When an order is made in favor of a person who is not a party to the action, that person may enforce obedience to the order by the same process as if a party; and, when obedience to an order may be lawfully enforced against a person who is not a party, that person is liable to the same process for enforcing obedience to the order as if that person were a party.
Rule 71.Process in Behalf of and Against Persons Not Parties
Last verified July 1, 2026
In one sentenceRule 71 allows a person who is not officially a party to a case to enforce a court order made in their favor, and allows an order to be enforced against a non-party the same way it would be against a party.
Full Text of Rule 71
Plain-English Summary
Not every person affected by a court order is formally listed as a party in the lawsuit. Rule 71 fills that gap. If a court order benefits someone who is not a party, that person can enforce the order using the same legal process available to an actual party. Likewise, if an order can lawfully be enforced against someone who is not a party, that person is subject to the same enforcement process as if they were one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone who is not a party to a lawsuit enforce a court order made in their favor?
Yes. Rule 71 allows a non-party who benefits from an order to enforce it by the same process as if they were a party.
Can a court order be enforced against someone who was never named as a party?
Yes, if the order can lawfully be enforced against that person, Rule 71 makes them subject to the same enforcement process as a party.
Source & verification. The rule text and Advisory Committee Comments are reproduced verbatim from the
official Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure (Minn. R. Civ. P. 71). 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