Under joint and several liability, which statement is true?

Under joint and several liability, which statement is true?

• A. Plaintiff may collect the full judgment from any single defendant
• B. Each defendant is liable only for their proportional share
• C. A defendant who pays more cannot seek reimbursement
• D. Recovery requires all defendants to be sued

Answer: (A)

The main idea is joint and several liability: any one defendant who can pay can satisfy the full judgment for the plaintiff. Because each defendant is jointly and individually responsible for the whole amount, the plaintiff may collect the entire sum from a single defendant who has the means to pay. That paying defendant then has a right to recover the other defendants’ shares through contribution, based on each party’s fault. This protects the plaintiff, especially if some defendants are insolvent or out of reach. For example, if two defendants are at fault for $100,000 and one pays it all, that payer can pursue reimbursement from the other for their share. The other statements don’t fit because liability isn’t limited to each defendant’s proportional share, paying more doesn’t bar reimbursement from others, and you don’t need to sue every defendant to get recovery. You can recover from one defendant and then obtain the others’ shares through contribution.

The main idea is joint and several liability: any one defendant who can pay can satisfy the full judgment for the plaintiff. Because each defendant is jointly and individually responsible for the whole amount, the plaintiff may collect the entire sum from a single defendant who has the means to pay. That paying defendant then has a right to recover the other defendants’ shares through contribution, based on each party’s fault.

This protects the plaintiff, especially if some defendants are insolvent or out of reach. For example, if two defendants are at fault for $100,000 and one pays it all, that payer can pursue reimbursement from the other for their share.

The other statements don’t fit because liability isn’t limited to each defendant’s proportional share, paying more doesn’t bar reimbursement from others, and you don’t need to sue every defendant to get recovery. You can recover from one defendant and then obtain the others’ shares through contribution.