Legal Definitions - joint liability

Definition: Joint liability refers to the legal responsibility of several defendants who are each accountable for the entire damage caused by their collective breach of duty. If one defendant pays all of the plaintiff's damages, they may seek contribution from the other defendants.

Joint liability differs from joint and several liability in that, in joint liability, the responsibility is divided equally among the defendants. In joint and several liability, the responsibility shifts depending on the degree of each defendant's responsibility as determined by a judge or jury.

Imagine that three construction companies are hired to build a bridge. Each company is responsible for a different section of the bridge. If the bridge collapses due to a design flaw, all three companies may be held jointly liable for the damages caused by the collapse. If one company pays the full amount of damages, they may seek contribution from the other two companies.

In another example, imagine that three friends rent a house together. If one of the friends accidentally starts a fire that damages the house, all three friends may be held jointly liable for the cost of repairs. If one friend pays for the repairs, they may seek contribution from the other two friends.

These examples illustrate how joint liability works in practice. Each defendant is responsible for the entire amount of damages caused by their collective breach of duty, and if one defendant pays the full amount, they may seek contribution from the others.