Persons having claims against the plaintiff may be joined as defendants and required to interplead when their claims are such that the plaintiff is or may be exposed to double or multiple liability. It is not ground for objection to the joinder that the claims of the several claimants or the titles on which their claims depend do not have a common origin or are not identical but are adverse to and independent of one another, or that the plaintiff avers that the plaintiff is not liable in whole or in part to any or all of the claimants. A defendant exposed to similar liability in an action may obtain such interpleader by way of cross-claim or counterclaim. The provisions of this rule supplement and do not in any way limit the joinder of parties permitted in Rule 20.

Advisory Committee’s Notes January 1, 2001

P. L. 1999, Chapter 731, § § II. COMMENCEMENT OF ACTION: SERVICE OF PROCESS, PLEADINGS, MOTIONS AND ORDERSZ-2 et seq. unified the Superior Court and the District Court civil jurisdiction, with certain stated exceptions. Rule 22 is amended to delete the reference to the Superior Court, since actions for interpleader may now also be brought in the District Court.