Court Opinion

ID: 9894211
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-31 20:07:28.465133+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:09:09.499691
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA
     COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT
CHRISTIAN D. CHESSON, PLC.,                      NO.   2023 CW 0818
ET AL
VERSUS
LOGAN RYAN GANDY, ET AL                        OCTOBER 31, 2023

In Re:      Erin N. Abrams, applying for supervisory writs, 19th
            Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge,
            No. 723610.

BEFORE:     GUIDRY, C. J. , WELCH, CHUTZ, WOLFE AND GREENE, JJ.

     WRIT GRANTED WITH ORDER.   The trial court's August 16, 2023
judgment that denied the motion to transfer for forum non
conveniens   filed by defendant     is  reversed.      Pursuant to
Louisiana Code     of  Civil  Procedure   article   12 3,  for  the
convenience of the parties and the witnesses and in the interest
of justice, a court may, upon contradictory motion, transfer a
civil case to another district court where it might have been
brought.   In this case, the trial court abused its discretion in
denying defendant's motion to transfer for forum non conveniens.
The convenience of the parties and witnesses and the interest of
justice would be better served by transferring this case to
Calcasieu Parish. See Bol.l.and v. Lincol.n General. Hosp., 2010-
0038 (La. 10/19/10), 48 So.3d 1050, 1055-57.      Thus, the motion
to transfer for forum non conveniens filed by defendant, Erin
Abrams, is granted.    The case is remanded to the trial court,
which is instructed to transfer the matter to the 14th Judicial
District Court for Calcasieu Parish.

                                 JMG
                                 JEW
                                 WRC
                                 EW

      Greene, J., dissents and would deny the writ.     East Baton
Rouge Parish is a proper venue for this litigation.        See La.
R.S. 13:5104(A).     Where proper venue lies in more than one
parish, "plaintiffs may choose any venue available." Holland v.
Lincol.n General. Hosp., 2010-0038 (La. 10/19/10), 48 So.3d 1050,
1055.    The plaintiff's initial choice of forum is entitled to
deference, and the burden is on the party seeking a transfer to
show why the motion should be granted.      Id.  La. Code Civ. P.
art. 123 is discretionary.    Under the facts as set forth, I find
defendants failed to establish that East Baton Rouge Parish is
inconvenient.

COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

                   OF COURT
          FOR THE COURT