Rhode Island Motion to Intervene — Personal Injury: A Detailed Description In the realm of personal injury law, a motion to intervene is a legal procedure through which an individual or entity seeks to join ongoing litigation as an additional party due to a claim or interest they possess that could be directly affected by the outcome of the case. In Rhode Island, motions to intervene in personal injury cases are a recognized legal process designed to protect the rights of those who might be impacted by such lawsuits. There are primarily two types of Rhode Island Motion to Intervene — Personal Injury: intervention as of right and permissive intervention. 1. Intervention as of Right: — As the name suggests, intervention as of right allows parties to intervene as a matter of absolute right when they have a significant interest relating to the personal injury case at hand. Such interests can include claims that may be impaired or defenses that may be affected. — The Rhode Island Court uses a two-step analysis to determine intervention as of right: (a) the individual must show an interest related to the property or transaction involved in the case, and (b) the individual's interest must be at risk of impairment or inadequately represented by existing parties. If both criteria are met, the court generally permits intervention as of right. 2. Permissive Intervention: — Permissive intervention, on the other hand, occurs when an individual or entity has a claim or defense that shares a common question of law or fact with the ongoing personal injury litigation and seeks to intervene at the discretion of the court. — Unlike intervention as of right, the applicant's interest need not be direct or immediate but must possess a commonality that would enhance the efficiency of the legal proceedings or prevent potential prejudice to their rights. — The court exercises its discretion by weighing various factors, such as the timeliness of the intervention and the impact on existing parties' rights, before deciding whether to allow permissive intervention. In both types of Rhode Island Motion to Intervene — Personal Injury, the party seeking to intervene is required to file a motion with the court providing a detailed explanation of their interest, reasons for intervention, and the potential impact of the ongoing litigation on their rights. Additionally, they must demonstrate that intervention will not cause undue delay or prejudice to the existing parties involved. Overall, Rhode Island Motion to Intervene — Personal Injury provides an opportunity for individuals or entities with a substantial legal interest in an ongoing personal injury case to actively participate in the proceedings, protect their rights, and contribute to a fair and just resolution.