Opinion ID: 889473
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Issue One: Did the District Court abuse its discretion in allowing Aspen Trails to intervene after trial?

Text: ¶ 33 In their cross-appeal, Landowners contend the District Court abused its discretion in allowing Aspen Trails to intervene after final judgment was entered. Landowners note that M.R. Civ. P. 24(a) requires that a motion to intervene be timely. See Connell, ¶ 20. Landowners argue Aspen Trails' motion to intervene failed to meet this standard. Landowners contend that Aspen Trails was aware of this litigation since early on in the proceedings, and did not seek to intervene until June 2009, roughly two months after final judgment was entered. Landowners argue that post-judgment intervention should be allowed only in exceptional cases, and urges this Court to rely upon federal caselaw in assessing whether Aspen Trails' motion was timely. In this connection, Landowners contend that Aspen Trails both knew about the pending litigation and was invited to intervene by the Landowners, but refused to do so and claimed the dispute was only between the Landowners and the Commission. Landowners further claim that Aspen Trails specifically knew the substance of the EA would be a central issue as early as January 2008. Since Aspen Trails had knowledge of the underlying issues, and waited until post-trial proceedings to intervene, plaintiffs contend leave to intervene should have been denied. Citing Connell, Grenfell, and League of United Latin Am. Citizens v. Wilson, 131 F.3d 1297 (9th Cir.1997), they posit that such post-trial interventions are disfavored and routinely denied. Finally, Landowners argue the District Court failed to adequately consider the resulting prejudice to them if leave to intervene was granted. Specifically, Landowners note they have been required to expend more time and resources to defend the judgment on appeal. ¶ 34 Aspen Trails asserts the District Court did not abuse its discretion in this instance. Aspen Trails notes that the determination of timeliness is a discretionary function of the District Court, and that the District Court acted within its discretion when it determined intervention was timely. Aspen Trails asserts its intervention did not create any delay because it was well within the time allowed for an appeal from the District Court. It also argues its delay in intervening was reasonable because it only decided to intervene after the Commission signaled that it would not pursue an appeal, and only did so in order to protect its interests. Aspen Trails also argues that Landowners are not prejudiced, because it is simply taking up an appeal which the Commission could have taken had it chosen to do so. Additionally, Aspen Trails asserts that it has a right to intervene since its interests in this matter are substantial and no longer adequately represented. ¶ 35 We conclude that the District Court did not abuse its discretion when it allowed Aspen Trails to intervene after judgment was entered. We agree with Aspen Trails that its intervention has not caused any delay in this matter, and that its interests are substantial and no longer adequately represented since the Commission has declined to appeal. We also agree that the Landowners cannot claim prejudice simply because they are now required to defend the District Court's decision on appeal. While it may be inconvenient for the Landowners to have to defend their successful judgment on appeal, we cannot say it has caused them prejudice to defend against Aspen Trails, as opposed to the Commission. The District Court has the discretion to weigh all of these factors when considering whether to grant or deny leave to intervene. Here, we cannot say that the decision to grant leave was arbitrary, without the employment of conscientious judgment, or exceeded the bounds of reason resulting in substantial injustice. Lee, ¶ 27. Thus, we affirm the District Court on this issue.