(a) 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, equitable, or maritime, as the party has against an opposing party.
Rule 18.Joinder of claims and remedies
Group 4: Parties · Last amended April 28, 2015 · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceRule 18 lets a party joins as many independent or alternate claims against an opposing party as it has, of any legal, equitable, or maritime nature, and permits combining claims where one form of relief has traditionally depended on resolving another first.
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 the plaintiff, without first having obtained a judgment establishing the claim for money.
Amendment History
Prior: RPPP Rule 18. Adopted May 5, 1967, effective July 1, 1967; amended, effective April 28, 2015.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 18 clears away an old restriction on how many claims a party can bring at once. A party asserting a claim — whether an original claim, counterclaim, cross claim, or third-party claim — may join as many claims against an opposing party as it has, whether legal, equitable, or maritime in nature, and whether those claims are independent of each other or offered as alternatives. The claims need not be related to count; the rule does not require them to arise from the same transaction or occurrence the way a compulsory counterclaim does.
The rule also addresses situations where one type of relief historically could not be pursued until another claim had already been resolved. Those two claims can now be joined in a single action, though the court will still grant relief only in line with the parties' actual substantive rights — joining claims does not create new rights, it only lets them be litigated together. The rule gives a concrete illustration: a plaintiff can bring both a claim for money owed and a claim to set aside a conveyance as fraudulent, without first having to win a judgment on the money claim before challenging the transfer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring several unrelated claims against the same defendant in one lawsuit?
Yes. Rule 18 lets a party join as many legal, equitable, or maritime claims as it has against an opposing party, whether or not those claims are related to one another.
Do the claims I join under Rule 18 need to arise from the same transaction?
No. Unlike a compulsory counterclaim, claims joined under Rule 18 do not need to share a common transaction or occurrence.
What does Rule 18 mean by 'joinder of remedies'?
It refers to combining, in one lawsuit, a claim with a second claim that traditionally could only be pursued after the first was resolved. Rule 18 allows joining them, though the court still grants relief based on the parties' actual substantive rights.
Do I need a judgment on a debt before I can challenge a fraudulent transfer connected to it?
No. Rule 18 specifically allows a plaintiff to bring a claim for money and a claim to set aside a fraudulent conveyance in the same action, without first obtaining a judgment on the money claim.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Washington Superior Court Civil Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Washington. Last verified July 13, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: joinder of claims Washingtoncombine multiple claims one lawsuitfraudulent conveyance claim joinderCR 18 joinder of remedies