ORDER 15

CAUSES OF ACTION:
COUNTERCLAIMS AND PARTIES

Joinder of causes of action (O. 15, r. 1)
1. —(1) Subject to Rule 5 (1), a plaintiff may in one action claim relief against the same defendant in respect of more than one cause of action —

(a) if the plaintiff claims, and the defendant is alleged to be liable, in the same capacity in respect of all the causes of action;

(b) if the plaintiff claims or the defendant is alleged to be liable in the capacity of executor or administrator of an estate in respect of one or more of the causes of action and in his personal capacity but with reference to the same estate in respect of all the others; or

(c) with the leave of the Court.

(2) An application for leave under this Rule must be made by ex parte summons supported by affidavit before the issue of the writ or originating summons, as the case may be, and the affidavit must state the grounds of the application.

Counterclaim against plaintiff (O. 15, r. 2)
2. —(1) Subject to Rule 5 (2), a defendant in any action who alleges that he has any claim or is entitled to any relief or remedy against a plaintiff in the action in respect of any matter (whenever and however arising) may, instead of bringing a separate action, make a counterclaim in respect of that matter; and where he does so he must add the counterclaim to his defence.

(2) Rule 1 shall apply in relation to a counterclaim as if the counterclaim were a separate action and as if the person making the counterclaim were the plaintiff and the person against whom it is made a defendant.

(3) A counterclaim may be proceeded with notwithstanding that judgment is given for the plaintiff in the action or that the action is stayed, discontinued or dismissed.

(4) Where a defendant establishes a counterclaim against the claim of the plaintiff and there is a balance in favour of one of the parties, the Court may give judgment for the balance, so, however, that this provision shall not be taken as affecting the Court's discretion with respect to costs.

Counterclaim against additional parties (O. 15, r. 3)
3. —(1) Where a defendant to an action who makes a counterclaim against the plaintiff alleges that any other person (whether or not a party to the action) is liable to him along with the plaintiff in respect of the subject-matter of the counterclaim, or claims against such other person any relief relating to or connected with the original subject-matter of the action, then, subject to Rule 5 (2), he may join that other person as a party against whom the counterclaim is made.

(2) Where a defendant joins a person as a party against whom he makes a counterclaim, he must add that person’s name to the title of the action and serve on him a copy of the counterclaim; and a person on whom a copy of a counterclaim is served under this paragraph shall, if he is not already a party to the action, become a party to it as from the time of service with the same rights in respect of his defence to the counterclaim and otherwise as if he had been duly sued in the ordinary way by the party making the counterclaim.

(3) A defendant who is required by paragraph (2) to serve a copy of the counterclaim made by him on any person who before service is already a party to the action must do so within the period within which, by virtue of Order 18, Rule 2, he must serve on the plaintiff the defence to which the counterclaim is added.

(4) Where by virtue of paragraph (2) a copy of a counterclaim is required to be served on a person who is not already a party to the action, the following provisions of these Rules, namely, Order 10 (except Rule 1 (4)), Orders 11 to 13 and Order 70, Rule 3, shall, subject to paragraph (3), apply in relation to the counterclaim and the proceedings arising from it as if —

(a) the counterclaim were a writ and the proceedings arising from it an action; and

(b) the party making the counterclaim were a plaintiff and the party against whom it is made a defendant in that action.

(5) A copy of a counterclaim required to be served on a person who is not already a party to the action must be indorsed with a notice, in Form 12, addressed to that person —

(a) stating the effect of Order 12, Rule 1, as applied by paragraph (4); and

(b) stating that he may enter an appearance in Form 13 and explaining how he may do so.

Joinder of parties (O. 15, r. 4)
4. —(1) Subject to Rule 5 (1), 2 or more persons may be joined together in one action as plaintiffs or as defendants with the leave of the Court or where —

(a) if separate actions were brought by or against each of them, as the case may be, some common question of law or fact would arise in all the actions; and

(b) all rights to relief claimed in the action (whether they are joint, several or alternative) are in respect of or arise out of the same transaction or series of transactions.

