Rule 2231.Effect of joinder; practice in general.

Joinder brings parties into one case without merging their claims. Amounts claimed severally, separately or in the alternative by or against different parties are not united for jurisdictional purposes. When parties join or are joined under Rules 2228 and 2229, the trial proceeds as if independent actions between them had been consolidated for trial. Except where the rules provide otherwise, each party keeps the procedural rights it would have if suing or sued separately, and verdicts and judgments are joint, several or separate according to the nature of the right or liability decided.

Subdivision (e) protects defendants joined on a contract claim under Rule 2229(d). If a plaintiff joins a defendant primarily liable and others secondarily liable for that defendant’s default, the plaintiff may not discontinue, enter a nolle prosequi or take a voluntary nonsuit as to the primary defendant unless it does the same as to all the secondarily liable ones.

The Official Notes add that the court may order a separate trial of any issue under its severance power in Rule 213(b), and point to Rules 226(b) and 230.1 on directed verdicts and compulsory nonsuits. Subdivision (b) became obsolete when the Constitution of 1968 abolished two county courts; it and subdivisions (f) through (h) are rescinded.