When an order grants relief for a nonparty or may be enforced against a nonparty, the procedure for enforcing the order is the same as for a party.
Rule 71.Enforcing relief for or against a nonparty
Title IX: Provisional and Final Remedies · Last amended July 1, 2016 · Last verified July 14, 2026
In one sentenceRule 71 makes clear that a court order benefiting or binding someone who is not a party to the case can be enforced just like an order between the actual parties.
Full Text of Rule 71
Amendment History
(Adopted March 1, 2016, effective July 1, 2016.)
Plain-English Summary
Rule 71 is short, but it closes a gap. Court orders sometimes reach beyond the named parties — an injunction might protect a nonparty, or a judgment might bind someone who was never formally added to the case. Without a rule like this, it might be unclear whether the normal enforcement tools even apply to that person.
Rule 71 answers that question by cross-reference: when an order grants relief for a nonparty or can be enforced against one, the same enforcement procedure that applies to parties applies to that nonparty too. Whatever mechanism a party would use — writs, contempt, or the other tools found elsewhere in these rules — is available for or against the nonparty as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who counts as a nonparty under Rule 71?
Anyone who benefits from, or is bound by, a court order without having been formally joined as a party to the lawsuit.
Can a nonparty enforce an order in their favor?
Yes. If an order grants relief for a nonparty, that person can use the same enforcement procedures a party would use to make sure the order is carried out.
Can an order be enforced against someone who was never a party?
Yes, if the order itself may be enforced against that nonparty. Rule 71 applies the ordinary enforcement procedure to them just as it would to a named party.
Does Rule 71 create new enforcement tools?
No. It borrows the existing tools available under rules like 70 and 75 and extends their use to nonparties in the right circumstances.
Why does this rule matter in practice?
It prevents a nonparty affected by an order from being left without a remedy, or from escaping enforcement, because they were never named in the lawsuit.
Source & verification. Rule text
are reproduced verbatim from the Idaho Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Idaho. Last verified July 14, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: enforcing order against nonpartythird party bound by court ordernonparty enforcement idahoorder affecting someone not a party