OPINION AND ORDER The Court is asked to allow a new party to intervene in the pending litigation. I. BACKGROUND The plaintiffs filed suit on March 25, 2014 challenging Puerto Ricos codification of opposite-gender marriage. On June 25, 2014, the plaintiffs filed an Amended Complaint. On August 27, 2014, the defendants moved to dismiss. A day later, Capellanes Internacionales Cristianos Len de Jud, Inc., a Christian chaplain organization, moved to intervene pursuant to Rule 24 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure on behalf of the eight members of its organization who reside in Puerto Rico. II. LEGAL STANDARD To intervene as of right under Rule 24(a)(2), a proposed intervenor must establish four elements: 1) timeliness; 2) a substantial legal interest in the subject matter of the case; 3) a realistic apprehension that the ability to protect the interest may be impaired in the absence of intervention; and 4) the lack of adequate representation of his position by any existing party. See In re Efron, 746 F.3d 30, 35 (1st Cir. 2014). Each of these requirements must be fulfilled; failure to satisfy any one element forecloses Case 3:14-cv-01253-PG Document 56 Filed 10/17/14 Page 1 of 4 Civil No. 14-1253 (PG) Page 2
intervention. R & G Mortg. Corp. v. Fed. Home Loan Mortg. Corp., 584 F.3d 1, 7 (1st Cir.2009)(citation omitted). Permissive intervention is possible when an applicants claim or defense and the main action have a question of law or fact in common. FED.R.CIV.P. 24(b). A district court enjoys very broad discretion in evaluating a motion for permissive intervention. Daggett v. Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, 172 F.3d 104, 113 (1st Cir. 1999). III. DISCUSSION Although Proposed Intervenors motion is timely, it cannot establish a sufficient interest in the pending litigation to justify either intervention as of right or permissive intervention. The First Circuit has defined interest as one that is direct and significantly protectable. Ungar v. Arafat, 634 F.3d 46, 51 (1st Cir. 2011)(quoting Donaldson v. United States, 400 U.S. 517, 531 (1971)). Proposed Intervenor contends that it has a significant protectable interest in the pending litigation arising from its fundamental constitutional rights. (Docket No. 32 at 10.) The Court disagrees. Proposed Intervenor maintains that, if the present litigation leads to the invalidation of Article 68, its members will be obligated to conduct marriages for same-sex couples. Its members will then be forced to choose whether to adhere to their religious beliefs and cease being marriage officiants, or whether to comply with Puerto Ricos marriage laws in violation of their religious beliefs. However, under Puerto Rico law, [a]ll regularly licensed or ordained priests or other ministers of the Gospel, [and] Jewish rabbis . . . may celebrate the marriage rites between all persons legally authorized to marry. P.R. LAWS ANN. tit. 31 243 (emphasis Case 3:14-cv-01253-PG Document 56 Filed 10/17/14 Page 2 of 4 Civil No. 14-1253 (PG) Page 3
added). Existing Puerto Rico law imposes no obligation upon the Proposed Intervenor to perform marriages generally. The present case, therefore, does not directly implicate the generalized interest in religious liberty articulated by the Proposed Intevenor. And, unfortunately for the Proposed Intervenor, [a]n undifferentiated, generalized interest in the outcome of the case at hand is not . . . sufficient to meet the standards of Rule 24(a)(2). Pub. Serv. Co. of New Hampshire v. Patch, 136 F.3d 197, 205 (1st Cir. 1998). While the Proposed Intervenor raises the very real possibility of future harm to religious liberty that harm is, as of now, merely theoretical. Proposed Intervenor cannot therefore establish that they have an interest that is particular to the litigation pending before the Court. And because they cannot make this showing, intervention as of right must be denied, and the Court need not address whether their interests face impairment or are being adequately represented by the defendants counsel. See Patch, 136 F.3d at 204 (stating that failure to run the table and fulfill all four elements requires denial of a motion to intervene). Similarly, with regard to permissive intervention, Proposed Intervenor fails to demonstrate a common question of law or fact necessary for the Court to permit its intervention in this case. This case addresses only whether Puerto Ricos marriage laws violate the plaintiffs equal protection and due process rights. It does not directly implicate Proposed Intervenors religious liberty; some other intervening action would be required for any ruling of this Court to change the permissive nature of Puerto Ricos laws regarding officiants of marriages. Thus, Proposed Intervenor cannot show a common question of law or fact that would warrant intervention. Case 3:14-cv-01253-PG Document 56 Filed 10/17/14 Page 3 of 4 Civil No. 14-1253 (PG) Page 4
IV. CONCLUSION For the foregoing reasons, we hereby DENY Proposed Intervenors motion. (Docket No. 32.) IT IS SO ORDERED. San Juan, Puerto Rico, this 17th day of October, 2014. S/ JUAN M. PREZ-GIMNEZ JUAN M. PREZ-GIMNEZ UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE Case 3:14-cv-01253-PG Document 56 Filed 10/17/14 Page 4 of 4