Required party

A required party, sometimes called a necessary party, is someone who should be in the case if possible. The court asks whether the absent person has a real interest at stake that could be hurt by a decision, and whether their absence would leave the existing parties exposed to multiple or inconsistent obligations. If the person can be joined without breaking jurisdiction, the court orders them brought in. If they cannot be joined, the court moves to the next step and decides whether they are indispensable. The rule's goal is to keep one dispute from spawning several uncoordinated lawsuits.