Opinion ID: 1743547
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Right to Intervene Pursuant to SDCL 15-6-24(a)

Text: [¶ 3.] The trial court held that because Degens do not have an independent legal right to adopt D.M., they do not have standing to intervene in the adoption proceeding. On appeal, Degens assert that they have a legally protected interest in D.M. making them real parties in interest. They assert that intervention is necessary to enable the trial court to determine the best adoptive placement for D.M. Since the issue involves a question of law, our review is de novo. Id. ¶ 4. [¶ 4.] Degens base their right to intervene on SDCL 15-6-24(a)(2), which provides: Upon timely application anyone shall be permitted to intervene in an action: . . . (2) When the applicant claims an interest relating to the property or transaction which is the subject of the action and he is so situated that the disposition of the action may as a practical matter impair or impede his ability to protect that interest, unless the applicant's interest is adequately represented by existing parties. This is a court rule the purpose of which is to obviate delay and multiplicity of suits by creating an opportunity to persons directly interested in the subject matter to join in an action or proceeding already instituted. Mergen v. N. States Power Co., 2001 SD 14, ¶ 5, 621 N.W.2d 620, 622. We have emphasized that intervention is strictly procedural and that intervention standards are flexible, allowing for some tailoring of decisions to the facts of each case. Southard v. Hansen, 342 N.W.2d 231, 233-34 (S.D.1984) (citing Kozak v. Wells, 278 F.2d 104 (8thCir.1960)). [¶ 5.] South Dakota's court rule SDCL 15-6-24(a)(2) is almost identical to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 24(a)(2). [2] The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals construes Rule 24 liberally in favor of the intervenor. United States v. Union Elec. Co., 64 F.3d 1152, 1158 (8thCir.1995). Citing to numerous Eighth Circuit cases, the federal court explained: In our review, Rule 24 is construed liberally, and we resolve all doubts in favor of the proposed intervenors. Kansas Pub. Employees Retirement Sys. [v. Reimer Koger Assocs., Inc.], 60 F.3d [1304,] 1307 [(8th Cir.1995)]; Sierra Club v. Robertson, 960 F.2d 83, 86 (8th Cir.1992) (doubts resolved in favor of proposed intervenor); Arkansas Elec. Energy Consumers v. Middle S. Energy, Inc., 772 F.2d 401, 404 (8th Cir.1985) (Rule 24 is to be liberally construed); Corby Recreation, Inc. v. General Electric Co., 581 F.2d 175, 177 (8th Cir.1978) (doubts should be resolved in favor of proposed intervenor); Kozak v. Wells, 278 F.2d 104, 111-12 (8th Cir.1960) (Rule 24 is to be liberally construed). Id. The Eighth Circuit requires the applicant to satisfy a tripartite test in order to intervene. Id. at 1160. The tripartite test is as follows: 1) the party must have a recognized interest in the subject matter of the litigation; 2) that interest must be one that might be impaired by the disposition of the litigation; and 3) the interest must not be adequately protected by the existing parties. Id. 1160-61 (citation omitted). We adopt this tripartite test and apply it to the instant case.