Contribution claim

A contribution claim is a claim made by one or more people in a court case to get money from a person not involved in the case.

In most cases, contribution claims are made like the original claim itself. The claim must be personally given to the new, third party defendant, by the third party plaintiff (the defendant bringing the claim for contribution relief). In contrast, a counter-claim asserts that the party (usually a defendant) is entitled to offset the damages awarded to plaintiff by the proportionate share of any responsibility, liability, or fault assigned to the plaintiff by the jury. Finally, a cross-claim is the same as a counter-claim or contribution claim, except that it is asserted by a defendant against other defendants. Counter-claims and cross claims do not require personal service because no new parties are being added to the claim.

In some state court systems, a contribution claim must be made as a new case, and the person making it must pay a fee. In other states, no extra fee is required.