(a) Intervention of Right. Upon timely application anyone shall be permitted to intervene in an action when the applicant claims an interest relating to the property or transaction which is the subject of the action and the applicant is so situated that the disposition of the action may as a practical matter impair or impede the applicant’s ability to protect that interest, unless the applicant’s interest is adequately represented by existing parties.
Rule 24.Intervention.
Last amended July 1, 2009 · Last verified July 6, 2026
In one sentenceRule 24 lets someone with a stake in a pending lawsuit join it as of right when the case could impair their ability to protect that interest and no existing party adequately represents it, or join with the court's permission when their claim shares a common question with the case, and it requires notice to the Alaska Attorney General whenever a state statute's constitutionality is challenged.
Full Text of Rule 24
(b) Permissive Intervention. Upon timely application anyone may be permitted to intervene in an action when an applicant’s claim or defense and the main action have a question of law or fact in common. When a party to an action relies for ground of claim or defense upon any statute or executive order administered by a federal or state governmental officer or agency or upon any regulation, order, requirement, or agreement issued or made pursuant to the statute or executive order, the officer or agency upon timely application may be permitted to intervene in the action. In exercising its discretion the court shall consider whether the intervention will unduly delay or prejudice the adjudication of the rights of the original parties.
(c) Procedure. A person desiring to intervene shall serve a motion to intervene upon the parties as provided in Rule 5. The motion shall state the ground therefor and shall be accompanied by a pleading setting forth the claim or defense for which intervention is sought. When the constitutionality of a state statute affecting the public interest is drawn in question in any action to which the state or an officer, agency, or employee thereof is not a party, the court shall notify the Attorney General of Alaska of such fact, and the state shall be permitted to intervene in the action.
Amendment History
(Adopted by SCO 5 October 9, 1959; amended by SCO 258 effective November 15, 1976; corrected January, 1993; amended by SCO 1153 effective July 15, 1994; by SCO 1342 effective September 15 1998; by SCO 1713 effective May 16, 2009; and by SCO 1716 effective July 1, 2009)
Notes
Note: AS 10.06.628, as enacted by ch. 166, § 1, SLA 1988, amended Civil Rule 24 by allowing a shareholder or creditor of a corporation to intervene in an action for involuntary dissolution of the corporation under AS 10.06.628.
Note: Chapter 105 SLA 1998 adopts AS 13.36.175 pertaining to contract actions against a trustee. According to section 23 of the act, subsection (c) of this statute amends Civil Rule 24 by allowing a beneficiary, or the attorney general and certain corporations under certain circumstances, to intervene in a contract action against a trustee without satisfying the criteria in the court rule. The act also adopts AS 13.36.185 pertaining to the tort liability of a trust. According to section 23 of the act, subsection (d) of this statute also amends Civil Rule 24 by allowing a beneficiary to intervene in a tort action against a trust without satisfying the criteria in the court rule.
Note: Ch. 61 SLA 2002 (HB 52), Section 2, repeals and reenacts AS 33.36.110 to authorize the governor to execute the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision. According to Section 7 of the Act, Article VIII(a)(2) of the Compact, contained in the new AS 33.36.110, would have the effect of amending Civil Rule 24 by entitling the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision to have standing to intervene in a judicial proceeding in this state that pertains to the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision and that may affect the powers, responsibilities, or actions of that commission.
Note (effective nunc pro tunc to May 16, 2009): Chapter 10 SLA 2009 (HB 137), effective May 16, 2009, enacted changes relating to an Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. According to section 2 of the Act, AS 14.34.010-.090 have the effect of changing Civil Rule 24(b) by entitling the Interstate Commission on Educational Opportuni- ty for Military Children to have standing to intervene in a judicial proceeding in this state that pertains to the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, and in which the validity of a compact provision or rule is at issue for which judicial determination has been sought.
Note (effective nunc pro tunc to July 1, 2009): Chapter 37 SLA 2009 (HB 141), effective July 1, 2009, enacted changes relating to the Interstate Compact for Juveniles. According to section 11 of the Act, the changes made to AS 47.15.010 have the effect of changing Civil Rule 24(b) by entitling the Interstate Commission for Juveniles to have standing to intervene in a judicial proceeding in this state that pertains to the Interstate Compact for Juveniles, and in which the validity of a compact provision or rule is an issue for which judicial determination is sought.
Plain-English Summary
Anyone who timely applies must be allowed to intervene as of right when they claim an interest in the property or transaction at the heart of the case and the case's outcome could, as a practical matter, impair their ability to protect that interest — unless an existing party already represents it adequately. Permissive intervention is available on timely application whenever an applicant's claim or defense shares a common question of law or fact with the case, and a government officer or agency may be permitted to intervene whenever a party relies on a statute, executive order, or related regulation that officer or agency administers; the court weighs whether letting someone in will unduly delay or prejudice the existing parties.
Anyone seeking to intervene must serve a motion on the parties along with a pleading setting out the claim or defense behind the request. When a case challenges the constitutionality of a state statute affecting the public interest, and the state itself isn't already a party, the court must notify the Alaska Attorney General, and the state must be allowed to intervene.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can someone intervene in an Alaska lawsuit as of right?
When they timely apply, claim an interest in the property or transaction at issue, and the case’s outcome could impair their ability to protect that interest — unless an existing party already adequately represents it.
What is "permissive" intervention?
Intervention the court may allow, rather than must allow, when an applicant’s claim or defense shares a common question of law or fact with the pending case, weighing whether it will unduly delay or prejudice the parties already in the case.
Why does the Attorney General get notified about some lawsuits?
Because Rule 24(c) requires notice to the Alaska Attorney General whenever a case draws a state statute’s constitutionality into question and the state isn’t already a party, so the state can intervene to defend it.
Source & verification. The rule text, Amendment History, and Notes are reproduced verbatim from the
official Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure (Alaska R. Civ. P. 24). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Alaska (Alaska Const. art. IV, § 15). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 6, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: intervention Alaska civil rulejoining a lawsuit as intervenorintervention of right vs permissiveAlaska R. Civ. P. 24