Task: songer_initiate

What follows is an opinion from a United States Court of Appeals. Your task is to identify what party initiated the appeal. For cases with cross appeals or multiple docket numbers, if the opinion does not explicitly indicate which appeal was filed first, assumes that the first litigant listed as the "appellant" or "petitioner" was the first to file the appeal. In federal habeas corpus petitions, consider the prisoner to be the plaintiff.

PER CURIAM.
Appellants Norman Dodd and Aaron M. Sargent, two of three trustees named in a joint venture agreement with Ap-pellee Pioche Mines Consolidated, Inc., have appealed to this Court from an Order of the trial court denying their motion to be substituted as counter-claimants in this litigation.
In reaching our decision here we are assuming, without deciding, that the order denying the motion for substitution is appealable.
The substitution or joinder of Appellants as counterclaimants rested in the discretion of the district court and was not mandatory. Rule 25(c), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 28 U.S.C.A.; Virginia Land Co. v. Miami Shipbuilding Corp., 201 F.2d 506 (5th Cir.1953); Sun-Maid Raisin Growers of California v. California Packing Corporation, 273 F.2d 282 (9th Cir.1959).
On an examination of the record we are satisfied that the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion of Appellants.
Affirmed.

Question: What party initiated the appeal?
A. Original plaintiff
B. Original defendant
C. Federal agency representing plaintiff
D. Federal agency representing defendant
E. Intervenor
F. Not applicable
G. Not ascertained
Answer:

Answer: A