Opinion ID: 2070736
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Dismissal of Intervening Plaintiffs

Text: The final issue is whether the trial court erred in vacating its decision to allow United States Congressman Henry J. Hyde and State Senator James Pate Philip to intervene as plaintiffs in this litigation. We hold that it did not. Intervention in civil proceedings is governed by section 2-408 of the Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2-408 (West 2000)), which provides in relevant part: (a) Upon timely application anyone shall be permitted as of right to intervene in an action: (1) when a statute confers an unconditional right to intervene; or (2) when the representation of the applicant's interest by existing parties is or may be inadequate and the applicant will or may be bound by an order or judgment in the action; or (3) when the applicant is so situated as to be adversely affected by a distribution or other disposition of property in the custody or subject to the control or disposition of the court or a court officer. (b) Upon timely application anyone may in the discretion of the court be permitted to intervene in an action: (1) when a statute confers a conditional right to intervene; or (2) when an applicant's claim or defense and the main action have a question of law or fact in common. 735 ILCS 5/2-408(a), (b) (West 2000). The purpose of this section is to liberalize the practice of intervention so as to avoid, upon timely application, the relitigation of issues in a second suit which were being litigated in a pending action. Caterpillar Tractor Co. v. Lenckos, 84 Ill.2d 102, 111-12, 49 Ill.Dec. 329, 417 N.E.2d 1343 (1981). Although a party need not have a direct interest in the pending suit, it must have an interest greater than that of the general public, so that the party may stand to gain or lose by the direct legal operation and effect of a judgment in the suit. Caterpillar Tractor Co., 84 Ill.2d at 112, 49 Ill.Dec. 329, 417 N.E.2d 1343. The decision to allow or deny intervention, whether permissively or as of right, is a matter of sound judicial discretion that will not be reversed absent an abuse of that discretion. In re Application of the County Collector of Du Page County for Judgment for Delinquent Taxes for the Year 1992, 181 Ill.2d 237, 247, 229 Ill.Dec. 491, 692 N.E.2d 264 (1998). Here, we find no basis for reversing the trial court's decision denying Congressman Hyde and Senator Philip's request to intervene. First, Congressman Hyde and Senator Philip have failed to identify any statute that either conditionally or unconditionally confers upon them a right to intervene in this litigation. Although they point to section 33 of the Act, that section applies only to State, county, and municipal officer[s] charged with the enforcement of State and municipal laws. (Emphasis added.) 620 ILCS 5/33 (West 2000). As members of the legislative branch, Congressman Hyde and Senator Philip are not charged with the enforcement of state or municipal laws. Consequently, section 33 does not apply to them. Second, Congressman Hyde and Senator Philip argue that they should have been allowed to intervene because they are both residents of the communities adjacent to O'Hare, are personally affected by noise and air pollution from O'Hare, and have personal interests in the welfare of the constituencies they represent. While we have no reason to doubt any of these assertions, Congressman Hyde and Senator Philip overlook the fact that State's Attorney Birkett filed this action on behalf of the citizens of Du Page County, including Congressman Hyde, Senator Philip, and all of their respective constituents. More importantly, Congressman Hyde and Senator Philip do not anywhere suggest that State's Attorney Birkett's representation of their interests may prove inadequate or that their interests do not coincide with those of Birkett or any of the other named, plaintiffs. In light of the forgoing, we conclude that the trial court's denial of Congressman Hyde and Senator Philip's request to intervene was not an abuse discretion.