§ 502.68 - Motion for leave to intervene.

§ 502.68 Motion for leave to intervene.

(a) Filing. A motion for leave to intervene may be filed in any proceeding.

(b) Procedure for intervention.

(1) Upon request, the Commission will furnish a service list to any member of the public pursuant to part 503 of this chapter.

(2) The motion must:

(i) Comply with all applicable provisions of subpart A of this part;

(ii) Indicate the type of intervention sought;

(iii) Describe the interest and position of the person seeking intervention, and address the grounds for intervention set forth in paragraph (c) of this section;

(iv) Describe the nature and extent of its proposed participation, including the use of discovery, presentation of evidence, and examination of witnesses;

(v) State the basis for affirmative relief, if affirmative relief is sought; and

(vi) Be served on existing parties by the person seeking intervention pursuant to subpart H of this part.

(3) A response to a motion to intervene must be served and filed within 15 days after the date of service of the motion.

(c)

(1) Intervention of right. The presiding officer or Commission must permit anyone to intervene who claims an interest relating to the property or transaction that is subject of the proceeding, and is so situated that disposition of the proceeding may as a practical matter impair or impede the ability of such person to protect its interest, unless existing parties adequately represent that interest.

(2) Permissive intervention.

(i) In general. The presiding officer or Commission may permit anyone to intervene who shows that a common issue of law or fact exists between such person's interest and the subject matter of the proceeding; that intervention would not unduly delay or broaden the scope of the proceeding, prejudice the adjudication of the rights, or be duplicative of the positions of any existing party; and that such person's participation may reasonably be expected to assist in the development of a sound record.

(ii) By a government department, agency, or the Commission's Bureau of Enforcement. The presiding officer or Commission may permit intervention by a Federal or State government department or agency or the Commission's Bureau of Enforcement upon a showing that its expertise is relevant to one or more issues involved in the proceeding and may assist in the consideration of those issues.

(3) The timeliness of the motion will also be considered in determining whether a motion will be granted under paragraph (b)(2) of this section and should be filed no later than 30 days after publication in the Federal Register of the Commission's order instituting the proceeding or the notice of the filing of the complaint. Motions filed after that date must show good cause for the failure to file within the 30-day period.

(d) Use of discovery by an intervenor.

(1) Absent good cause shown, an intervenor desiring to utilize the discovery procedures provided in subpart L must commence doing so no more than 15 days after its motion for leave to intervene has been granted.

(2) The Commission or presiding officer may impose reasonable limitations on an intervenor's participation in order to:

(i) Restrict irrelevant or duplicative discovery, evidence, or argument;

(ii) Have common interests represented by a spokesperson; and

(iii) Retain authority to determine priorities and control the course of the proceeding.

(3) The use of discovery procedures by an intervenor whose motion was filed more than 30 days after publication in the Federal Register of the Commission's order instituting the proceeding or the notice of the filing of the complaint will not be allowed if the presiding officer determines that the use of the discovery by the intervenor will unduly delay the proceeding. [Rule 68.]