Terms Used In Kansas Statutes 60-214

  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.

(a) When defending party may bring in a third party. (1) Timing of the summons and complaint. A defending party may, as a third-party plaintiff, serve a summons and petition on a nonparty who is or may be liable to it for all or part of the claim against it. But the third-party plaintiff must, by motion, obtain the court’s leave if it files the third-party complaint more than 14 days after serving its original answer.

(2) Third-party defendant‘s claims and defenses. The person served with the summons and third-party petition, the “third-party defendant”:

(A) Must assert any defenses against the third-party plaintiff’s claim under Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-212, and amendments thereto;

(B) must assert any counterclaim against the third-party plaintiff under subsection (a) of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-213, and amendments thereto, or any crossclaim against another third-party defendant under subsection (f) of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-213, and amendments thereto, and may assert any counterclaim against the third-party plaintiff under subsection (b) of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-213, and amendments thereto, or any crossclaims against another third-party defendant under subsection (g) of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-213, and amendments thereto;

(C) may assert against the plaintiff any defense that the third-party plaintiff has to the plaintiff’s claim; and

(D) may also assert against the plaintiff any claim arising out of the transaction or occurrence that is the subject matter of the plaintiff’s claim against the third-party plaintiff.

(3) Plaintiff’s claims against a third-party defendant. The plaintiff may assert against the third-party defendant any claim arising out of the transaction or occurrence that is the subject matter of the plaintiff’s claim against the third-party plaintiff. The third-party defendant must then assert any defense under Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-212, and amendments thereto, and any counterclaim under subsection (a) of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-213, and amendments thereto, or crossclaim under subsection (f) of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-213, and amendments thereto, and may assert any counterclaim under subsection (b) of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-213, and amendments thereto, or any crossclaim under subsection (g) of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-213, and amendments thereto.

(4) Motion to strike, sever or try separately. Any party may move to strike the third-party claim, to sever it or to try it separately.

(5) Third-party defendant’s claim against a nonparty. A third-party defendant may proceed under this section against a nonparty who is or may be liable to the third-party defendant for all or part of any claim against it.

(b) When a plaintiff may bring in a third-party. When a claim is asserted against a plaintiff, the plaintiff may bring in a third-party if this section would allow a defendant to do so.

(c) Execution by third-party plaintiff; limitation. Where a third-party defendant is liable to the plaintiff, or to anyone holding a similar position under subsections (a) and (b), on the claim on which a third-party plaintiff has been sued, execution by the third-party plaintiff on a judgment against such third-party defendant shall be permitted only to the extent that the third-party plaintiff has paid any judgment obtained against the third-party plaintiff by the obligee.