Opinion ID: 2502333
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Consideration of a Defendant's Domicile or Residency

Text: As a third basis for their petition, the Mylan Petitioners contend that, under the doctrine of expressio unius est exclusio alterius (express mention of one thing implies exclusion of all others), courts are limited to considering only the eight factors listed in the statute. See Riffle, 195 W.Va. at 128, 464 S.E.2d 763 (Expressio unius est exlusio alterius . . . is a well-accepted canon of statutory construction.). In other words, the Mylan Petitioners contend that the circuit judges erred by considering a factor not listed in the statute: the residency or domicile of the moving party. Specifically, the Mylan Petitioners assert that each of the judges below considered the Mylan Petitioners' relationship with West Virginia in denying the motions to dismiss. In his order, Judge Zakaib noted that [t]wo of the three named Defendants are West Virginia corporations; Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Mylan Technologies, Inc. are both incorporated under the laws of West Virginia, and thus seek the benefits and protections of laws of West Virginia. He further stated that: As West Virginia corporations, Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Mylan Technologies, Inc., have chosen to take advantage of the laws of West Virginia, and cannot be allowed to complain they are being asked to be held to the consequences of West Virginia. . . . [H]aving determined to incorporate in West Virginia, the Mylan defendants developed their business around an expectation that, as West Virginia corporations, that [sic] they would be subject to West Virginia tort law. Finally, Judge Zakaib cited to another recent order issued by the Circuit Court of Kanawha County in Naidge v. Mylan Technologies, Inc., Civ. Act. No. 09-c-325 (June 6, 2009), in which the circuit court stated given that Defendant Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. resides in [this] State and Mylan Technologies, Inc. is incorporated in this State, [the court] finds that there is no unfair burden on the citizens of West Virginia if this case is litigated here. While Judge Bailey's comments were more brief, she did state [t]his is a West Virginia corporation and [venue] appears to be proper. Given that Judge Bailey said little else about her basis for refusing their motion, the Mylan Petitioners argue that both judges elevat[ed] the issue of corporate residence to a near-dispositive level. The Mylan Petitioners assert that under this Court's prior case law adopting the common law doctrine of forum non conveniens, a defendant's residency was not a determinative factor in deciding a motion based on forum non conveniens. In Abbott v. Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, 191 W.Va. 198, 444 S.E.2d 285 (1994), this Court explained that the common law doctrine of forum non conveniens was to be applied flexibly on a case-by-case basis, and held that [a] presumption that the forum is convenient when a defendant is a resident of that forum would undercut the flexibility of the doctrine. Id. at Syl. Pt. 3, in part. The Mylan Petitioners contend that nothing in the codification of forum non conveniens changed this basic tenant of the doctrine and that the Legislature specifically did not list residency of the moving party as among the factors for consideration. While we agree with the Mylan Petitioners that no presumption of convenience should be afforded a forum on the basis that it is the defendant's domicile, we conclude that some consideration of the Mylan Petitioner's ties to West Virginia is, in fact, necessary under West Virginia Code § 56-1-1a. Specifically, the second factor listed for consideration under the statute, whether maintenance of the claim or action in the courts of this state would work a substantial injustice to the moving party, necessarily requires consideration of the location of Mylan's witnesses and documents. Id. at § 56-1-1a(a)(2). As the Hayden Respondents point out, the corporate headquarters of Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is located in West Virginia and, thus, relevant records and witnesses may well be located here too. Similarly, the sixth factor for consideration under the statute requires courts to balance the public and private interests invoked in the two forums, by considering, among other things, the relative ease of access to sources of proof, and the cost of obtaining attendance of witnesses. Id. at § 56-1-1a(a)(6). Again, the location of the Mylan Petitioners' corporate headquarters will necessarily be considered in balancing these interests. Indeed, no court could adequately analyze these factors if it were prohibited from considering the residency of the Mylan Petitioners. Consequently, we find no error on this basis.