(a) Permissive Joinder. All persons may join in one action as plaintiffs if they assert any right to relief within the subject-matter jurisdiction of the court 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 of 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 within the subject-matter jurisdiction of the court 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 November 1, 1966 · Last verified July 8, 2026
In one sentenceRule 20 allows multiple plaintiffs to join in one action, or multiple defendants to be joined in one action, whenever their claims arise from the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions and share a common question of law or fact, while letting the court order separate trials to prevent delay or unfair prejudice.
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.
Advisory Committee’s Notes & Reporter’s Notes
Explanation of Amendment — November 1, 1966
This amendment was taken from a 1966 amendment to F.R. 20(a). It simply changes “of them” to “these persons” in one place and to “defendants” in another place in order to resolve a possible ambiguity as to the antecedent of “them.” The amendment to Rule 18 should be enough to prevent construing “them” to refer to claims, but this amendment removes any possible doubt.
Reporter's Notes — December 1, 1959
This rule is the same as Federal Rule 20. It offers greater freedom in joinder of parties than does existing law, but it does not provide for unrestricted joinder of parties to the extent that Rule 18 provides for unrestricted joinder of claims. The rule applies to allow an action on claims of two or more plaintiffs or against two or more defendants arising out of the same or related transactions. It abrogates the Maine rule preventing the joinder of a master and servant in a single action arising out of the latter's negligence. Hobbs v. Hurley, 117 Me. 449, 104 A. 815 (1918). The claims may be in the alternative. Where the plaintiff is uncertain as to which of several defendants is liable, he may plead to that effect and join them all in a single action. See Form 10 in the Appendix of Forms.
Plain-English Summary
Permissive joinder gives plaintiffs and defendants more room to combine related claims into a single lawsuit than Rule 18 gives a single party joining its own claims. Multiple people can join as plaintiffs, or be joined as defendants, as long as their claims arise from the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions, and share at least one common question of law or fact. No party has to be interested in every form of relief sought — the court can enter judgment for some plaintiffs and against some defendants according to each one’s actual rights and liabilities.
That flexibility does not come at the cost of fairness to any individual party. Subdivision (b) lets the court order separate trials, or make other orders, whenever joinder would embarrass, delay, or unfairly burden a party who has no real stake in a claim involving a co-party.
Frequently Asked Questions
What two conditions must be met to join multiple plaintiffs or defendants under Rule 20?
Their claims must arise out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences, and there must be at least one question of law or fact common to all of them.
Does every plaintiff joined under Rule 20 have to seek the same relief?
No. A plaintiff or defendant need not be interested in obtaining or defending against all the relief demanded; judgment is entered for each party according to that party's own rights and liabilities.
Can a party who has no real dispute with a co-defendant ask to be separated out?
Yes. Subdivision (b) lets the court order separate trials or other relief to prevent a party from being embarrassed, delayed, or put to unnecessary expense by a co-party against whom it asserts, and who asserts against it, no claim.
Source & verification. The rule text and Advisory Committee’s Notes / Reporter’s
Notes are reproduced verbatim from the official Maine Rules of Civil Procedure (Me. R. Civ. P. 20), prescribed by the
Supreme Judicial Court of Maine (4 M.R.S. § 8, the Rules Enabling Act). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 8, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: permissive joinderjoining multiple plaintiffsjoining multiple defendants