Opinion ID: 204041
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Determining Venue

Text: The applicable venue provision of Title 28 states: A civil action wherein jurisdiction is founded only on diversity of citizenship may, except as otherwise provided by law, be brought only in (1) a judicial district where any defendant resides, if all defendants reside in the same State, (2) a judicial district in which a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred, or a substantial part of property that is the subject of the action is situated, or (3) a judicial district in which any defendant is subject to personal jurisdiction at the time the action is commenced, if there is no district in which the action may otherwise be brought. 28 U.S.C. § 1391(a). Although Nihon Kohden is a California business, it resides for purposes of venue in Rhode Island. [6] Plant is a resident of Florida. As the defendants reside in different states, subsection (1) does not apply. Under subsection (2), the question becomes whether the District of Rhode Island is a judicial district in which a substantial part of the events . . . giving rise to the claim occurred. Id. In determining whether Rhode Island is a district in which a substantial part of the events occurred, we look not to a single `triggering event' prompting the action, but to the entire sequence of events underlying the claim. Uffner v. La Reunion Francaise, S.A., 244 F.3d 38, 42 (1st Cir. 2001) (quoting Mich. Corp. v. Bramlet, 141 F.3d 260, 263-264 (6th Cir. 1998)). In addition, we do not focus on the actions of one party. Rather, our approach takes a holistic view of the acts underlying a claim. Id. at 43 n.6. Furthermore, we are not required to determine the best venue, merely a proper venue. See id. at 42 (quoting Bates v. C & S Adjusters, Inc., 980 F.2d 865, 867 (2nd Cir. 1992), for the proposition that venue may be proper in any number of districts). Thus, even though Plant was a resident of Florida when he was hired by Nihon Kohden, a California corporation, venue in Rhode Island may still be proper. Id. at 43 (stating that § 1391 contemplates that venue may be proper in several districts). Astro-Med and Plant entered into an employment contract in Rhode Island, the district in which Astro-Med was headquartered, that contained the non-compete and non-disclosure clauses at issue here. With full knowledge of the Employee Agreement and its contents, Nihon Kohden hired away Plant, thereby interfering with Astro-Med's contract and misappropriating its trade secrets. Because Astro-Med was headquartered in Rhode Island, this district is one of the places where the tortious interference and misappropriation of trade secrets occurred and where the harms from these torts were felt. See Bates, 980 F.2d at 868 (2nd Cir. 1992). In addition, Rhode Island was the forum selected by the Employee Agreement to resolve disputes. See Lambert v. Kysar, 983 F.2d 1110, 1118 n.11 (1st Cir. 1993) (upholding forum selection clause). Taken together, these facts constitute a substantial part of Astro-Med's claims against Nihon Kohden. Further, Plant did not contest venue in Rhode Island and that portion of the lawsuit was, for venue purposes, going to proceed in Rhode Island. Thus, the convenience of the parties strongly militated in favor of retention of venue in Rhode Island. Uffner, 244 F.3d at 43 ([T]he general purpose of the venue rules is `to protect the defendant against the risk that a plaintiff will select an unfair or inconvenient place of trial.') (quoting LeRoy v. Great W. United Corp., 443 U.S. 173, 183-84 (1979)). Given that a substantial part of Astro-Med's claims involved Rhode Island and proceeding in Rhode Island would not thwart the underlying purpose of the venue statute, we conclude that the district court did not err in refusing to dismiss the claims pending against Nihon Kohden in Rhode Island for improper venue.