Joint and Several Liability
noun
When two or more parties are liable for the full amount of damages suffered by an injured party; regardless of each parties degree of fault.
The law of joint and several liability favors the injured party, by allowing them to pursue full payment from any of the liable parties individually or all of the liable parties. If one “jointly and severally liable defendant/obligor” pays, they can pursue the other defendant(s)/obligor(s) for contribution to their share of the liability. The applicability of this doctrine varies from state-to-state.