18.01 Joinder of Claims A party asserting a claim to relief as an original claim, counterclaim, cross-claim, or third- party claim, may join, either as independent or as alternate claims, as many claims, legal, or equitable, as the party has against an opposing party.
Rule 18.Joinder of Claims and Remedies
Last verified July 1, 2026
In one sentenceRule 18 lets a party pile all of its legal and equitable claims against an opponent into one lawsuit, even claims that have little to do with each other.
Full Text of Rule 18
18.02 Joinder of Remedies; Fraudulent Conveyances Whenever a claim is one heretofore cognizable only after another claim has been prosecuted to a conclusion, the two claims may be joined in a single action; but the court shall grant relief in that action only in accordance with the relative substantive rights of the parties. In particular, a plaintiff may state a claim for money and a claim to have set aside a conveyance fraudulent as to that plaintiff, without first having obtained a judgment establishing the claim for money.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 18 is permissive, not restrictive: it removes barriers to combining claims. Any party asserting a claim — whether it is an original claim, a counterclaim, a cross-claim against a co-party, or a third-party claim — can bundle in as many separate claims against the same opponent as they have, whether those claims are legal, equitable, or asserted as alternatives to each other. There is no requirement that the claims relate to the same transaction or event; a party can add an unrelated contract claim and an unrelated property claim against the same opponent in a single case if they choose to.
The rule also addresses a specific procedural wrinkle: claims that historically could only be brought after another claim had already been resolved. Rule 18 allows those two claims to be joined and litigated together in one action, though the court still has to respect the underlying legal relationship between them when deciding what relief to grant. The rule gives a concrete example: a plaintiff can combine a claim for money owed with a claim to undo a fraudulent transfer of property, without first having to win a separate judgment establishing the debt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I combine unrelated claims against the same defendant in one lawsuit?
Yes. Rule 18 lets a party join as many legal or equitable claims as it has against an opposing party, without requiring the claims to arise from the same events.
Does this rule apply to counterclaims and cross-claims too?
Yes, the rule covers original claims, counterclaims, cross-claims, and third-party claims equally.
Can I sue to void a fraudulent transfer before I have won a judgment on the underlying debt?
Yes. The rule specifically allows a plaintiff to combine a claim for money with a claim to set aside a fraudulent conveyance without first obtaining a judgment on the money claim.
Does joining claims under this rule guarantee I will get everything I ask for?
No. The court still grants relief according to the actual substantive legal rights of the parties, even when claims are joined together procedurally.
Source & verification. The rule text and Advisory Committee Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
official Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure (Minn. R. Civ. P. 18). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Minnesota (Minn. Stat. § 480.051). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 1, 2026. ·
Official source