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 Illinois, the concept of venue refers to the appropriate location for a court case to be heard. The Illinois Code of Civil Procedure outlines the rules for determining proper venue. Generally, a civil lawsuit should be filed in the county where any defendant resides or where the cause of action occurred. If none of the defendants reside in Illinois, the plaintiff can choose any county. For corporations, the venue is proper where the company has its principal office or is doing business. In federal cases, the venue is determined by the U.S. Code, which typically allows for a lawsuit to be filed where the defendant resides or where a substantial part of the events giving rise to the claim occurred. If a defendant believes that the chosen venue is not proper, they may file a motion to transfer the case to a more appropriate venue, citing reasons such as convenience for parties and witnesses or the interest of justice.