CHARLES B. GOODWIN, District Judge.
Before the Court is the Motion to Intervene, filed by Reed Romine ("Romine"). See Romine's Mot. (Doc. No. 166). Defendants have responded in opposition, see Doc. Nos. 176, 177, 178, and Romine has replied, see Doc. Nos. 180, 181.
In this putative class action, Lead Plaintiffs allege claims on behalf of themselves and those individuals and entities that had purchased or otherwise acquired common units of SandRidge Mississippian Trust I ("Trust I"). Romine purchased common units in Trust I and is a member of the putative class as defined in the Consolidated Amended Complaint. Romine moves, pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 23(d) and 24(b), to intervene as a named plaintiff and additional proposed class representative in this case.
Rule 24(b) governs permissive intervention and provides, in pertinent part, as follows:
Fed. R. Civ. P. 24(b)(1)(B), (b)(3); see also Trief v. Dun & Bradstreet Corp., 144 F.R.D. 193, 202 (S.D.N.Y. 1992) ("Intervention of class representatives to ensure adequate class representation is highly desir[]able."). Permissive intervention is a matter within the sound discretion of the district court. Arney v. Finney, 967 F.2d 418, 421 (10th Cir. 1992); see also Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(d) (prescribing that in a class action the court may "deal with . . . procedural matters").
Upon review of the parties' submissions, the Court finds Romine should be allowed to intervene as a named plaintiff and additional proposed class representative in this case. First, Romine's motion is timely. Although Romine has been aware of this action since its commencement, some three and a half years prior to the filing of his motion, Romine states that the filing of his motion was prompted by the death of Lead Plaintiff Lawrence Ross. The notice regarding the death of Mr. Ross was filed only fourteen days prior to Romine's motion to intervene. See Doc. No. 162. The Court also finds Romine's intervention would be beneficial to the class. Romine states he is seeking to intervene in an effort to address any potential concerns regarding the adequacy or typicality of any other class representative movant, particularly any concerns regarding the adequacy of Deborah Rath
Accordingly, the Court GRANTS Romine's Motion to Intervene (Doc. No. 166). Reed Romine is permitted to intervene as a named plaintiff and proposed class representative in this action.