(a) In General. — A party asserting a claim, counterclaim, crossclaim, or third-party claim may join, as independent or alternative claims, as many claims as it has against an opposing party.
Rule 18.Joinder of claims
Group IV: Parties · Last amended March 1, 2017 · Last verified July 14, 2026
In one sentenceRule 18 lets a party pursuing a claim against an opponent add any other claims it has against that same opponent, even claims that only make sense if another claim succeeds first.
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
Added February 2, 2017, effective March 1, 2017.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 18 gives a party filing any claim — whether a complaint, counterclaim, crossclaim, or third-party claim — broad freedom to pile on every other claim it has against the same opponent. The claims don't need to share facts or grow out of the same event; a party can bundle unrelated disputes into one lawsuit purely for convenience, and can plead claims as independent or alternative theories.
The rule also covers claims that depend on each other. A party can join a claim that only matters if another claim first succeeds, without waiting for that first claim to be resolved. The rule's own example: a plaintiff can ask for money damages and, in the same case, ask the court to unwind a fraudulent transfer, without first winning a judgment on the money claim. Joining claims this way doesn't expand anyone's substantive rights — the court still has to decide the case according to what the parties are entitled to under the law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do my claims against the same defendant have to be related to be joined?
No. Rule 18 lets a party join any claims it has against an opposing party, whether or not they share facts or arise from the same event.
Can I join a claim that only matters if I win on another claim?
Yes. Rule 18 allows joinder of a claim that is contingent on another claim's outcome, such as pairing a money claim with a claim to unwind a fraudulent transfer before any judgment on the money claim.
Does joining claims under Rule 18 change what relief I can get?
No. The rule only allows the claims to be joined in one case — the court still grants relief based on each party's actual substantive rights.
What is the difference between Rule 18 and Rule 20?
Rule 18 governs how many claims one party can bring against another party already in the case. Rule 20 governs when different people can join as plaintiffs or defendants in the first place.
Can a defendant use Rule 18 too?
Yes. Any party asserting a claim — including a counterclaim, crossclaim, or third-party claim — can join additional claims under this rule.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Wyoming. Last verified July 14, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: joinder of claims wyomingcombine lawsuits same defendantmultiple claims one complaintcontingent claim rule