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DE · rules

Del. Super. Ct. Civ. R. 19

Joinder of persons needed for just adjudication

activein force · 1991-01-01 – presentact-effective-date

(a) Persons to be joined if feasible. A person who is subject to service of process and whose joinder will

not deprive the Court of jurisdiction over the subject matter of the action shall be joined as a party in the

action if (1) in the person’s absence complete relief cannot be accorded among those already parties, or

(2) the person claims an interest relating to the subject of the action and is so situated that the disposition

of the action in the person’s absence may (i) as a practical matter impair or impede the person’s ability to

protect that interest or (ii) leave any of the persons already parties subject to a substantial risk of incurring

double, multiple, or otherwise inconsistent obligations by reason of the claimed interest. If the person has

not been so joined, the Court shall order that the person be made a party. If the person should join as a

plaintiff but refuses to do so, the person may be made a defendant, or, in a proper case, an involuntary

plaintiff. If the joined party objects to venue and joinder of that party would render the venue of the action

improper, that party shall be dismissed from the action.

(b) Determination by Court whenever joinder not feasible. If a person as described in subdivision (a)(1)-

(2) hereof cannot be made a party, the Court shall determine whether in equity and good conscience the

action should proceed among the parties before it, or should be dismissed, the absent person being thus

regarded as indispensable. The factors to be considered by the Court include: First, to what extent a

judgment rendered in the person’s absence might be prejudicial to the person or those already parties;

second, the extent to which, by protective provisions in the judgment, by the shaping of relief, or other

measures, the prejudice can be lessened or avoided; third, whether a judgment rendered in the person’s

absence will be adequate; fourth, whether the plaintiff will have an adequate remedy if the action is

dismissed for nonjoinder.

(c) Pleading reasons for nonjoinder. A pleading asserting a claim for relief shall state the names, if

known to the pleader, of any persons as described in subdivision (a)(1)-(2) hereof who are not joined, and

the reasons why they are not joined.

History

Amended, effective Jan. 1, 1967; Jan. 1, 1991.

Provenance

Source
courts.delaware.gov
Retrieved
2026-09-23
Edition
2026-09-23
Content hash
2e647c978cd237030439ec82283f5fed841a1ced6a2e71498b84bfed49c61e74
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