(a) Joinder of Claims . A party asserting a cause of action as an original claim, counterclaim, crossclaim, or third-party claim, may join, either as independent or as alternate claims, as many claims, legal, or equitable, as he has against the opposing party.
Rule 18.Joinder of claims and remedies
Group IV: Parties · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceRule 18 lets a party join as many claims as it has against an opposing party, whether legal or equitable and whether asserted as original claims, counterclaims, cross-claims, or third-party claims, while giving the court authority to order separate trials to avoid prejudice or inconvenience.
Full Text of Rule 18
(b) 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 him, without first having obtained a judgment establishing the claim for money.
(c) Separate Trials. The court may make such orders as will prevent a party from being embarrassed, delayed or put to unnecessary expense by the joinder of independent or disassociated claims, and may order separate trials or make other orders to prevent delay or prejudice.
Notes
Note: This Rule 18(a) is the same as the Federal Rule. This Rule substantially modifies current State practice under Code § 15-15-10 which limits for purposes of pleading, the joinder of claims. Under this Rule 18(a) there are no limitations on the joinder of claims for pleading purposes. Under Rule 18(c), the court does have power to grant separate trials on the different claims when it would be more convenient or fair. This Rule refers only to joinder of claims for pleading purposes. Rules 19-22 govern joinder of parties.
Note: This is the language of current Federal Rule 18(b) and provides that in a single action a party should be accorded all the relief, legal, equitable or both to which that party is entitled. The last sentence of the Rule is in accordance with the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, but joinder of the two claims is permissive, not mandatory.
Note: This provision is not in Federal Rule 18. Similar provisions are in Rules 13(i), 20(b), 21, and 43. The only problem from liberal joinder of claims is possibly the inconvenience of trying various claims in one lawsuit. This Rule provides the court authority to resolve such problems by appropriate orders.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 18(a) removes any limit on how many claims a party can bring against an opposing party in a single pleading, so long as they're claims against that same party. A plaintiff suing over a car accident can add a separate, unrelated contract claim against the same defendant in the same complaint. The claims don't need to relate to each other, and they can be pleaded as either independent or alternative theories. This applies equally to original claims, counterclaims, cross-claims, and third-party claims.
Rule 18(b) addresses a narrower situation: claims that traditionally could only be pursued in sequence, one after the other reached a conclusion. The rule lets both be joined in a single action, though the court still awards relief according to each party's actual substantive rights — joinder doesn't change who's entitled to what. The rule gives a specific example: a plaintiff can combine a claim for money owed with a claim to set aside a fraudulent conveyance, without first having to win a judgment on the money claim.
Because Rule 18(a) allows so much to be joined in one case, Rule 18(c) gives the court a release valve. If joining unrelated or loosely connected claims would embarrass a party, delay the case, or run up unnecessary expense, the court can order separate trials or issue other orders to prevent that kind of prejudice. Broad joinder at the pleading stage doesn't mean everything gets tried together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many claims can a party join against an opposing party?
Rule 18(a) places no limit on the number of claims, legal or equitable, that a party can join against an opposing party, whether asserted as an original claim, counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim.
Do the joined claims have to relate to each other?
No. Rule 18(a) allows joinder of independent or alternate claims regardless of whether they arise from the same facts.
Can a plaintiff join a claim to set aside a fraudulent conveyance with a claim for money owed?
Yes. Rule 18(b) specifically allows a plaintiff to state a claim for money together with a claim to set aside a fraudulent conveyance, without first obtaining a judgment on the money claim.
Does joining many claims change who is entitled to relief?
No. Rule 18(b) makes clear that even when claims are joined, the court grants relief only according to the parties' actual substantive rights.
What can a party do if joined claims make a case too unwieldy?
Under Rule 18(c), the court can order separate trials or make other orders to prevent a party from being embarrassed, delayed, or put to unnecessary expense by the joinder of unrelated claims.
Source & verification. Rule text, official Notes, and amendment
history are reproduced verbatim from the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure,
adopted by the Supreme Court of South Carolina. Last verified July 13, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: joinder of claimscombining claims in one lawsuitfraudulent conveyance claim joinderseparate trials for joined claims