Young v. Presbyterian Homes, Inc

In Young v. Presbyterian Homes, Inc., 50 Pa. D. & C. 4th 190 (2001), the court explained its reasoning as follows: As a policy matter, the joint defense doctrine is highly desirable because it allows for greater efficiency in the handling of litigation. Frequently, co-defendants with essentially the same interests must retain separate counsel to avoid potential conflicts over contingent or subsidiary issues in the case. To avoid duplication of efforts, such defendants should be able to pool their resources on matters of common interest. This can be done most effectively if both counsel can attend and participate in interviews with each other's clients.. With multi-party cases becoming so frequent, and with litigation costs spiraling upwards-some would say out of control, the courts should not deny defendants the ability to pool their resources and coordinate their efforts on issues of common interest. Young, 50 Pa. D. &C. 4th at 198.