Opinion ID: 2792522
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: standard of review

Text: This Court has consistently held that “‘[p]rohibition will lie to prohibit a judge from exceeding his legitimate powers.’ Syl. Pt. 2, State ex rel. Winter v. MacQueen, 161 W. Va. 30, 239 S.E.2d 660 (1977).” Syl. Pt. 1, State ex rel. Mylan, Inc. v. Zakaib, 227 W. Va. 641, 713 S.E.2d 356 (2011). In Mylan, in discussing the standard of review applicable to venue disputes, we stated that [i]n the context of disputes over venue, such as dismissal for forum non conveniens, this Court has previously held that a writ of prohibition is an appropriate remedy “to resolve the issue of where venue for a civil action lies,” because “the issue of venue [has] the potential of placing a litigant at an unwarranted disadvantage in a pending action and [ ] relief by appeal would be inadequate.” State ex rel. Huffman v. Stephens, 206 W. Va. 501, 503, 526 S.E.2d 23, 25 (1999); see also State ex rel. Riffle v. Ranson, 195 W. Va. 121, 124, 464 S.E.2d 763, 766 (1995) (“In recent times in every case that has had a substantial legal issue regarding venue, we have recognized the importance of resolving the issue in an original action.”). This Court typically reviews a circuit court’s decision on venue, including forum non conveniens, under an abuse of discretion standard. See Syl. Pt. 3, Cannelton Industries, Inc. v. Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. of Am., 194 W. Va. 186, 460 S.E.2d 1 (1994) (“A circuit court’s decision to invoke the doctrine of forum non conveniens will not be reversed unless it is found that the circuit court abused its discretion.”); Nezan v. Aries Techs., 7 Inc., 226 W. Va. 631, 637, 704 S.E.2d 631, 637 (2010) (“On the issue of forum non conveniens, we have held that the standard of review of this Court is an abuse of discretion.”). The Mylan Petitioners, however, contend that this Court’s review should be de novo because the circuit judges misapplied and/or misinterpreted the controlling statute. In Riffle, this Court explained: The normal deference accorded to a circuit court’s decision to transfer a case, Syl. pt. 3, Cannelton Industries, Inc. v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co., 194 W. Va. 186, 460 S.E.2d 1 (1994) (“[a] circuit court’s decision to invoke the doctrine of forum non conveniens will not be reversed unless it is found that the circuit court abused its discretion”), does not apply where the law is misapplied or where the decision to transfer hinges on an interpretation of a controlling statute. See Mildred L.M. v. John O.F., 192 W. Va. 345, 350, 452 S.E.2d 436, 441 (1994) (“[t]his Court reviews questions of statutory interpretation de novo.”). Under these circumstances, our review is plenary. Mylan, 227 W. Va. at 645, 713 S.E.2d at 360-61. In the instant matter, because the Petitioners ask this Court to decide whether the circuit court erroneously based its decision on the Abbott case, rather than the forum non conveniens statute, West Virginia Code § 56-1­ 1a, our review is de novo. See Syl. Pt. 1, Chrystal R.M. v. Charlie A.L., 194 W. Va. 138, 459 S.E.2d 415 (1995) (“Where the issue on an appeal from the circuit court is clearly a question of law or involving an interpretation of a statute, we apply a de novo standard of review.”).