Rule 3-341.Amendment of pleadings

Rule 3-341 splits pleading amendments into two timing tracks. More than 15 days before a scheduled trial date, a party can file an amendment on its own — no permission needed. The catch is that any other party has 15 days after service to file a motion to strike, spelling out why the court shouldn't allow it. If a defendant already filed a notice of intention to defend, that notice carries over to cover the amended pleading; if not, the defendant has 10 days after service of the amended pleading to file one. Once trial is within 15 days, or has already started, the rules tighten: an amendment now requires either the other side's written consent or the court's leave. New facts or a material change introduced that late is automatically treated as denied — the opposing party doesn't have to file anything to preserve its objection — and the court won't grant a continuance or mistrial over the amendment unless the ends of justice require it.

Section (c) spells out what an amendment can do: change the nature of the action, sharpen the statement of facts, add events that happened after the original pleading was filed, fix a misnomer, fix misjoinder or nonjoinder of a party (as long as at least one original plaintiff and one original defendant remain in the case), add a party, or make any other appropriate change. The rule directs courts to allow amendments freely when justice calls for it, and to overlook defects that an amendment didn't fix unless they touch a party's substantial rights.

Adding a new party by amendment carries its own obligation under section (d): the amending party has to serve the new party with a summons and complaint, plus copies of every pleading, scheduling notice, court order, and other paper already filed in the case, so the newcomer starts with the full record in hand.