§20.8 Strategic and Practical Considerations

• Jurisdiction: Washington

§20.8STRATEGIC AND PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The decision whether to join with other persons as plaintiffs, or to join additional persons as defendants, belongs to the plaintiff. If the plaintiff chooses to bring a number of separate actions, the defendant can do nothing under CR 20 to compel joinder of either plaintiffs or defendants. The defendant can move, however, for consolidation under CR 42(a). Also, the defendant can counterclaim or cross claim and thereby be considered as a plaintiff for the purpose of adding additional parties under CR 20.

Factors a plaintiff should consider in making the decision to join proper parties include the following:

(1)	the possible savings of time and expense and avoidance of duplicative efforts during discovery and trial;
(2)	the

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