May 1, 2019 – SB 7, sponsored by Sen. Ed Emery, will codify recent court decisions and help protect Missouri courts from disputes between people that have little or not connection with the state. The bill was finally passed today with a final vote in the Missouri House.
The bill, referred to as the “venue/joinder” bill really addresses two issues:
Venue: the proper court jurisdiction for a case; and,
Joinder: the process of joining additional parties, sometimes dismissing those parties but retaining venue that would otherwise have been improprer.
The bill provides criteria for determining appropriate venue, including the jurisdiction within which an accident/incident occurred, the place of business of the litigants and/or the address of the plaintiff or defendant.
The bill also attempts to stop the practice of naming a co-defendant that is located in what is perceived to be a plaintiff-friendly jurisdiction, and later dismissing the defendant but retaining venue so the case still proceeds in the plaintiff-friendly jurisdiction.
“Associated Industries of Missouri applauds the General Assembly’s passage of this key legal reform legislation,” said Ray McCarty, president/CEO of Associated Industries of Missouri. “AIM has supported this legislation for years and we are pleased it will now head to Governor Parson’s desk.”
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