(2) Where the plaintiff in any action claims any relief to which any other person is entitled jointly with him, all persons so entitled must, subject to the provisions of any written law and unless the Court gives leave to the contrary, be parties to the action and any of them who does not consent to being joined as a plaintiff must, subject to any order made by the Court on an application for leave under this paragraph, be made a defendant.

This paragraph shall not apply to a probate action.

(3) Where relief is claimed in an action against a defendant who is jointly liable with some other person and also severally liable, that other person need not be made a defendant to the action; but where persons are jointly, but not severally, liable under a contract and relief is claimed against some but not all of those persons in an action in respect of that contract, the Court may, on the application of any defendant to the action, by order stay proceedings in the action until the other persons so liable are added as defendants.

This paragraph shall not apply to any relief claimed under section 15 of the Civil Law Act (Chapter 43).

Court may order separate trials, etc. (O. 15, r. 5)
5. —(1) If claims in respect of 2 or more causes of action are included by a plaintiff in the same action or by a defendant in a counterclaim, or if 2 or more plaintiffs or defendants are parties to the same action, and it appears to the Court that the joinder of causes of action or of parties, as the case may be, may embarrass or delay the trial or is otherwise inconvenient, the Court may order separate trials or make such other order as may be expedient.

(2) If it appears on the application of any party against whom a counterclaim is made that the subject-matter of the counterclaim ought for any reason to be disposed of by a separate action, the Court may order the counterclaim to be struck out or may order it to be tried separately or make such other order as may be expedient.

Misjoinder and nonjoinder of parties (O. 15, r. 6)
6. —(1) No cause or matter shall be defeated by reason of the misjoinder or nonjoinder of any party; and the Court may in any cause or matter determine the issues or questions in dispute so far as they affect the rights and interests of the persons who are parties to the cause or matter.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this Rule, at any stage of the proceedings in any cause or matter, the Court may, on such terms as it thinks just and either of its own motion or on application —

(a) order any person who has been improperly or unnecessarily made a party or who has for any reason ceased to be a proper or necessary party, to cease to be a party;

(b) order any or the following persons to be added as a party, namely:

(i) any person who ought to have been joined as a party or whose presence before the Court is necessary to ensure that all matters in the cause or matter may be effectually and completely determined and adjudicated upon; or

(ii) any person between whom and any party to the cause or matter there may exist a question or issue arising out of or relating to or connected with any relief or remedy claimed in the cause or matter which in the opinion of the Court it would be just and convenient to determine as between him and that party as well as between the parties to the cause or matter.

(3) An application by any person for an order under paragraph (2) adding him as a party must, except with the leave of the Court, be supported by an affidavit showing his interest in the matters in dispute in the cause or matter or, as the case may be, the question or issue to be determined as between him and any party to the cause or matter.

(4) No person shall be added as a plaintiff without his consent signified in writing or in such other manner as may be authorised.

Proceedings against estates (O. 15, r. 6A)
6A. —(1) Where any person against whom an action would have lain has died but the cause of action survives, the action may, if no grant of probate or administration has been made, be brought against the estate of the deceased.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), an action brought against “the personal representatives of A.B. deceased” shall be treated, for the purposes of that paragraph, as having been brought against his estate.

(3) An action purporting to have been commenced against a person shall be treated, if he was dead at its commencement, as having been commenced against his estate in accordance with paragraph (1), whether or not a grant of probate or administration was made before its commencement.

(4) In any such action as is referred to in paragraph (1) or (3) —

(a) the plaintiff shall, during the period of validity for service of the writ or originating summons, apply to the Court for an order appointing a person to represent the deceased’s estate for the purpose of the proceedings or, if a grant of probate or administration has been made for an order that the personal representative of the deceased be made a party to the proceedings, and in either case for an order that the proceedings be carried on against the person appointed or, as the case may be, against the personal representative, as if he had been substituted for the estate;

(b) the Court may, at any stage of the proceedings and on such terms as it thinks just and either of its own motion or on application, make any such order as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) and allow such amendments (if any) to be made and make such other order as the Court thinks necessary in order to ensure that all matters in dispute in the proceedings may be effectually and completely determined and adjudicated upon.

(5) Before making an order under paragraph (4) the Court may require notice to be given to any insurer of the deceased who has an interest in the proceedings and to such (if any) of the persons having an interest in the estate as it thinks fit.

