Legal Definitions - laying of the venue

Laying of the venue refers to the plaintiff's declaration within a legal complaint that specifies the particular geographic location, such as a county or district, where they propose the trial for the case should occur. This statement formally establishes the intended proper venue for the lawsuit.

Laying of the Venue refers to the act by which a party initiating a lawsuit (the plaintiff) formally proposes the specific geographic location—typically a particular county or judicial district—where they believe the trial should take place. This proposal is included in the initial legal document filed with the court, known as the complaint. It's the plaintiff's initial suggestion for the appropriate court location, which must comply with legal rules governing "venue" (the proper geographical area for a lawsuit).

Here are a few examples to illustrate this concept:

• Car Accident Lawsuit: Imagine a driver from Texas is involved in a car accident with a driver from Oklahoma, and the collision occurs in Dallas County, Texas. The Texas driver decides to sue the Oklahoma driver for damages. When the Texas driver's attorney drafts the complaint to initiate the lawsuit, they will include a statement specifying "Dallas County, Texas" as the proposed location for the trial.

  This act of formally naming Dallas County in the complaint is an example of "laying the venue," as the plaintiff is proposing where the case should be heard based on where the incident occurred.

• Breach of Contract Dispute: A technology company based in San Francisco, California, enters into a contract with a client located in Seattle, Washington. The contract includes a clause stating that any legal disputes arising from the agreement must be resolved in San Francisco County, California. When the client fails to pay for services rendered, the technology company decides to sue.

  In their complaint, the technology company's lawyers will state that the trial should take place in "San Francisco County, California." This statement is "laying the venue," aligning with the contractual agreement between the parties.

• Property Boundary Dispute: Two neighbors in rural Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have a disagreement over the exact boundary line between their properties. One neighbor decides to file a lawsuit to legally establish the correct property line.

  When preparing the complaint, the plaintiff's attorney will specify "Lancaster County, Pennsylvania," as the appropriate venue for the case. This is "laying the venue," as lawsuits involving real estate are almost always required to be filed in the county where the property is physically located.