MS HB1114

Defendants in civil lawsuits must identify any joint tortfeasors (other parties who share fault) in their answer to the complaint, or waive the right to allocate fault to those parties later

Defendants seeking to allocate fault to another party bear the same burden of proof as plaintiffs who seek to allocate fault

Any party wanting to allocate fault to a non-party must bring that person or entity into the lawsuit as a party, and courts must allow such additions

The bill amends Mississippi Code Section 85-5-7, which governs several (not joint and several) liability in civil actions based on fault

Effective date: July 1, 2026