Alaska

Civil Procedure

Civil Procedure

Rule 20 – Permissive Joinder of Parties

(a)Permissive Joinder. All persons may join in one action as plaintiffs if they assert any right to relief jointly, severally, or in the alternative in respect of or arising out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences and if any question of law or fact common to all these persons will arise in the action. All persons may be joined in one action as defendants if there is asserted against them jointly, severally, or in the alternative, any right to relief in respect of or arising out of the same transaction, occurrence, or series of transactions or occurrences and if any question of law or fact common to all of them will arise in the action. A plaintiff or defendant need not be interested in obtaining or defending against all the relief demanded. Judgment may be given for one or more of the plaintiffs according to their respective rights to relief, and against one or more defendants according to their respective liabilities.
(b)Separate Trials. The court may make such orders as will prevent a party from being embarrassed, delayed or put to expense by the inclusion of a party against whom the party asserts no claim and who asserts no claim against the party, and may order separate trials or make other orders to prevent delay or prejudice.

Alaska R. Civ. P. 20

Adopted by SCO 5 October 9, 1959; amended by SCO 258 effective November 15, 1976; and by SCO 1153 effective July 15, 1994

AS 10.06.675, as enacted by ch. 166, ยง 1, SLA 1988, amended Civil Rule 20 by allowing a corporation to join a member who received an improper distribution in an action under AS 10.06.675 without regard to the criteria for joinder in Civil Rule 20.