Nominal Party Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Nominal Party, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Nominal Party?

It refers to the party to the lawsuit who is connected to the case, without any interest or prejudice, so that the court can resolve certain issues or have all the evidence proved with his/her help to give a proper judgement. This nominal party will not be affected by the result of the case and is not at fault or considered for any benefits out of it.

History and Meaning of Nominal Party

A nominal party is a person or party whose name is added to a lawsuit or legal action simply as a formality, without any real interest, claim, or liability in the outcome of the dispute. The purpose of adding a nominal party to a lawsuit is often to satisfy procedural requirements or to ensure that all affected parties are included in the case before a court or tribunal. A nominal party will not be affected by the outcome of the case and is not entitled to any benefits or liable for any damages related to the matter.

Examples of Nominal Party

  1. In a lawsuit between two businesses, the employee who witnessed the dispute might be added as a nominal party to provide testimony or to help the court understand the facts of the case, but is not directly involved in the conflict or seeking damages.
  2. A person who owns property affected by a dispute between two neighbors might be added as a nominal party to ensure that their interests are taken into account or to provide relevant information, but would not be considered liable for any damages or legal costs.
  3. In a class action lawsuit, many individuals may be added as nominal parties to represent the interests of the larger group, even if they do not have a significant personal stake in the outcome of the case.

Legal Terms Similar to Nominal Party

  1. Pro forma party - similar to a nominal party, this refers to a party added to a legal proceeding only for show or compliance.
  2. Permissive party - a party who is not required to be included in a lawsuit but may be added if necessary to fully resolve the issues at hand.
  3. Necessary party - a party who is required to be included in a lawsuit in order to ensure that the court can grant complete relief to all parties involved.