Rule 19.Required Joinder of Parties

Last amended December 1, 2007 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 19 identifies parties who must be joined if feasible — those needed for complete relief or who claim an interest in the action — and tells the court how to proceed in equity and good conscience when such a party cannot be joined.

Full Text of Rule 19

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d)

(a) Persons Required to Be Joined if Feasible.

(1) Required Party. A person who is subject to service of process and whose joinder will not deprive the court of subject-matter jurisdiction must be joined as a party if:

(A) in that person's absence, the court cannot accord complete relief among existing parties; or

(B) that person claims an interest relating to the subject of the action and is so situated that disposing of the action in the person's absence may:

(i) as a practical matter impair or impede the person's ability to protect the interest; or

(ii) leave an existing party subject to a substantial risk of incurring double, multiple, or otherwise inconsistent obligations because of the interest.

(2) Joinder by Court Order. If a person has not been joined as required, the court must order that the person be made a party. A person who refuses to join as a plaintiff may be made either a defendant or, in a proper case, an involuntary plaintiff.

(3) Venue. If a joined party objects to venue and the joinder would make venue improper, the court must dismiss that party.

(b) When Joinder Is Not Feasible. If a person who is required to be joined if feasible cannot be joined, the court must determine whether, in equity and good conscience, the action should proceed among the existing parties or should be dismissed. The factors for the court to consider include:

(1) the extent to which a judgment rendered in the person's absence might prejudice that person or the existing parties;

(2) the extent to which any prejudice could be lessened or avoided by:

(A) protective provisions in the judgment;

(B) shaping the relief; or

(3) whether a judgment rendered in the person's absence would be adequate; and

(4) whether the plaintiff would have an adequate remedy if the action were dismissed for nonjoinder.

(1) the name, if known, of any person who is required to be joined if feasible but is not joined; and

(2) the reasons for not joining that person.

(d) Exception for Class Actions. This rule is subject to Rule 23.

End

Amendment History

(Amended February 28, 1966, effective July 1, 1966; March 2, 1987, effective August 1, 1987; April 30, 2007, effective December 1, 2007.)

Plain-English Summary

Rule 19 protects absent people whose interests a case would affect. A person is a required party if, without them, the court cannot grant complete relief among the existing parties, or if they claim an interest in the action such that deciding the case without them would impair that interest or leave an existing party exposed to multiple or inconsistent obligations. A required party who is subject to jurisdiction must be joined.

If joining the person is not feasible — because it would destroy subject-matter jurisdiction, for example — the court decides whether, in equity and good conscience, the case should go forward without them or be dismissed. It weighs the potential prejudice, whether relief can be shaped to reduce it, whether a judgment without the person would be adequate, and whether the plaintiff would have another remedy if the case were dismissed. (This is the modern version of the old “indispensable party” doctrine.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is a required party under Rule 19?

A person needed for complete relief among the existing parties, or who claims an interest that the case would impair or that could expose a party to inconsistent obligations (Rule 19(a)).

What happens if a required party cannot be joined?

The court decides, in equity and good conscience, whether to proceed without that party or dismiss the action, weighing prejudice, the adequacy of a judgment, and the plaintiff’s alternative remedies (Rule 19(b)).

Source & verification. The rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the official Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Fed. R. Civ. P. 19), a public-domain work of the U.S. Government. Prescribed by the United States Supreme Court under the Rules Enabling Act. The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified June 30, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: FRCP 19Fed. R. Civ. P. 19required joinder of partiesnecessary partyindispensable partyjoinder if feasible