Forum Selection: Venue and Removal

• Author: Michael Barr/Sharon Gerstman/Burton Lipshie
• Pages: 363-428

8-1

CHAPTER 8

FORUM SELECTION:

VENUE AND REMOVAL

QUICK VIEW

 ςενυε µεανσ τηε γεογραπηιχ λοχατιον (χουντψ) ωηερε αν αχτιον ισ ηεαρδ. Οφτεν, ϖενυε µαψ προπερλψ

lie in more than one county. In those cases, the choice of venue is plainti’s.

Ιν χερταιν τψπεσ οφ χασεσ, σπεχιαλ ϖενυε στατυτεσ require plainti to sue in a particular county. In cases not

covered by a special venue statute, plainti may sue in the county in which any party resides.

If plainti selects an ιµπροπερ ϖενυε, δεφενδαντ µαψ µοϖε το ηαϖε τηε χασε τρανσφερρεδ το α προπερ ϖενυε.

Εϖεν ιφ τηε σελεχτιον ισ προπερ, δεφενδαντ µαψ ρεθυεστ τηε χουρτ χηανγε ϖενυε το προµοτε ωιτνεσσ−χονϖενιενχε

ανδ τηε ενδσ οφ ϕυστιχε, ορ το οβταιν αν ιµπαρτιαλ τριαλ.

Α δεφενδαντ µαψ ρεµοϖε το φεδεραλ διστριχτ χουρτ ανψ χιϖιλ αχτιον βρουγητ ιν α στατε χουρτ οϖερ ωηιχη τηε φεδεραλ

διστριχτ χουρτσ ηαϖε οριγιναλ ϕυρισδιχτιον.

 Βασεσ οφ ϖενυε. ςενυε στατυτεσ. ςενυε σελεχτιον. Χηαλλενγινγ ιµπροπερ ϖενυε. Χηανγε φροµ

προπερ ϖενυε. Χηοοσινγ βετωεεν στατε ανδ φεδεραλ χουρτ. Ρεµοϖαλ το φεδεραλ χουρτ.



ςενυε. Ιν τηεορψ, ϖενυε χονσιδερατιονσ σηουλδ προµοτε χονϖενιενχε, εχονοµψ, ανδ φαιρνεσσ. Ιν πραχτιχε, ηοωεϖερ,

plaintis use venue selection to pick a forum advantageous for them and onerous for defendants, thereby enhancing

plaintis’ prospects for settlement and award. Thus defendants must be ready to invoke remedial procedures for

τρανσφερ, ιφ ωαρραντεδ.

Ρεµοϖαλ. Defendants use removal to force plaintis into a federal forum that is advantageous to them and oner−

ous to plaintis. Frequently defendants’ counsel have a tactical advantage in federal court because they are more

familiar with federal court practice than plaintis’ counsel. Plaintis may avoid removal by relying only on state

claims and by joining a local defendant. Defendants must follow removal procedures exactly. And plaintis may

have the case remanded to state court if defendants make a procedural misstep.

 CPLR 501-513, CPLR 7502, CPLR 7804(b); 28 U.S.C. §§1331, 1332, 1404, 1407, 1441, 1446, 1447.

Subject Matter Jurisdiction, Ch 6; Personal Jurisdiction, Ch 7; Motion Practice, Ch 16; Service

of Process, Ch 9, Forum non Conveniens, Ch 36.

 See digital access for the following forms:

• Form 8:10, Demand for Change of Venue.

• Form 8:20, Notice of Motion to Change Venue.

• Form 8:30, Armation in Support of Motion to Change Venue.

New York Civil Practice Before Trial 8-2

• Form 8:40, Adavit in Support of Motion to Change Venue.

• Form 8:50, Armation in Opposition to Motion to Change Venue.

• Form 8:60, Adavit in Opposition to Motion to Change Venue.

• Form 8:70, Notice of Removal (Diversity Action).

• Form 8:71, Notice of Removal (Diversity Action including language for fraudulent joinder argument).

• Form 8:72, Notice of Removal (Federal Question Jurisdiction).

• Form 8:80, Notice of Filing Notice of Removal.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

§8:01 Meaning

§8:02 Distinction: Level of Court Within County

§8:03 Venue in Lower Courts

§8:04 Compare: Forum non Conveniens

 

§8:10 Nature of Jurisdiction

§8:11 Venue Is Not Jurisdictional

§8:12 Special Venue Statutes

 

§8:20 Basic Strategy

§8:21 Home-Turf Advantage

§8:22 Client Convenience

§8:23 Witness Convenience

§8:24 Favorable Precedent in Appellate District

§8:25 Demographics

§8:26 Notoriety

§8:27 Trial Backlog

§8:28 Commercial Divisions

 

§8:40 Motion Generally Required

§8:41 Grounds for Transfer



 

§8:50 Overview

§8:51 Multiple Claims or Parties

 

 

§8:60 Application

§8:61 Residence of Any Plainti or Any Defendant

§8:62 No Resident Party

§8:63 Corporations and Unincorporated Businesses

 

§8:70 Application

§8:71 Article 5 Special Statutes

§8:72 List of Other Special Statutes

 

§8:80 Court’s Discretion

 

 

§8:90 Governing Statute

8-3 Forum Selection: Venue and Removal

§8:91 Time for Determining Residence

§8:92 Meaning of Resides

§8:93 Multiple Residences

§8:94 Facts Showing Residence

§8:95 Facts Not Showing Residence

§8:96 Plainti’s Residence a Sham

2. Representatives and Assignees

§8:110 Personal Representatives

§8:111 Assignees

3. Entities

a. Corporations

§8:120 Governing Statute

§8:121 Domestic Corporations

§8:122 Foreign Corporations

§8:123 Exception: Actual Oce Location

§8:124 Relocation of Oces

§8:125 Professional Corporations

§8:126 Common Carriers

§8:127 Insurance Companies

b. Unincorporated Entities

§8:140 Limited Liability Companies

§8:141 Partnerships and Sole-Proprietorships

§8:142 Professional Practices

§8:143 Unincorporated Associations

D. Consumer Credit Transactions

§8:150 Governing Statute

§8:151 What Is a Consumer Credit Transaction

§8:152 Rejection of Summons for Misplaced Venue

E. Government Entities

1. Counties and Municipalities

§8:160 Application of Governing Statute

§8:161 Actions Against Counties

§8:162 Actions Against Cities, Towns, and Villages

§8:163 Actions Against New York City

§8:164 Actions Against School Districts and District Corporations

§8:165 CPLR 504 Is Mandatory

§8:166 Exception: Third-Party and Nominal Defendants

§8:167 Only County or Municipality May Invoke Statute

§8:168 Waiver

§8:169 No Jurisdictional Eect

2. Public Authorities

§8:180 Governing Statute

§8:181 Exceptions: New York City Transit Authority and Port Authority of New York and

New Jersey

§8:182 Facilities Involved in Action

§8:183 CPLR 505 Is Mandatory

§8:184 Waiver

§8:185 No Jurisdictional Eect

F. Property

1. Real Property Actions

§8:190 Governing Statute

§8:191 What Is and Is Not a Real Property Action

§8:192 CPLR 507 Is Mandatory

§8:193 Waiver