A defendant may bring a third party who is not currently a party if that person is or may be liable for all or part of the plaintiff's claim.

A defendant may bring a third party who is not currently a party if that person is or may be liable for all or part of the plaintiff's claim.

• A. A person not a party who is or may be liable to him for all or part of the plaintiff's claim
• B. A person already joined as a party
• C. A person who is the plaintiff
• D. A person who has no involvement

Answer: (A)

In North Carolina civil procedure, a defendant may bring in a nonparty who may be liable to the plaintiff for all or part of the plaintiff’s claim. This is called impleading a third party under Rule 14. The essence is to permit the defendant to shift or share liability with someone else who could be responsible to the plaintiff, so the defendant can obtain contribution or indemnity and the plaintiff can resolve all liability in one action. That’s why the correct description is a person not currently a party who is or may be liable to the defendant for all or part of the plaintiff’s claim. The other scenarios don’t fit: bringing in someone who is already a party isn’t asking for a new third party; naming the plaintiff themselves or a person with no involvement wouldn’t establish liability to the defendant for the plaintiff’s claim.

In North Carolina civil procedure, a defendant may bring in a nonparty who may be liable to the plaintiff for all or part of the plaintiff’s claim. This is called impleading a third party under Rule 14. The essence is to permit the defendant to shift or share liability with someone else who could be responsible to the plaintiff, so the defendant can obtain contribution or indemnity and the plaintiff can resolve all liability in one action.

That’s why the correct description is a person not currently a party who is or may be liable to the defendant for all or part of the plaintiff’s claim. The other scenarios don’t fit: bringing in someone who is already a party isn’t asking for a new third party; naming the plaintiff themselves or a person with no involvement wouldn’t establish liability to the defendant for the plaintiff’s claim.