Opinion ID: 1779097
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Is Venue Proper in Jefferson County?

Text: ¶ 10. At the time this lawsuit was commenced, Miss.Code Ann. § 11-11-7 [1] provided that actions against insurance companies may be brought in any county in which a loss may occur. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-11-3 was amended in 2002. (See 2002 Miss. Laws, 3rd Extra Sess., ch. 2, § 1, eff. January 1, 2003; 2002 Miss. Laws, 3rd Extra Sess., ch. 4 § 1, eff. January 1, 2003.) However, at the time this lawsuit was commenced, Miss.Code Ann. § 11-11-3 stated: Civil actions of which the circuit court has original jurisdiction shall be commenced in the county in which the defendant or any of them may be found or in the county where the cause of action may occur or accrue and, if the defendant is a domestic corporation, in the county in which said corporation is domiciled or in the county where the cause of action may occur or accrue. ¶ 11. In Capital City Insurance Co. v. G.B. Boots Smith Corp., 889 So.2d 505 (Miss.2004), we recently examined both statutes and held the general venue statute, Miss.Code Ann. § 11-11-3, to be mandatory, while the insurance venue statute, Miss.Code Ann. § 11-11-7, is permissive. 889 So.2d at 516 (¶ 35). Capital City further held that, [t]hus, where there is a resident defendant, the general venue statute `shall' apply; and where there is no resident defendant, the insurance company venue statute offers the plaintiff other options. Id. Because there is a resident defendant (Logan Insurance Agency) in the case sub judice, the general venue statute, Miss.Code Ann. § 11-11-3, shall apply. ¶ 12. This Court considered both § 11-11-7 and § 11-11-3 in Stubbs. In Stubbs, this Court held that the Circuit Court of Smith County abused its discretion in granting a change of venue to Simpson County. 825 So.2d at 9. The Stubbses filed suit in the Smith County Circuit Court against Welch, Welch's dealership, Trustmark, and Farm Bureau alleging several causes of action including breach of contract and negligence. Id. The wreck occurred in Smith County but John was hospitalized in Simpson County. Id. The Stubbses and Welch were residents of Simpson County. Trustmark's principal place of business was in Hinds County, but its branch in Simpson County handled the transaction. Id. at 11. Farm Bureau's principal place of business was in Hinds County, but A.W. spoke to and conducted business with the Smith County office. ¶ 13. The Stubbses claimed that Farm Bureau's refusal to cover property damage was bad faith. Id. at 13. Because coverage was limited to liability, this Court held that there could not be a bad faith claim for failure to pay an uncovered claim. Id. Accordingly, this Court dismissed Farm Bureau and held venue could not be established under § 11-11-7. However, this Court went on to declare that venue was proper in Smith County, under § 11-11-3, because the wreck occurred there. ¶ 14. In holding that venue was proper in Smith County, this Court stated in Stubbs that, the actions of [the defendants] Welch, Auto Plex, and Trustmark, were relatively harmless until the accident occurred, which necessitated reliance on the defendants' alleged guarantee, as averred by the Stubbses, that the Stubbses' vehicle would be insured until they were covered by their own insurance. Id. at 15. ¶ 15. Following this Court's precedent, venue in the case sub judice is also proper where the accident occurred; i.e. Jefferson County. Here, as in Stubbs, the actions of the defendants were also harmless until the accident occurred in Jefferson County. [T]here is nothing in the phrase `where the cause of action may occur . . .' that limits the judicial search for but a single county ... [I]t is common experience that breach and causation and impact do not all always happen at once. At the very least, the word occur connotes each county in which a substantial component of the claim takes place . . . Earwood v. Reeves, 798 So.2d 508, 513 (Miss. 2001), quoting Flight Line, Inc. v. Tanksley, 608 So.2d at 1157. ¶ 16. The trial court was correct in holding that venue was proper in Adams, Warren, and Rankin Counties but erred in finding that venue was not proper in Jefferson County. But for the accident, which occurred in Jefferson County, no injury would have occurred and no suit would have been filed. Venue is proper in Jefferson County because a substantial component of the claim; personal injury and property damage, occurred there. It is well established that the plaintiff is entitled to choose between any of the permissible venue options where credible evidence or factual basis supports the venue selected. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Johnson, 807 So.2d 382, 387 (Miss.2001). Therefore, the plaintiff's choice of venue in Jefferson County must be sustained. Because this issue is determinative, the other issues raised by Snyder are not discussed.