IN · rules
Ind. Trial Rule 14
Third-party practice
Effective January 1, 1971
(A) When defendant may bring in third party.
A defending party, as a third-party plaintiff, may cause a summons and complaint to be
served upon a person not a party to the action who is or may be liable to him for all or part of
the plaintiff’s claim against him. The third-party plaintiff must file the third-party complaint
with his original answer or by leave of court thereafter with good cause shown. The person
served with the summons and the third-party complaint, hereinafter called the third-party
defendant, as provided in Rules 12 and 13 may make:
(1) his defenses, cross-claims and counterclaims to the third-party plaintiff’s claims;
(2) his defenses, counterclaims and cross-claims against any other defendants or third-party defendants;
(3) any defenses or claims which the third-party plaintiff has to the plaintiff’s claim which
are available to the third-party defendant against the plaintiff; and
(4) any defenses or claims which the third-party defendant has as against the plaintiff.
The plaintiff may assert any claim against the third-party defendant who thereupon may
assert his defenses, counterclaims and cross-claims, as provided in Rules 12 and 13. A third-party defendant may proceed under this rule against any person not a party to the action
who is or may be liable to him for all or part of the claim made in the action against the third-party defendant.
(B) When plaintiff may bring in third party.
When a counterclaim or other claim is asserted against a plaintiff, he may cause a third party
to be brought in under circumstances, which, under this rule, would entitle a defendant to do
so.
(C) Severance--Parties improperly impleaded.
With his responsive pleading or by motion prior thereto, any party may move for severance
of a third-party claim or ensuing claim as provided in this rule or for a separate trial thereon.
If the third-party defendant is a proper party to the proceedings under any other rule relating
to parties, the action shall continue as in other cases where he is made a party.
Provenance
- Source
- rules.incourts.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-10-02
- Edition
- supplied-in-01-2026-08-01
- Content hash
72b05c1dc4aa3111c779b0373424bbddcff597fbb4dba2f6ca8313f480796b4b
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