Group III: Pleadings and Motions · Last amended 2017 · Last verified July 14, 2026
In one sentenceRule 14 lets a defendant implead a nonparty who may be liable for all or part of the plaintiff's claim, without leave of court within 14 days of the answer, and lets the resulting third-party defendant raise defenses and claims against both the defendant and the original plaintiff.
(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, in the manner and within the time limits prescribed by Rule 4, on a nonparty who is or may be liable to it for all or part of the plaintiff’s 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 defendants 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).
(4)Motion to Strike, Sever, or Try Separately. Any party may move to strike the third- party claim, to sever it, or to try it separately.
(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. Persons brought into the action pursuant to the preceding sentence must be designated as fourth-party defendants, fifth-party defendants, and so on, as appropriate, but the practice as to such parties must be governed by the rules respecting third-party defendants.
(6)[Omitted].
(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.
This rule is substantially similar to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 14, as amended in 2007 and 2009, but maintains the following local distinctions: 1) subsection (a)(1) contains a provision indicating that service on a third-party defendant must be made in accordance with Rule 4; 2) subsection (a)(5) contains language specifying the designations given to additional parties brought into the action; and 3) subsection (a)(6) and section (c) are omitted as locally inapplicable because both address admiralty and maritime jurisdiction.
Comment:
Substantially identical to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 14 except for deletion therefrom of section (c) and the last sentence of section (a), both of which deal with matters within the exclusive admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of federal district courts, 28 U.S.C. § 1331(1), and addition to section (a) of one sentence making clear the designations to be given to persons brought into the action by the third-party defendant or by later-party defendants. Also added to the Rule is the provision that service of process must be accomplished in accordance with Rule 4, including the time limit imposed by Rule 4(j). For principles governing service of process on third-party defendants within one hundred miles of the place of hearing or trial, see Rule 4(f) and D.C. Code § 11-943 (b) (1981).
Plain-English Summary
Rule 14 lets a defendant pull a new party into a lawsuit rather than fight a two-front battle alone. As third-party plaintiff, a defendant can serve a summons and third-party complaint on a nonparty who is or may be liable to it for all or part of what the original plaintiff is claiming — the classic example being an indemnification or contribution claim against someone who shares responsibility. A defendant can do this without asking the court's permission within 14 days of serving its original answer; after that window, it needs the court's leave.
Once served, the third-party defendant steps into a role much like an original defendant: it must raise its Rule 12 defenses and its compulsory counterclaims against the third-party plaintiff, may raise permissive counterclaims against that same third-party plaintiff or crossclaims against other third-party defendants, and can also assert against the original plaintiff any defense the third-party plaintiff has, plus any claim of its own arising from the same transaction or occurrence as the plaintiff's claim. The plaintiff, in turn, may assert a claim directly against the third-party defendant if it arises from that same transaction or occurrence, and the third-party defendant must respond to that claim the same way an original defendant would. Any party can move to strike, sever, or try the third-party claim separately if it threatens to tangle the main case beyond what is manageable.
The chain does not have to stop at one link. Rule 14(a)(5) lets a third-party defendant bring in still another nonparty who may owe it liability, designated a fourth-party defendant, and so on down the line, with each additional party governed by the same rules that apply to third-party defendants. Rule 14(b) closes the loop by letting a plaintiff facing a counterclaim use this same third-party procedure, just as a defendant would.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a third-party complaint under DC Rule 14?
It's a claim a defendant, acting as third-party plaintiff, files against a nonparty who is or may be liable to the defendant for all or part of the plaintiff's claim — typically an indemnification or contribution claim against someone who shares fault.
Do I need the court's permission to file a third-party complaint?
Only if you wait more than 14 days after serving your original answer. Rule 14(a)(1) lets a defendant file within that window without leave of court; after 14 days, a motion for leave is required.
Can a third-party defendant bring in yet another party?
Yes. Rule 14(a)(5) allows a third-party defendant to proceed against a nonparty who may be liable to it, and that additional party is designated a fourth-party defendant, following the same rules that govern third-party defendants.
What can a third-party defendant argue against the original plaintiff?
Rule 14(a)(2) lets a third-party defendant assert against the plaintiff any defense the third-party plaintiff has to the plaintiff's claim, plus any claim of its own arising from the same transaction or occurrence as the plaintiff's claim against the third-party plaintiff.
Can a plaintiff use third-party practice, not just a defendant?
Yes. Rule 14(b) allows a plaintiff facing a counterclaim to bring in a third party under this rule wherever a defendant would be allowed to do so.
Source & verification. Rule text and official Comments are
reproduced verbatim from the District of Columbia Superior Court Rules of Civil
Procedure, adopted by the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Last verified July 14, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as:dc third party complaint ruleimpleader dc superior courtfourth party defendant dc rule 14bring in nonparty liable for claim dc