Rule 2252.Right to Join Additional Defendants.

Last amended January 24, 2019 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 2252 lets any party join as an additional defendant a non-party who may be solely liable, liable over, or jointly or severally liable on the plaintiff's claim or a related claim.

Full Text of Rule 2252

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c)

(a) Except as provided by Rule 1706.1, any party may join as an additional defendant any person not a party to the action who may be

(1) solely liable on the underlying cause of action against the joining party, or

(2) liable to or with the joining party on any cause of action arising out of the transaction or occurrence or series of transactions or occurrences upon which the underlying cause of action against the joining party is based.

(b) The joining party may file as of course a praecipe for a writ or a complaint.

(1) If the joinder is by writ, the joining party shall file a complaint within twenty days from the filing of the praecipe for the writ. If the joining party fails to file the complaint within the required time, any other party may seek a rule to file the complaint and an eventual judgment of non pros in the manner provided by Rule 1037(a) for failure to file a complaint.

(2) The complaint, in the manner and form required of the initial pleading of the plaintiff in the action, shall set forth the facts relied upon to establish the liability of the joined party and the relief demanded.

(c) The writ to join an additional defendant shall be directed to the additional defendant and shall be substantially in the following form: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania County of (Caption) To : (Name of Additional Defendant) You are notified that (Name(s) of Defendant(s)) has (have) joined you as an additional defendant in this action, which you are required to defend. Date Seal of Court (Name of Prothonotary (Clerk)) By (Deputy)

End

Plain-English Summary

A defendant who believes someone else shares the blame can bring them into the case. This rule lets any party join as an additional defendant a person not already a party who may be solely liable on the plaintiff's claim, liable over to the joining party, or jointly or severally liable with it, or who may be liable on a related claim. The device avoids separate suits and resolves the whole controversy at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a defendant bring another party into the lawsuit?

Yes. Any party may join an additional defendant who may be solely liable, liable over, or jointly or severally liable on the plaintiff's claim. In a class action, Rule 1706.1 sets the only grounds for joining an additional defendant. In a class action, Rule 1706.1 sets the only grounds for joining an additional defendant.

Official Note

Official Note: The term ‘‘underlying cause of action’’ refers to the cause of action set forth in the plaintiff’s complaint or the defendant’s counter-claim.

Official Note: Subdivision (a)(2) permits a joining party to join an additional defendant who may be liable over on the underlying cause of action against the joining party or jointly and severally liable with the joining party. The joinder of an additional defendant in a class action is limited by Rule 1706.1 to the grounds set forth in that rule.

Official Note: Rule 2005(b) does not authorize the filing of a praecipe for a writ of summons if an unknown defendant is to be identified by a Doe designation.

Official Note: For the form of notice to defend in a complaint to join an additional defendant, see Rule 1018.1.

Official Note: See Rule 1031.1 governing cross-claims for the procedure to assert a claim against a person already a party to an action.

Amendment History

The provisions of this Rule 2252 amended through June 20, 1985, effective January 1, 1986, 15 Pa.B. 2452; amended April 4, 1990, effective July 1, 1990, 20 Pa.B. 2282; amended April 12, 1999, effective July 1, 1999, 29 Pa.B. 2274; amended March 23, 2007, effective June 1, 2007, 37 Pa.B. 1480; amended January 24, 2019, effective April 1, 2019, 49 Pa.B. 608. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (326665) to (326667).

Source & verification. Rule text, the Official Note, and the amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Pennsylvania Code, Title 231, the official compilation of rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Last verified June 30, 2026. · Official text

Also known as: join additional defendantthird-party defendantright to join defendant