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Civil procedure

venue

Venue is the geographic location (county in state court or district in federal court) where a lawsuit may be filed. Proper venue is usually determined by statute, and upon the filing of a lawsuit, the defendant may seek to transfer (move) the venue to a proper venue if it believes the plaintiff’s choice of venue is not a proper venue.

In Michigan, the proper venue for a lawsuit is typically determined by statutory guidelines. For state court cases, Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL) provide specific rules for determining the correct county for filing a lawsuit. Generally, a civil action should be filed in the county where the defendant resides or does business, or where the event giving rise to the lawsuit occurred. If the case is to be filed in federal court, the venue is determined by the United States Code, which often allows for the case to be filed in any district where the defendant resides, where a substantial part of the events occurred, or where the property in dispute is located. If a defendant believes that the plaintiff has chosen an improper venue, they may file a motion to transfer the case to a proper venue. This is governed by Michigan Court Rules for state cases and by federal rules for cases in federal court. The courts will consider factors such as the convenience of parties and witnesses, and the interests of justice when deciding whether to grant a motion to transfer venue.

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Civil procedure

venue

Individual & Family Legal Plan

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Michigan State Code

Michigan State Code

Civil procedure

venue

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