join vt
1: to unite so as to form one unit
join the claims in one action
2 a: to align oneself with esp. in a legal matter
she join ed her husband as plaintiff
b: to cause or order (a person) to become a party to a lawsuit
if the person has not been so join ed, the court shall order that the person be made a party — Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 19(a) compare consolidate, implead, interplead, intervene
c: to enter into or participate in
join the suit
vi
1: to come together so as to form a unit
the other victims of the scheme join ed in the suit
2: to commence involvement or participation
if the person should join as a plaintiff but refuses to do so, the person may be made a defendant, or...an involuntary plaintiff — Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 19(a)
join·able adj
join issue or join the issue
1: to accept, fix on, or clearly define an issue as the subject of a legal dispute
refused to join issue by filing an answer with the court
2: to take an opposed position on some question
join issue with the conclusion
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.