Rule 66.Receivers

Last amended December 1, 2007 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 66 makes the appointment of a federal receiver and the administration of property in a receiver’s hands subject to federal practice, and provides that an action in which a receiver has been appointed may be dismissed only by court order.

Full Text of Rule 66

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These rules govern an action in which the appointment of a receiver is sought or a receiver sues or is sued. But the practice in administering an estate by a receiver or a similar court-appointed officer must accord with the historical practice in federal courts or with a local rule. An action in which a receiver has been appointed may be dismissed only by court order.

End

Amendment History

(Amended December 27, 1946, effective March 19, 1948; December 29, 1948, effective October 20, 1949; April 30, 2007, effective December 1, 2007.)

Plain-English Summary

A receiver is a neutral the court appoints to take custody of and manage property that is the subject of litigation — for example, a failing business or a disputed estate. Rule 66 ties that device to federal procedure: these rules govern an action in which a receiver has been appointed, and the practice in administering property in a receiver’s charge follows the historical federal practice and these rules.

Two protections stand out. An action in which a receiver has been appointed may be dismissed only by court order, so a case cannot quietly end while property is still under the court’s control. And a receiver may sue or be sued only with leave of the appointing court, keeping the receivership under judicial supervision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a receiver?

A neutral the court appoints to take custody of and manage property involved in a lawsuit; Rule 66 makes the receivership subject to federal practice and judicial supervision.

Can a receiver sue or be sued without going back to the court?

No. A receiver may sue or be sued only with leave of the court that appointed the receiver, keeping the receivership under continuing judicial supervision.

Source & verification. The rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the official Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Fed. R. Civ. P. 66), a public-domain work of the U.S. Government. Prescribed by the United States Supreme Court under the Rules Enabling Act. The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified June 30, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: FRCP 66Fed. R. Civ. P. 66receiversfederal receiverreceivership