Opinion ID: 1955622
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: joining of several causes of action

Text: Before we reach the merits of the case before us, we must address a threshold challenge raised by the appellees. The appellees contend here, as they did at the trial court level, that the appellants improperly joined the parties and the several causes of action raised herein. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 25-701 (Reissue 1989) provides that a plaintiff may unite several causes of action in the same petition if, so far as is relevant to the present case, the causes involve the same transaction or transactions connected with the same subject of action. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 25-702 (Reissue 1989) limits the foregoing by providing that, but for an exception not material to the inquiry now before us, the causes of action so united must affect all the parties to the action. Therefore, causes of action involving different defendants cannot be joined unless each cause affects all the defendants and they have a joint or common liability or interest. S.I.D. No. 272 v. Marquardt, 233 Neb. 39, 443 N.W.2d 877 (1989). Applying these principles, we find, as did the trial court, that each of the defendants is affected by the several causes of this action and has a joint or common liability or interest therein. The appellees' contentions otherwise are without merit. We turn, therefore, to the issue of the trial court's granting of the appellees' motion for summary judgment.