An indispensable party is a party in a proceeding that must be included in a lawsuit in order for the court to render and execute a final judgment. In other words, an indispensable party is a party whose rights are likely to be impacted by the final judgment and non-presence of the party may lead to dismissal of the suit. For example, if a person sues his neighbors to force them to prune a tree that poses a danger to his house, the lawsuit must name all owners of the relevant property.
[Last updated in February of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]