On January 14, U.S. District Court Judge Lance Walker denied the Maine Green Party’s request to intervene in the Libertarian Party’s ballot access lawsuit, because the Green Party’s paperwork was submitted by two party leaders who are not attorneys. Although any legally competent non-attorney may represent himself or herself in court, only attorneys can represent a group.

The case is Baines v Bellows, 1:19cv-509. The U.S. District Court had struck down the procedures for a member of the Libertarian Party to get on the party’s primary ballot, because the state law doesn’t take into account the number of registered voters in the party and only party members can sign. The Green Party theoretically is still free to retain an attorney and re-apply for relief.