Short answer. Yes, with leave of court. A person with a legal interest in the matter in litigation, or so situated as to be adversely affected by a disposition of property in the court's custody, may be allowed to intervene. The motion may be filed at any time before rendition of judgment by the trial court.

What the law says

is so situated as to be adversely affected by a distribution or other disposition of property in the custody of the court or of an officer thereof may, with leave of court, be allowed to intervene in the action

Rule 19, Section 1 — Who may intervene. Read the full provision →

What the law says

The motion to intervene may be filed at any time before rendition of judgment by the trial court.

Rule 19, Section 2 — Time to intervene. Read the full provision →

Who qualifies to intervene

The rule opens the door to a person who has a legal interest in the matter in litigation, or in the success of either of the parties, or an interest against both, or who is so situated as to be adversely affected by a distribution or other disposition of property in the custody of the court or of an officer thereof. The property owner watching two strangers litigate over land he claims, the creditor watching assets he has a right against being carved up between others — these are the rule's natural constituents. The interest must be a legal one in the outcome, not mere curiosity or sympathy.

Leave of court is required — and discretionary

Intervention happens with leave of court: you file a motion, and the court decides whether to let you in. The rule names the two considerations that guide that decision — whether or not the intervention will unduly delay or prejudice the adjudication of the rights of the original parties, and whether or not the intervenor's rights may be fully protected in a separate proceeding. Your motion should speak to both: show that your participation will not derail the case, and explain why a separate suit of your own would leave you exposed — for instance, because the property could be disposed of before that suit concludes.

The deadline: before judgment is rendered

The time limit is stated plainly: the motion to intervene may be filed at any time before rendition of judgment by the trial court. Two consequences follow. First, you have room — intervention is possible even late in trial, so discovering the case after it has progressed is not fatal by itself. Second, the door closes hard: once the trial court renders judgment, intervention in that case is no longer the remedy, and you would be relegated to whatever separate action remains. The motion must also come with your pleading-in-intervention attached and served on the original parties, so prepare both together.

Move the moment you learn of the case

Although the rule tolerates a late motion, every month you wait strengthens the argument that your intervention will unduly delay a case the original parties have nearly finished — the very ground on which leave is denied. So act on first knowledge: identify the case number and its stage, gather the documents proving your interest in the property, and have counsel prepare the motion and the pleading-in-intervention as one package. If the court's judgment could dispose of the property before you are heard, that urgency belongs in the motion itself.

Related provisions

Note. Statute text quoted on this page is reproduced from the official enactment and is linked to the full provision. The explanation around it is general legal information from Vivas & Nobles Law Office, not legal advice. Whether it applies to your situation depends on facts only a lawyer reviewing them can assess.