Court Intervention

Court intervention is a legal process that allows a person or entity who is not an original party to a lawsuit to join the case because they have a direct and substantial interest in the outcome. This person, called an intervenor, seeks to participate in the case to protect their own rights or interests that may be affected by the court's decision.

There are two main types of court intervention:

• Intervention of right: The court must allow the third party to intervene if a statute grants them an unconditional right, or if their interest may be impaired by the case’s outcome and is not adequately represented by existing parties.

• Permissive intervention: The court may allow intervention if the third party’s claim shares common legal or factual questions with the case and if their participation will not unduly delay or prejudice the original parties.

To intervene, the interested party typically files a timely motion or request explaining their grounds for intervention and the claims or defenses they intend to assert. If granted, the intervenor becomes a party to the lawsuit and can participate fully in the proceedings.

In summary, court intervention is a mechanism to ensure that all parties with a significant stake in a legal dispute have the opportunity to be heard and protect their interests within the judicial process.