Venue

Venue is the geographic location where a case may properly be filed or tried. It is distinct from jurisdiction (the court's power to hear the case) and is usually about convenience and fairness to the parties.

In California, proper venue depends on the type of case: contract claims typically belong in the county where the contract was made or to be performed, tort claims where the injury happened, and real estate cases where the property sits. Federal courts have their own venue rules.

Venue can be challenged early in litigation, a motion to transfer or dismiss for improper venue should be raised in the first responsive pleading or it is waived. We evaluate venue at the outset and use venue rules strategically when filing or defending a case.