What is Venue, and When Is Venue Transfer Permissible in Bankruptcy Litigation?

A Panel Discussion on the Choice and Challenges of Bankruptcy Venue and Venue Transfers

In bankruptcy litigation, the venue can have a major influence on an outcome.

We selected expert panel members—each a partner or managing director in the restructuring industry—to discuss why venue fights occur and how business owners (and their advisors) should approach choice of bankruptcy venue, as well as venue transfers.

Our expert panelists explore how courts resolve disputes over the venue of a case.

Expert Panelists

• Lisa Vandesteeg, Financial Services and Restructuring Partner at Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC
• Rob J. Feinstein, Partner at Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP
• Steve Kotarba, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal
• Nora Schweighart, Senior Counsel at Boeing and former Partner at The Law Firm of Faegre Baker Daniels

What is Bankruptcy Venue? How Is It Different Than Bankruptcy Jurisdiction?

The United States Code defines venue and jurisdiction in different sections.

Bankruptcy Jurisdiction

U.S. District Courts have original and exclusive jurisdiction of all cases under Title 11 (either Chapter 7, 11 or 13 bankruptcy cases). From here, District Courts automatically refer cases down to individual bankruptcy courts.

There are serious questions about the jurisdiction of specific bankruptcy courts to hear items related to cases under Chapter 11 that involve state law matters.

According to Vandesteeg, “For a more basic practitioner, what you should know is jurisdiction deals with the power to hear the case.”

Bankruptcy Venue

Vandesteeg continues: “With venue, we are just talking about ‘Where is the right place to put it?’”

Venue is spelled out in several areas in the Code, with certain areas pertaining to cases and other areas to proceedings.

Some of the controversy around venue has to do with where the debtor is domiciled—which, for corporations under federal law, has been defined to include the state in which the company’s articles of incorporation are filed.

Feinstein says that jurisdiction and venue are “[t]wo very different things. Jurisdiction really goes to the power of a particular court—the power to hear a particular case or controversy.”

How Can You Pick the Best Bankruptcy Venue for the Debtor?

The need for a plan for determining venue grows along with the size of the debtor. “At the outset of a representation, you really want to think about how big the debtor is and where their operations are,” mentioned Schweighart.

Suppose an attorney or firm represents a very large debtor with operations in many geographic locations. In such cases, counsel has several practical venue options and, often, no obvious first choice.

Many debtors choose states with corporate-friendly reputations. Feinstein added, “It is common to see companies with no physical presence in Delaware nevertheless able to file (Chapter 11) in Delaware.”

(Small debtors with one state of incorporation tend to be simple, at least by comparison.)

Practitioners need to identify probable legal issues that may arise in the case. For example, it is common for a debtor to be party to several important contracts or leases at the time of filing—some of which they will want to assume or reject.

Kortarba instructs owners and advisors to “[p]ay attention to the practical, behind-the-scenes and day-to-day factors. These often supersede the legal aspects of the case.”

These considerations affect the kinds of relief that the debtor should seek as soon as the case files:

• Retention plans
• Other labor agreements
• Provisions for plan of reorganization with major constituents
• Considerations about major creditors and other parties of interest
• Domicile (or residence)
• Principal place of business
• Multiple entities in the same broader business structure

Some Courts Are More Friendly to Your Case than Others

Part of good representation is substantively evaluating each potential venue.

Look at:

• Sophistication of the court
• Track record of the court when handling complex or large cases
• Likelihood of favorable outcomes based on established court precedent
• Availability of favorable case law in the respective District
• Predictability

…also consider:

• Level of activity of the U.S. Trustee is in a given region
• Practical convenience of the court to the debtors involved in the case
• Power of the respective secured lenders in the case

Remember that, ultimately, the debtor gets to decide where to file and which venue to use.

Even so, the debtor is handcuffed by the preferences of their secured lender(s), whose considerations on venue often come down to the cost of litigation.

Think Strategically

As previously mentioned, U.S. bankruptcy cases have federal rules, but different regions interpret and apply those rules inconsistently.

Schweighart says, “Often times, the ability to assess venue and where to file depends on the reality of the situation. If you don’t have a lot of time to choose, you may have to choose a more obvious venue and get the company into bankruptcy to protect its assets.”

Example: Vitality of critical vendors.

A hot button issue: Some circuits are very tough on the vitality of critical vendors. Some make it very difficult—if not impossible—to get critical vendor orders approved.

Other courts are much more permissive. This is an example of the kind of little nuance that, when considered in advance, greatly enhances legal representation and provides value.

Schweighart added, “It isn’t always black and white. There’s wiggle room in there. You can be creative using the venue rules—but not too creative, or you risk getting your venue transferred.”

CAUTION: Different Rules Apply to Different Cases

If you look at U.S.C.A § 1409 cases, there are several exceptions to how proceedings are filed in specific case types.

Example: If, for individual cases, the trustee seeks to commence a proceeding to recover:

1. Money or property less than $1,375;
2. Consumer debt less than $20,450; or
3. Non-consumer debt from non-insider worth less than $25,000

Then…

Venue MUST be where the defendant resides.

There are also provisions for avoidance actions that are different and allow some flexibility.

Change of Venue

The debtor’s choice of venue in its own bankruptcy case is entitled to great preference. In fact, there is a presumption that debtors select their venue with good faith.

Even so, creditors have some recourse when it comes to forcing a change in venue.

Is the Venue Improper?

For example, someone files the case in a venue totally incompatible with the specific needs of the case—such as when the debtor simply doesn’t have domicile.

In such cases, the remedy may be to dismiss the case. Or, more likely, the case is transferred to a proper venue under U.S.C.A. §1412.

If Technically Proper, Does a Creditor Have Statutory Basis for Invoking a Change of Venue Anyway?

In other words, what happens if the bankruptcy venue is placed in a proper district, but the creditor finds the location to be a major practical inconvenience?

It is only permissive for the court to transfer the case in the interest of justice and convenience to the parties. Creditors have to come up with reasons that the venue transfer is necessary.

For More Advanced Legal Advice

Ultimately, debtors have great discretion about when and where to file bankruptcy.

No matter how prepared and involved you may be, there is a real chance you may end up litigating the venue. Whether you are an experienced litigator or a business professional who has never stepped foot in a bankruptcy court, there is an economic advantage to seeking help and advice from real experts in business restructuring.

Attorneys: to best represent your client, you need to stay abreast of interpretations of:

• The Bankruptcy Code
• Public policy
• Practical realities of your client’s situation
• Idiosyncrasies of each venue
• Activities of secured lenders and other creditors

Business owners or managers: restructuring can be daunting and, if not executed properly, lengthy and expensive. You don’t need to be an expert in commercial bankruptcies, but you should be conversant enough with the language and process.

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[Editor’s Note: To learn more about this and related topics, you may want to attend the following webinars: Defending Against Bankruptcy Avoidance Actions and Help, My Business is In Trouble! This is an updated version of an article originally published on February 16, 2017.]

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