(a) Joinder of Claims. A party asserting a claim to relief as an original claim, counterclaim, cross claim, or third-party claim, may join, either as independent or as alternate claims, as many claims, legal or equitable, as he has against an opposing party.
Rule 18.Joinder of Claims and Remedies
Current through June 1, 2026 · Last verified July 10, 2026
In one sentenceRule 18 lets a party bundle every claim it has against an opposing party — legal or equitable, independent or alternative — into one action, and lets a plaintiff pursue a fraudulent-conveyance claim alongside a money claim without first winning judgment on the debt.
Full Text of Rule 18
(b) Joinder of Remedies; Fraudulent Conveyances. Whenever a claim is one heretofore cognizable only after another claim has been prosecuted to a conclusion, the two claims may be joined in a single action; but the court shall grant relief in that action only in accordance with the relative substantive rights of the parties. In particular, a plaintiff may state a claim for money and a claim to have set aside a conveyance fraudulent as to him, without first having obtained a judgment establishing the claim for money.
Amendment History
The source reproduced here (current through June 1, 2026) records no amendment to this rule since its original adoption — no Credits line appears for it in the compiled rules. For the underlying adopting order and any later amendments, see the Colorado General Assembly.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 18 governs how many claims a party can pack into a single lawsuit against the same opponent. Once a claim relationship exists — plaintiff to defendant, defendant to third-party defendant, and so on — the rule lets that party add any other claim it has against that same opponent, whether the claims are related or not, and whether they rest on legal or equitable theories. A party can also plead claims in the alternative, asking the court to grant one form of relief or another without picking a single theory upfront.
Subsection (b) addresses a specific joinder problem: claims that traditionally could not be brought until an earlier claim was resolved. Colorado's rule lets both claims proceed together in one action, though the court still has to sort out relief according to each side's real substantive rights — joinder does not change who is entitled to what. The rule gives a concrete example: a plaintiff owed money by someone who fraudulently transferred away assets can sue for the debt and to unwind the fraudulent transfer in the same case, without first obtaining a separate judgment establishing the debt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring unrelated claims against the same defendant in one lawsuit?
Yes. Rule 18 lets a party join any claims it has against an opposing party in a single action, related or not, as long as a proper claim already connects the two parties.
Do I have to choose between suing for money and suing to undo a fraudulent transfer?
No. Rule 18(b) lets a plaintiff combine a claim for money owed with a claim to set aside a fraudulent conveyance in the same case, without first securing a judgment on the debt.
Can I plead alternative or inconsistent claims in Colorado?
Yes. Rule 18(a) allows a party to plead claims as alternatives, so a court can sort out which theory fits before the party is locked into one.
Does joining claims under Rule 18 change what I can recover?
No. Joinder only lets claims travel together in one case; Rule 18(b) requires the court to award relief based on each party's actual substantive rights.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure (Colo. R. Civ. P. 18). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Colorado (C.R.S. § 13-2-108; Colo. Const. art. VI). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 10, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: joinder of claimscombining claims in one lawsuitfraudulent conveyance claim coloradoalternative claims ruleCRCP 18multiple claims same defendant