Opinion ID: 1498162
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Writs of Mandamus and Prohibition

Text: When reviewing transfer of venue in a writ proceeding, an appellate court must assess the status of the transfer to determine whether a writ of prohibition or a writ of mandamus is the appropriate remedy. Prohibition, by its nature, is a preventative [sic] rather than a corrective remedy. Hence, prohibition generally lies to prevent commission of a future act, not to undo an act already performed. 24 DANIEL P. CARD II & ALAN E. FREED, MISSOURI PRACTICE Appellate Practice section 12.4 (2d ed.2001). Given this purpose, an appellate court should employ prohibition when a circuit court has erroneously denied transfer or has erroneously granted transfer but transfer is not complete. In such proceedings, the writ should be directed at the transferring judge. See State ex rel. McDonald's Corp. v. Midkiff, 226 S.W.3d 119 (Mo. banc 2007); State ex rel. Lebanon Sch. Dist. v. Winfrey, 183 S.W.3d 232 (Mo. banc 2006); State ex rel. Yarber v. McHenry, 915 S.W.2d 325 (Mo. banc 1995). Mandamus, on the other hand, may be used to compel an act to be rescinded or undone. CARD & FREED AT section 12.2. Given this purpose, an appellate court should employ mandamus when a circuit court has erroneously granted transfer and transfer is complete. Because the case is no longer pending before the transferring court, the act must be undone by the receiving court. The writ should direct the presiding judge of the receiving court to retransfer the case. See State ex rel. Burns v. Whittington, 219 S.W.3d 224 (Mo. banc 2007); State ex rel. Riordan v. Dierker, 956 S.W.2d 258 (Mo. banc 1997). [2] Failure to follow the foregoing practice is not fatal. See CARD & FREED at section 12.5. When a petitioner requests the wrong writ, this Court construes the petition as a request for the appropriate writ. See, e.g., Dierker, 956 S.W.2d at 259. Likewise, when a petitioner brings a writ proceeding against the wrong respondent, this Court substitutes the proper respondent. See State ex rel. Breckenridge v. Sweeney, 920 S.W.2d 901, 904 (Mo. banc 1996); State ex rel. Malone v. Mummert, 889 S.W.2d 822, 826-27 (Mo. banc 1994). In the underlying case, Judge Oxenhandler granted Suburban's motion to transfer venue to Cole County, and transfer is complete. If transfer was improper, the appropriate remedy to undo the act is a writ of mandamus directed at the presiding judge of the circuit court for Cole County, Judge Joyce, instructing her to retransfer the underlying cause to Boone County. Accordingly, the Court quashes its preliminary writ of prohibition against Judge Oxenhandler. The Court orders Judge Joyce substituted as respondent and will now treat the PSC's petition as one for mandamus.