Rule 1602.Declaratory Judgment as Ancillary Relief.

This rule lets a request for a declaration ride along with an ordinary case. In any civil action, a party may include in its claim for relief a prayer for declaratory relief — a binding determination of the parties’ rights — rather than bringing a separate declaratory-judgment action.

The practice and procedure then follow, as nearly as may be, the rules that govern the underlying action. Allowing declaratory relief as ancillary means a party can have its rights declared in the same case that seeks other remedies, without the cost and delay of a stand-alone proceeding.