(6) Where an order is made under paragraph (4) appointing the Public Trustee to represent the deceased’s estate, the appointment shall be limited to his accepting service of the writ or originating summons by which the action was begun unless, either on making such an order or on a subsequent application, the Court, with the consent of the Public Trustee, directs that the appointment shall extend to taking further steps in the proceedings.

(7) Where an order is made under paragraph (4), Rules 7 (4) and 8 (3) and (4) shall apply as if the order had been made under Rule 7 on the application of the plaintiff.

(8) Where no grant of probate or administration has been made, any judgment or order given or made in the proceedings shall bind the estate to the same extent as it would have been bound if a grant had been made and a personal representative of the deceased had been a party to the proceedings.

Change of parties by reason of death, etc. (O. 15, r. 7)
7. —(1) Where a party to an action dies or becomes bankrupt but the cause of action survives, the action shall not abate by reason of the death or bankruptcy.

(2) Where at any stage of the proceedings in any cause or matter the interest or liability of any party is assigned or transmitted to or devolves upon some other person, the Court may, if it thinks it necessary in order to ensure that all matters in dispute in the cause or matter may be effectually and completely determined and adjudicated upon, order that other person to be made a party to the cause or matter and the proceedings to be carried on as if he had been substituted for the first-mentioned party. An application for an order under this paragraph may be made ex parte.

(3) An order may be made under this Rule for a person to be made a party to a cause or matter notwithstanding that he is already a party to it on the other side of the record, or on the same side but in a different capacity; but —

(a) if he is already a party on the other side, the order shall be treated as containing a direction that he shall cease to be a party on that other side; and

(b) if he is already a party on the same side but in another capacity, the order may contain a direction that he shall cease to be a party in that other capacity.

(4) The person on whose application an order is made under this Rule must, unless the Court otherwise directs, serve the order on every other person who is a party to the cause or matter or who becomes or ceases to be a party by virtue of the order and serve with the order on any person who becomes a defendant a copy of the writ or originating summons by which the cause or matter was begun.

S 637/2006, wef 01/01/2007

(5) Any application to the Court by a person served with an order made ex parte under this Rule for the discharge or variation of the order must be made within 14 days after the service of the order on that person.

Provisions consequential on making of order under Rule 6 or 7 (O. 15, r. 8)
8. —(1) Where an order is made under Rule 6 the writ by which the action in question was begun must be amended accordingly and must be endorsed with —

(a) a reference to the order in pursuance of which the amendment is made; and

(b) the date on which the amendment is made,

and the amendment must be made within such period as may be specified in the order or, if no period is so specified, within 14 days after the making of the order.

(2) Where by an order under Rule 6 a person is to be made a defendant, the Rules as to service of a writ of summons shall apply accordingly to service of the amended writ on him.

S 637/2006, wef 01/01/2007

(3) Where by an order under Rule 6 or 7 a person is to be made a defendant, the Rules as to entry of appearance shall apply accordingly to entry of appearance by him, subject, in the case of a person to be made a defendant by an order under Rule 7, to the modification that the time limited for appearing shall begin with the date on which the order is served on him under Rule 7 (4) or, if the order is not required to be served on him, with the date on which the order is sealed with the seal of the Supreme Court or the Subordinate Courts. The entry of appearance must be in Form 14.

S 637/2006, wef 01/01/2007

(4) Where by an order under Rule 6 or 7 a person is to be added as a party or is to be made a party in substitution for some other party, that person shall not become a party until —

(a) where the order is made under Rule 6, the writ has been amended in relation to him under this Rule and (if he is a defendant) has been served on him; or

(b) where the order is made under Rule 7, the order has been served on him under Rule 7 (4) or, if the order is not required to be served on him, the order has been sealed with the seal of the Supreme Court or the Subordinate Courts,

S 637/2006, wef 01/01/2007

and where by virtue of the foregoing provision a person becomes a party in substitution for some other party, all things done in the course of the proceedings before the making of the order shall have effect in relation to the new party as they had in relation to the old, except that entry of appearance by the old party shall not dispense with entry of appearance by the new party in Form 14.

