highway accident. Both claims arise from the same crash and question the company's safety practices, so they can join the lawsuit together.
Memory hook
Join the Party: Same Event, Shared Question. Joinder allowed if claims arise from the same incident and share legal or factual issues.
The trap
Students think: Any related claims can join. Wrong, because they must arise from the same transaction and share a common question. The actual test is both conditions must be met.
How examiners test it
MBE loves: multiple parties in accident + different claims. Trap: assuming different accidents can join if same defendant. Look for same transaction and common question.
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