Permissive parties in federal court require that they share what with the main action?

• A. They are indispensable
• B. They must have complete diversity
• C. They require only a single common question
• D. They require subject matter jurisdiction

Answer: (D)

Permissive joinder hinges on sharing a substantive link between the party’s claim and the main action. In federal court, a party may be joined if their claims arise out of the same transaction or occurrence and involve at least one common question of law or fact with the main action. This keeps related disputes together for efficiency and consistency. Subject matter jurisdiction, while essential to the court’s power over the case, governs whether the court can hear the case at all and is not the test for whether a party can be joined. So the key idea is that joined parties must share a common question of law or fact with the main action, arising from the same transaction or occurrence.