(5) Paragraphs (1) to (4) shall apply in relation to an action begun by originating summons as they apply in relation to an action begun by writ.

Failure to proceed after death of party (O. 15, r. 9)
9. —(1) If after the death of a plaintiff or defendant in any action the cause of action survives, but no order under Rule 7 is made substituting as plaintiff any person in whom the cause of action vests or, as the case may be, the personal representatives of the deceased defendant, the defendant or, as the case may be, those representatives may apply to the Court for an order that unless the action is proceeded with within such time as may be specified in the order the action shall be struck out as against the plaintiff or defendant, as the case may be, who has died; but where it is the plaintiff who has died, the Court shall not make an order under this Rule unless satisfied that due notice of the application has been given to the personal representatives (if any) of the deceased plaintiff and to any other interested persons who, in the opinion of the Court, shall be notified.

(2) Where in any action a counterclaim is made by a defendant, this Rule shall apply in relation to the counterclaim as if the counterclaim were a separate action and as if the defendant making the counterclaim were the plaintiff and the person against whom it is made a defendant.

Actions for possession of immovable property (O. 15, r. 10)
10. —(1) Without prejudice to Rule 6, the Court may at any stage of the proceedings in an action for possession of immovable property order any person not a party to the action who is in possession of the immovable property (whether in actual possession or by a tenant) to be added as a defendant.

(2) An application by any person for an order under this Rule may be made by ex parte summons, supported by an affidavit showing that he is in possession of the immovable property in question and if by a tenant, naming him.

(3) A person added as a defendant by an order under this Rule must serve a copy of the order on the plaintiff and must enter an appearance in the action within such period, if any, as may be specified in the order or, if no period is so specified, within 7 days after the making of the order, and the Rules as to entry of appearance shall apply accordingly to entry of appearance by him.

Relator actions (O. 15, r. 11)
11. Before the name of any person is used in any action as a relator, that person must give a written authorisation so to use his name to his solicitor and the authorisation must be filed in the Registry.

Representative proceedings (O. 15, r. 12)
12. —(1) Where numerous persons have the same interest in any proceedings, not being such proceedings as are mentioned in Rule 13, the proceedings may be begun, and, unless the Court otherwise orders, continued, by or against any one or more of them as representing all or as representing all except one or more of them.

(2) At any stage of the proceedings under this Rule the Court may, on the application of the plaintiff, and on such terms, if any, as it thinks fit, appoint any one or more of the defendants or other persons as representing whom the defendants are sued to represent all, or all except one or more, of those persons in the proceedings; and where, in exercise of the power conferred by this paragraph, the Court appoints a person not named as a defendant, it shall make an order under Rule 6 adding that person as a defendant.

(3) A judgment or order given in proceedings under this Rule shall be binding on all the persons as representing whom the plaintiffs sue or, as the case may be, the defendants are sued, but shall not be enforced against any person not a party to the proceedings except with the leave of the Court.

(4) An application for the grant of leave under paragraph (3) must be made by summons which must be served personally on the person against whom it is sought to enforce the judgment or order.

(5) Notwithstanding that a judgment or order to which any such application relates is binding on the person against whom the application is made, that person may dispute liability to have the judgment or order enforced against him on the ground that by reason of facts and matters particular to his case he is entitled to be exempted from such liability.

(6) The Court hearing an application for the grant of leave under paragraph (3) may order the question whether the judgment or order is enforceable against the person against whom the application is made to be tried and determined in any manner in which any issue or question in an action may be tried and determined.

Representation of interested persons who cannot be ascertained, etc. (O. 15, r. 13)
13. —(1) In any proceedings concerning —

(a) the administration of the estate of a deceased person;

(b) property subject to a trust; or

(c) the construction of a written instrument, including a statute,

the Court, if satisfied that it is expedient to do so, and that one or more of the conditions specified in paragraph (2) are satisfied, may appoint one or more persons to represent any person (including an unborn person) or class who is or may be interested (whether presently or for any future, contingent or unascertained interest) in or affected by the proceedings.

