Rule 71.Enforcing Relief for or Against a Nonparty
Last amended December 1, 2007 · Last verified June 30, 2026
Full Text of Rule 71
Amendment History
(Amended March 2, 1987, effective August 1, 1987; April 30, 2007, effective December 1, 2007.)
Plain-English Summary
Court orders sometimes reach people who are not formally named as parties — a beneficiary who gains a right under a decree, or a nonparty bound by an injunction. Rule 71 makes the enforcement machinery work in both directions for those people.
When an order grants relief to a nonparty, that nonparty may enforce the order using the same procedures available to a party. And when an order may be enforced against a nonparty, the same procedures that would be used against a party apply. The rule closes a gap so that the practical effect of a judgment is not defeated merely because the person helped or bound by it never appeared on the caption.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a nonparty enforce or be bound by a court order?
Yes. Rule 71 lets a nonparty granted relief enforce the order like a party, and allows an order to be enforced against a nonparty using the procedures that apply to parties.
Why does Rule 71 matter for someone who was never named in the case?
It keeps a judgment's practical effect from being defeated just because the person it helps or binds never appeared on the caption — the same enforcement tools available to parties apply to that person too.