What type of claim occurs when one defendant brings a claim against another defendant in the same action?

The correct answer is a crossclaim. A crossclaim is specifically used when one defendant in a case asserts a claim against another defendant within the same action. This mechanism allows defendants to pursue their disputes against one another without the need to initiate a separate lawsuit.

For example, if Defendant A and Defendant B are both being sued by Plaintiff, and Defendant A believes that Defendant B is at fault for the injury or damages claimed by Plaintiff, Defendant A can file a crossclaim against Defendant B. This promotes judicial efficiency by resolving all related disputes in a single legal proceeding, rather than splitting them into multiple lawsuits.

In contrast, a counterclaim involves a defendant asserting a claim against the plaintiff, while a third-party claim refers to a situation where a defendant brings in a third party who may be liable for some or all of the plaintiff's claims against the defendant. An interpleader claim arises when a stakeholder requires multiple parties to resolve conflicting claims over the same property or funds. Thus, these other concepts do not involve a defendant asserting a claim against another defendant, which is why crossclaim is the appropriate term for the scenario presented.