When a person must be brought into a lawsuit as either a plaintiff or a defendant.

• A. Venue
• B. Compulsory Joinder
• C. Standing
• D. Personal Jurisdiction

Answer: (B)

Compulsory joinder is the main concept tested here. It refers to situations where a person must be brought into a lawsuit because their involvement is necessary to provide complete relief or to protect their interests. If a party’s absence would impair their ability to protect their rights or would leave the court unable to grant complete relief among the existing parties, the rule requires joining that person as a party, if feasible. When the nonparty cannot be joined, the court must consider whether to proceed without them or dismiss, balancing issues of prejudice and efficiency.

This idea is different from venue (where the case is heard), standing (whether a party has a legal right to sue based on injury), and personal jurisdiction (the court’s authority over the person).