Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/boundvolumes/529bv.pdf
Page Number: 540.0

529US2

Unit: $U49

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Cite as: 529 U. S. 460 (2000)

465

Opinion of the Court

cluded, however, that Nelson had not been prejudiced by the
postjudgment joinder. The Federal Circuit based that con-
clusion on Nelson’s failure to show that “anything different
or additional would have been done” to stave off the judg-
ment had Nelson been a party, in his individual capacity,
Id., at 1351. The panel,
from the outset of the litigation.
over a vigorous dissent by Judge Newman, was apparently
satisﬁed that adding Nelson as a party and simultaneously
amending the judgment to obligate him individually met due
process requirements. See id., at 1345, 1349, n. 5.
We granted certiorari, 528 U. S. 1018 (1999).

In his re-
quest for this Court’s review, Nelson did not dispute the por-
tion of the District Court’s order that granted Adams leave
to amend its pleading to add Nelson as a party against whom
costs and fees were sought. Pet. for Cert. 11. What he
does challenge, and what is now before us, is the portion of
the District Court’s order that immediately adjudged Nelson
personally liable the moment he was made a party.

II
A

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are designed to fur-
ther the due process of law that the Constitution guarantees.
Cf. Fed. Rule Civ. Proc. 1 (Rules “shall be construed and
administered to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive
determination of every action.”). Rule 15 sets out the re-
quirements for amended and supplemental pleadings. On
that score, the Court of Appeals observed that as long as
no undue prejudice is shown, “due process requirements
are met if the requirements of Rule 15 are met.” 175 F. 3d,
at 1349, n. 5. But in the instant case, the requirements of
Rule 15 were not met. As Judge Newman recognized in her
dissent below, due process does not countenance such swift
passage from pleading to judgment in the pleader’s favor.
See id., at 1352.