When a counterclaim is asserted against a plaintiff, he may cause a third party to be brought in under circumstances which under this rule would entitle defendant to do so.
Rule 14.02.When plaintiff may bring in third party.
Current through June 18, 2026 · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceAllows a plaintiff who faces a counterclaim to bring in a third party under the same impleader procedure available to a defendant under Rule 14.01, extending third-party practice to plaintiffs defending against counterclaims.
Full Text of Rule 14.02
Amendment History
The source reproduced here (current through June 18, 2026) records no amendment to this rule since its original adoption — no History line appears for it in the compiled rules. For the underlying adopting order and any later amendments, see the West’s Rules & Procedures.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 14.02 turns the impleader process in Rule 14.01 around. When a defendant answers with a counterclaim, the plaintiff is, for purposes of that counterclaim, in the same position as an original defendant defending a claim. Rule 14.02 lets that plaintiff bring in a third party against whom the plaintiff can assert liability for the counterclaim, using the same procedure a defendant would use under Rule 14.01.
This matters because a counterclaim can raise issues that reach beyond the original plaintiff and defendant. Instead of forcing a separate lawsuit, Rule 14.02 lets the party now defending against the counterclaim pull in whoever else shares responsibility for it, and litigate everything in one case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if the defendant files a counterclaim against me as the plaintiff?
If a counterclaim is asserted against a plaintiff, Rule 14.02 lets that plaintiff bring in a third party under the same circumstances that would entitle a defendant to do so under Rule 14.01.
Do I need to file a separate lawsuit to bring in someone liable for a counterclaim against me?
No. Rule 14.02 allows the plaintiff facing a counterclaim to bring the third party into the existing case, following the same third-party practice procedure set out in Rule 14.01.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure (Ky. R. Civ. P. 14.02). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Kentucky (Ky. Const. § 116). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. ·
Official source
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