Which claim is brought by one defendant against another defendant or by one plaintiff against another plaintiff?

Which claim is brought by one defendant against another defendant or by one plaintiff against another plaintiff?

• A. Caption
• B. Cross-claim
• C. Counterclaim
• D. Third-party claim

Answer: (B)

A cross-claim is a claim brought by one party against a co-party in the same lawsuit. It covers disputes between parties who are on the same side of the original case—such as one defendant suing another defendant or one plaintiff suing another plaintiff—rather than against the opposing side. This fits the described scenario exactly, since it involves intra-party disputes within the same suit. By contrast, a counterclaim goes against the opposing party (defendant against plaintiff) and a third-party claim brings in someone not originally named in the suit.

A cross-claim is a claim brought by one party against a co-party in the same lawsuit. It covers disputes between parties who are on the same side of the original case—such as one defendant suing another defendant or one plaintiff suing another plaintiff—rather than against the opposing side. This fits the described scenario exactly, since it involves intra-party disputes within the same suit. By contrast, a counterclaim goes against the opposing party (defendant against plaintiff) and a third-party claim brings in someone not originally named in the suit.