Local Rule Rule 2.07: Divisional Venue

Rule 2.07 (FRCP 3) Divisional Venue.

(A) Divisions within the Eastern District of Missouri.

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri comprises the following three (3) divisions:

(1) The Eastern Division comprises the counties of Crawford, Dent, Franklin, Gasconade, Jefferson, Lincoln, Maries, Phelps, Saint Charles, Saint Francois, Saint Louis, Warren, and Washington, and the City of Saint Louis. Court for the Eastern Division shall be held in Saint Louis.

(2) The Northern Division comprises the counties of Adair, Audrain, Chariton, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Linn, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Ralls, Randolph, Schuyler, Scotland and Shelby. Court for the Northern Division shall be held in Hannibal.

(3) The Southeastern Division comprises the counties of Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Sainte Genevieve, Stoddard, and Wayne. Court for the Southeastern Division shall be held in Cape Girardeau.

(B) Divisional Venue in Civil Actions

(1) Single defendant. All actions brought against a single defendant who is a resident of this district must be brought in the division where the defendant resides, or where the claim for relief arose.

(2) Multiple defendants. All actions brought against multiple defendants all of whom reside in the same division must be brought in that division, or in the division where the claim for relief arose. If at least two of the defendants reside in different divisions, such action shall be filed in any division in which one or more of the defendants reside, or where the claim for relief arose. If only one of multiple defendants resides in a division of the Eastern District, the action will be filed in the division in which the defendant resides, or where the claim for relief arose.

(3) Non-resident defendant. If none of the defendants is a resident of the Eastern District of Missouri, the action shall be filed in the division where at least one plaintiff resides, or where the claim for relief arose.

(4) Corporations. For purposes of this rule, a corporation shall be deemed to be a resident of the division in which it has its principal place of business. If a corporation does business throughout the Eastern District of Missouri and has no site therein that can properly be deemed its principal place of business, it is deemed a resident of any division where it conducts activities which render it subject to personal jurisdiction in this District.

(C) Divisional Venue in Criminal Actions All prosecutions of offenses committed in the Eastern or Northern Division shall be brought in the Eastern Division. All prosecutions of offenses committed in the Southeastern Division shall be brought in the Southeastern Division. A prosecution charging one or more offenses committed in part in the Eastern or Northern Division and in part in the Southeastern Division may be brought in either the Southeastern or Eastern Division.

(D) Departures from this Rule.

In all cases, the Court retains discretion to fix the location where any courtroom proceedings shall be held. The Court in its discretion may transfer a civil action to another division pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1404 (a) or § 1406(a). In criminal cases, the Court may, pursuant to Fed.R.Crim.P. 18, fix the place of trial anywhere within the district, giving due regard to the convenience of the defendant and the witnesses and to the prompt administration of justice.

(E) Division to Appear in Cause Number.

Eastern Division cases shall be designated by the prefix "4:" in the cause number. Northern Division cases shall be designated by the prefix "2:" and Southeastern Division cases shall be designated by the prefix "1:" In the event a case is transferred from one division to another division, the case shall receive a new cause number which reflects the appropriate division.

(Amended January 3, 2018, effective March 1, 2018)