How does Rule 14 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure relate to joinder?

Rule 14 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure deals with third-party practice, which is a method for a defendant to bring in a third party into an ongoing lawsuit. This can happen when a defendant believes that a third party may be liable for all or part of the plaintiff's claim against the defendant. Essentially, it allows a defendant to join someone else to the case to share the burden of the litigation.

This rule is significant because it facilitates a more comprehensive resolution of disputes. Rather than forcing the plaintiff to file a separate lawsuit against the third party, Rule 14 allows all relevant parties to be included in a single action, helping to promote judicial efficiency and prevent the possibility of inconsistent judgments.

In contrast, the other options either misrepresent the purpose of Rule 14 or pertain to different legal principles. For example, while a plaintiff joining claims against one defendant is related to Rule 18, the requirement of joining all defendants in a single suit would stem more from procedural efficiency concerns and not specifically from Rule 14. Additionally, limits on types of claims relate more closely to Rule 18 or the court's jurisdictional rules rather than the core focus of Rule 14.