(a) In general. A party asserting a claim, counterclaim, crossclaim, or third-party claim may join, as independent or alternative claims, as many claims, legal or equitable, as the party has against an opposing party.
Rule 18.Joinder of claims
Current through January 1, 2025 · Last verified July 8, 2026
In one sentenceRule 18 lets a party join as many independent or alternative claims as it has against an opposing party in a single action, including claims that are contingent on the outcome of another claim, such as a claim for money paired with a claim to set aside a fraudulent conveyance.
Full Text of Rule 18
(b) Joinder of Contingent claims. A party may join two claims even though one of them is contingent on the disposition of the other; but the court may grant relief only in accordance with the parties’ relative substantive rights. In particular, a plaintiff may state a claim for money and a claim to set aside a conveyance that is fraudulent as to that plaintiff, without first obtaining a judgment for the money.
Amendment History
The current West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure took effect January 1, 2025, as part of a rewrite that modernized the rules’ numbering and structure. West Virginia does not publish a per-rule amendment history inside the compiled rules text reproduced here. The text above is verified current through the source’s own January 1, 2025 update; for the underlying adopting order and any later amendments, see the West Virginia Judiciary’s compiled rules page.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 18 removes any limit on how many claims a party can bundle into one lawsuit against an opposing party. Once there's a proper claim, counterclaim, crossclaim, or third-party claim in the case, the party asserting it can add as many other claims as it has against that same opponent — legal or equitable, independent of each other or offered as alternatives.
Claims don't need to stand on their own; a party can join a claim that only matters if another claim comes out a certain way. The rule gives a concrete example: a plaintiff can combine a claim for money with a claim to set aside a conveyance that's fraudulent as to that plaintiff, without first winning a money judgment. The court still has to respect each party's actual substantive rights when deciding what relief to grant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring unrelated claims against the same defendant in one lawsuit?
Yes. Once you have a proper claim against a party, Rule 18(a) lets you join any other claims you have against that same party, related or not.
What is a "contingent" claim under Rule 18?
A claim that only matters depending on how another claim is resolved. Rule 18(b) allows joining such claims and gives the example of pairing a money claim with a claim to void a fraudulent conveyance.
Does Rule 18 change what relief a court can grant?
No. It only addresses whether claims can be joined together; the court still grants relief only in accordance with each party's substantive legal rights.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure (W. Va. R. Civ. P. 18). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia (W. Va. Const. art. VIII, § 3). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 8, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: joinder of claimscontingent claimsfraudulent conveyance claim