(a) Permissive joinder. All persons may join in one action as plaintiffs if they assert any right to relief jointly, severally, or in the alternative in respect of or arising out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences and if any question of law or fact common to all these persons will arise in the action. All persons may be joined in one action as defendants if there is asserted against them jointly, severally, or in the alternative, any right to relief in respect of or arising out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences and if any question of law or fact common to all defendants will arise in the action. A plaintiff or defendant need not be interested in obtaining or defending against all the relief demanded. Judgment may be given for one or more of the plaintiffs according to their respective rights to relief, and against one or more defendants according to their respective liabilities.
Rule 20.Permissive Joinder of Parties.
Last amended January 1, 2000 · Last verified July 3, 2026
In one sentenceRule 20 lets multiple plaintiffs or defendants join in one action whenever their claims arise from the same transaction or occurrence and share a common question of law or fact.
Full Text of Rule 20
(b) Separate trials. The court may make such orders as will prevent a party from being embarrassed, delayed, or put to expense by the inclusion of a party against whom the party asserts no claim and who asserts no claim against the party, and may order separate trials or make other orders to prevent delay or prejudice.
Amendment History
Amended May 15, 1972, effective July 1, 1972
further amended December 7, 1999, effective January 1, 2000
Plain-English Summary
Rule 20(a) lets any number of people join as plaintiffs, or be joined as defendants, when they assert or face a right to relief arising from the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences, and when a common question of law or fact will come up in the case. No plaintiff or defendant has to be interested in every piece of relief sought, and the court can enter judgment for or against each party according to that party's own rights and liabilities.
Rule 20(b) gives the court room to manage a crowded case: it can order separate trials, or make other orders, to keep a party from being embarrassed, delayed, or put to needless expense by being joined alongside a party it has no claim against and that has no claim against it.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can multiple plaintiffs join together in one lawsuit under Rule 20?
When they assert a right to relief arising from the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences, and a question of law or fact common to all of them will arise in the action.
Does every plaintiff or defendant have to want the same relief?
No. Rule 20(a) says a plaintiff or defendant need not be interested in obtaining or defending against all the relief demanded; judgment is entered according to each party's own rights and liabilities.
Source & verification. The rule text and History are reproduced verbatim from the
official Hawaii Rules of Civil Procedure (Haw. R. Civ. P. 20). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Hawaii (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 602-11; Haw. Const. art. VI, § 7). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 3, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: permissive joinder of partiesjoining multiple plaintiffs or defendants