(2) The conditions for the exercise of the power conferred by paragraph (1) are as follows:

(a) that the person, the class or some member of the class, cannot be ascertained or cannot readily be ascertained;

(b) that the person, the class or some member of the class, though ascertained, cannot be found;

(c) that, though the person or the class and the members thereof can be ascertained and found, it appears to the Court expedient (regard being had to all the circumstances, including the amount at stake and the degree of difficulty of the point to be determined) to exercise the power for the purpose of saving expense.

(3) Where in any proceedings to which paragraph (1) applies, the Court exercises the power conferred by that paragraph, a judgment or order of the Court given or made when the person or persons appointed in exercise of that power are before the Court shall be binding on the person or the class represented by the person or persons so appointed.

(4) Where, in any such proceedings, a compromise is proposed and some of the persons who are interested in, or who may be affected by, the compromise are not parties to the proceedings (including unborn or unascertained persons) but —

(a) there is some other person in the same interest before the Court who assents to the compromise or on whose behalf the Court sanctions the compromise; or

(b) the absent persons are represented by a person appointed under paragraph (1) who so assents,

the Court, if satisfied that the compromise will be for the benefit of the absent persons and that it is expedient to exercise this power, may approve the compromise and order that it shall be binding on the absent persons, and they shall be bound accordingly except where the order has been obtained by fraud or non-disclosure of material facts.

Notice of action to non-parties (O. 15, r. 13A)
13A. —(1) At any stage in an action to which this Rule applies, the Court may, on the application of any party or of its own motion, direct that notice of the action be served on any person who is not a party thereto but who will or may be affected by any judgment given therein.

(2) An application under this Rule may be made by ex parte summons supported by an affidavit stating the grounds of the application.

(3) Every notice of an action under this Rule shall be in Form 15, and the copy to be served shall be a sealed copy accompanied by a copy of the originating summons or writ and of all other pleadings served in the action.

(4) A person may, within 8 days of service on him of a notice under this Rule, enter an appearance and shall thereupon become a party to the action, but in default of such appearance and subject to paragraph (5) he shall be bound by any judgment given in the action as if he were a party thereto.

(5) If at any time after service of such notice on any person the writ or originating summons is amended so as substantially to alter the relief claimed, the Court may direct that the judgment shall not bind such person unless a summons is issued and served upon him under this Rule.

(6) This Rule applies to any action relating to —

(a) the estate of a deceased person; or

(b) property subject to a trust.

(7) Order 6, Rule 3 (2), shall apply in relation to a notice of an action under this Rule as if the notice were a writ and the person by whom the notice is issued were the plaintiff.

Representation of beneficiaries by trustees, etc. (O. 15, r. 14)
14. —(1) Any proceedings, including proceedings to enforce a security by foreclosure or otherwise, may be brought by or against trustees, executors or administrators in their capacity as such without joining any of the persons having a beneficial interest in the trust or estate, as the case may be; and any judgment or order given or made in those proceedings shall be binding on those persons unless the Court in the same or other proceedings otherwise orders on the ground that the trustees, executors or administrators, as the case may be, could not or did not in fact represent the interests of those persons in the first-mentioned proceedings.

(2) Paragraph (1) is without prejudice to the power of the Court to order any person having such an interest to be made a party to the proceedings or to make an order under Rule 13.

Representation of deceased person interested in proceedings (O. 15, r. 15)
15. —(1) Where in any proceedings it appears to the Court that a deceased person was interested in the matter in question in the proceedings and that he has no personal representative, the Court may, on the application of any party to the proceedings, proceed in the absence of a person representing the estate of the deceased person or may by order appoint a person to represent that estate for the purposes of the proceedings; and any such order, and any judgment or order subsequently given or made in the proceedings, shall bind the estate of the deceased person to the same extent as it would have been bound had a personal representative of that person been a party to the proceedings.

(2) Before making an order under this Rule, the Court may require notice of the application for the order to be given to such (if any) of the persons having an interest in the estate as it thinks fit.

Declaratory judgment (O. 15, r. 16)
16. No action or other proceeding shall be open to objection on the ground that a merely declaratory judgment or order is sought thereby, and the Court may make binding declarations of right whether or not any consequential relief is or could be claimed.

Conduct of proceedings (O. 15, r. 17)
17. The Court may give the conduct of any action, inquiry or other proceeding to such person as it thinks fit.