Court Opinion

ID: 9765075
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 03:50:06.047044+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:04.680398
License: Public Domain

*580Justice PLEICONES:
I concur in part and dissent in part.
I agree with the majority’s finding that the circuit court properly rejected the Private Party Appellants’ theories in support of their standing to challenge the annexation. I also agree with the majority’s finding that the Town was required to obtain the State’s signature on the petition.I respectfully disagree, however, with the majority’s finding that the State’s motion to intervene was untimely.
In reviewing the granting or denial of a Rule 24, SCRCP, motion, the Supreme Court must determine whether the trial judge abused his or her discretion. Berkeley Electric Coop., Inc. v. Mt. Pleasant, 302 S.C. 186, 394 S.E.2d 712 (1990).
Pursuant to Rule 24, SCRCP, a party may intervene only upon timely application. Our courts have adopted a four-part test for determining timeliness: (1) the time that has passed since the applicant knew or should have known of his or her interest in the suit; (2) the reason for the delay; (3) the stage to which the litigation has progressed; (4) the prejudice .the original parties would suffer from granting intervention and the applicant would suffer from denial. Ex parte Reichlyn, 310 S.C. 495, 500, 427 S.E.2d 661, 664 (1993); see also Davis v. Jennings, 304 S.C. 502, 505, 405 S.E.2d 601, 603 (1991).
The circuit court found the State’s action could not relate back to the date of the Private Party Appellants’ filing because the Private Party Appellants lacked standing. Specifically, the circuit court found it “had no jurisdiction to begin with,” and that the State could not create jurisdiction after the statute of limitations had run. I would find the circuit court erred in making this finding because a party’s lack of standing as a real party in interest does not deprive the court of subject matter jurisdiction. See Bardoon Props., NV v. Eidolon, 326 S.C. 166, 485 S.E.2d 371 (1997).
Further, the circuit court failed to exercise its discretion by not applying the four-part test to determine whether the motion was timely. See Callen v. Callen, 365 S.C. 618, 627, 620 S.E.2d 59, 64 (2005) (“When the trial judge is vested with discretion, but his ruling reveals no discretion was, in fact, exercised, an error of law has occurred.”) (quoting Fontaine v. Peitz, 291 S.C. 536, 538, 354 S.E.2d 565, 566 (1987)). I would *581thus remand the case to the circuit court with instructions to apply the four-part test.