Venue is the geographic location (county in state court or district in federal court) where a lawsuit may be filed. Proper venue is usually determined by statute, and upon the filing of a lawsuit, the defendant may seek to transfer (move) the venue to a proper venue if it believes the plaintiff’s choice of venue is not a proper venue.
In Iowa, the concept of venue refers to the appropriate location within the state where a lawsuit can be initiated. State statutes determine the proper venue for different types of cases. Generally, civil cases can be filed in the county where the defendant resides or where the claim arose. If there are multiple defendants, the case can be filed in any county where one of the defendants resides. For corporations, the venue is typically where the corporation has its principal place of business or where the event giving rise to the lawsuit occurred. In federal court cases, the venue is determined by the U.S. District Court that has jurisdiction, which is usually based on where the defendant resides or where the relevant events occurred. If a defendant believes that the plaintiff has chosen an improper venue, they may file a motion to transfer the case to a more appropriate venue. This is governed by both state law and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, depending on the court system in which the case is filed.