2002 U.S. Code
Title 28 - JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE
TITLE 28 - APPENDIX
RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE FOR THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTS
Form 22-A - Summons and Complaint Against Third-Party Defendant

To the above-named Third-Party Defendant:

You are hereby summoned and required to serve upon ________, plaintiff's attorney whose address is ________, and upon ________, who is attorney for C. D., defendant and third-party plaintiff, and whose address is ________, an answer to the third-party complaint which is herewith served upon you within 20 days after the service of this summons upon you exclusive of the day of service. If you fail to do so, judgment by default will be taken against you for the relief demanded in the third-party complaint. There is also served upon you herewith a copy of the complaint of the plaintiff which you may but are not required to answer.

________________________,

Clerk of Court.

[Seal of District Court]

Dated ________________________

1. Plaintiff A. B. has filed against defendant C. D. a complaint, a copy of which is hereto attached as “Exhibit A.”

2. (Here state the grounds upon which C. D. is entitled to recover from E. F., all or part of what A. B. may recover from C. D. The statement should be framed as in an original complaint.)

Wherefore C. D. demands judgment against third-party defendant E. F. for all sums 1 that may be adjudged against defendant C. D. in favor of plaintiff A. B.

Signed: __________________________________,

Attorney for C. D., Third-Party Plaintiff.

Address: __________________________________

1 Make appropriate change where C. D. is entitled to only partial recovery-over against E. F.

(As added Jan. 21, 1963, eff. July 1, 1963.)

Under the amendment of Rule 14(a), a defendant who files a third-party complaint not later than 10 days after serving his original answer need not obtain leave of court to bring in the third-party defendant by service under Rule 4. Form 22–A is intended for use in these cases.

The changes in the form of summons reflect an earlier amendment of Rule 14(a), effective in 1948, making it permissive, rather than mandatory, for the third-party defendant to answer the plaintiff's complaint. See Cooper v. D/S A/S Progress, 188 F.Supp. 578 (E.D.Pa. 1960); 1A Barron & Holtzoff, Federal Practice and Procedure 696 (Wright ed. 1960).

Under the amendment of Rule 5(a) requiring, with certain exceptions, that papers be served upon all the parties to the action, the third-party defendant, even if he makes no answer to the plaintiff's complaint, is obliged to serve upon the plaintiff a copy of his answer to the third-party complaint. Similarly, the defendant is obliged to serve upon the plaintiff a copy of the summons and complaint against the third-party defendant.