(a) Interpleader action. — An action for interpleader or in the nature of interpleader may be brought against two or more adverse claimants who claim or may claim to be entitled to property. The claims of the several defendants or the title on which their claims depend need not have a common origin or be identical but may be adverse to and independent of each other. The plaintiff may deny liability in whole or in part to any or all of the defendants. A defendant may likewise obtain interpleader by way of counterclaim or cross- claim. The provisions of this Rule supplement and do not in any way limit the joinder of parties permitted by Rule 3-212. The complaint for interpleader shall specify the nature and value of the property and may be accompanied by payment or tender into court of the property. The complaint may request, and the court may grant prior to entry of the order of interpleader pursuant to section (b) of this Rule, appropriate ancillary relief, including ex parte or preliminary injunctive relief.
Rule 3-221.Interpleader
District Court · Last amended January 1, 2025 · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceRule 3-221 lets someone holding property claimed by two or more rival claimants bring an interpleader action in District Court and hand the dispute to the court instead of risking multiple lawsuits over the same thing.
Full Text of Rule 3-221
(b) Order of interpleader. — After the defendants have had an opportunity to answer the complaint and oppose the request for interpleader, the court shall promptly schedule a hearing to determine the appropriate order to be entered. The order may:
(1) dismiss the interpleader action;
(2) require the defendants to interplead as to the property within a time specified, designating one or more of them as plaintiffs and one or more of them as defendants;
(3) direct the original plaintiff (the party bringing the interpleader action) to deposit the property or the value of the property into court to abide the judgment of the court or to file a bond with such surety as the court deems proper, conditioned upon compliance by the plaintiff with the future order or judgment of the court with respect to the property;
(4) enjoin the original defendants from bringing or prosecuting any other action affecting the property;
(5) discharge the original plaintiff from further liability with respect to the property upon deposit of the property with the court;
(6) award the original plaintiff costs and reasonable attorney’s fees from the property if that plaintiff brought the action in good faith as an impartial stakeholder;
(7) direct the distribution of any part of the property not in dispute.
(c) Jury trial. — A demand for jury trial as to those issues that are triable of right by a jury shall be filed not later than 15 days after the entry of the order of interpleader or such other time as the court may specify in the order of interpleader.
(d) Subsequent procedure. — Within the time specified in the order of interpleader, the designated plaintiff shall file a complaint setting forth the claim of that plaintiff and shall serve each designated defendant pursuant to Rule 1-321. The action thereafter shall proceed as any other action.
Amendment History
Added May 14, 1992, effective July 1, 1992; amended Feb. 10, 2009, effective May 1, 2009; June 7, 2011, effective July 1, 2011; effective March 16, 2020; amended October 15, 2024, effective January 1, 2025.
Committee Note & Source
Cross references. For the definition of “property,” see Rule 1-202 (z).
Source. This Rule is new but is derived from Md. Rule 2-221.
Plain-English Summary
Interpleader solves a narrow but recurring problem: a bank, employer, or anyone else holding money or property that two or more people claim shouldn't have to guess who is entitled to it and risk paying out twice. Rule 3-221 lets that party — the stakeholder — file an interpleader action against all the rival claimants at once and let the court decide who wins. The claims of the various defendants don't need to share a common origin or even be identical; they just need to compete for the same property. The plaintiff can deny owing anything to any or all of the defendants, and a defendant already in a lawsuit can raise interpleader as a counterclaim or cross-claim rather than starting a new case. Rule 3-212's general joinder rules still apply alongside this one — interpleader adds an option, it doesn't take one away. The complaint must describe the property and its value, and the stakeholder may pay or deposit the property into court right away, along with a request for ancillary relief, including ex parte or preliminary injunctive relief, to stop competing lawsuits before the court has ruled.
Once the defendants have had a chance to answer and argue against interpleader, the court promptly schedules a hearing and enters an order of interpleader. That order can do a lot: dismiss the case, realign the defendants as plaintiffs and defendants against each other, direct the original plaintiff to deposit the property or its value into court or post a bond, enjoin the original defendants from suing elsewhere over the property, discharge the original plaintiff from further liability once it deposits the property, award the original plaintiff costs and reasonable attorney's fees if it brought the action in good faith as an impartial stakeholder, and direct distribution of any part of the property that isn't in dispute. Anyone who wants a jury trial on the remaining triable issues must demand one within 15 days after the order of interpleader — or by whatever other deadline the order itself sets. From there, the party designated as plaintiff files a complaint stating that plaintiff's claim, serves each designated defendant, and the case proceeds like any other civil action.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is interpleader, and who uses it in District Court?
Interpleader is a procedure for someone holding property or money claimed by two or more rival claimants. Instead of waiting to get sued separately by each claimant — and risking having to pay twice — the holder files one action, brings in all the claimants, and lets the court sort out who is entitled to the property.
Who can bring an interpleader action under Rule 3-221?
Either a plaintiff can start a new interpleader action, or a defendant already facing a lawsuit can raise interpleader by counterclaim or cross-claim. The claimants named as defendants don't need related or identical claims — they just need to be competing for the same property.
What can the court's order of interpleader do?
The order can dismiss the action, realign the parties as plaintiffs and defendants against each other, direct the original plaintiff to deposit the property or its value or post a bond, enjoin the claimants from suing elsewhere over the property, discharge the original plaintiff from further liability, award the original plaintiff costs and attorney's fees, and direct distribution of any part of the property that isn't in dispute.
Can the party who filed interpleader recover its costs and attorney's fees?
Yes, if the court finds that party brought the action in good faith as an impartial stakeholder — someone with no real interest in who wins, just trying to hand over property it can't safely distribute on its own.
How long do I have to demand a jury trial in an interpleader case?
A jury trial demand on the triable issues must be filed within 15 days after the court enters the order of interpleader, unless the order itself sets a different deadline.
What happens after the order of interpleader is entered?
Within the time the order sets, the party designated as plaintiff must file a complaint stating its claim and serve each designated defendant. From that point, the case proceeds like any other civil action.
Source & verification. Rule text, Committee Note, Source note, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Maryland Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Maryland. Last verified July 13, 2026. ·
Official source
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