In People ex rel. Public Util. Com. v. Ryerson (1966) 241 Cal.App.2d 115, the People sought to have a prior judgment vacated for extrinsic fraud or mistake. The appellate court did not sanction equitable relief to any "stranger whose interests have been adversely affected by the judgment." (Id. at p. 119.) Instead the court, viewing the proceeding as akin to an intervention, held that the People "clearly" (Id. at p. 120) met the standard required to intervene--that is, an interest that involves "'such an immediate and direct claim upon the very subject matter of the litigation that the intervener will either gain or lose by the direct operation of the judgment that may be rendered therein.'" (Id. at p. 119.)