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Third-party practice is a legal process where a defendant brings in a third party to a lawsuit, usually to shift the blame to someone else who was not sued by the plaintiff. This is done through a procedure called impleader, which is governed by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 14. It is also known as vouching-in. It is different from interpleader and intervention.
Definition: Third-party practice is a legal procedure where a defendant brings in a third party to a lawsuit, usually to shift liability to someone not sued by the plaintiff. This is also known as impleader or vouching-in.
Example: If a person is sued for a car accident, they may use third-party practice to bring in the car manufacturer or mechanic who worked on the car as a third party. The defendant may argue that the accident was caused by a defect in the car or by the mechanic's negligence, and therefore, they should not be held solely responsible for the damages.
This example illustrates how third-party practice can be used to shift liability to someone else who may have contributed to the plaintiff's damages.
third-party defendant | third-party record-custodian summons