Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-110
§1390 Scope
Title 28 › PART IV — JURISDICTION AND VENUE › CHAPTER 87 — DISTRICT COURTS; VENUE › § 1390
Summary
Says which federal court is the right geographic place to file a civil case. "Venue" means the location of the proper district or division, not a rule about what kinds of cases a court can hear. These rules usually do not set venue for cases under section 1333, though such cases can be moved between districts. The rules do not pick the federal court for a case removed from state court, but they do govern transfers after removal.
Full Legal Text
Title 28, §1390
Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Venue Defined.—
As used in this chapter, the term “venue” refers to the geographic specification of the proper court or courts for the litigation of a civil action that is within the subject-matter jurisdiction of the district courts in general, and does not refer to any grant or restriction of subject-matter jurisdiction providing for a civil action to be adjudicated only by the district court for a particular district or districts.
(b)Exclusion of Certain Cases.—
Except as otherwise provided by law, this chapter shall not govern the venue of a civil action in which the district court exercises the jurisdiction conferred by section 1333, except that such civil actions may be transferred between district courts as provided in this chapter.
(c)Clarification Regarding Cases Removed From State Courts.—
This chapter shall not determine the district court to which a civil action pending in a State court may be removed, but shall govern the transfer of an action so removed as between districts and divisions of the United States district courts.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Pub. L. 112–63, title II, § 205, Dec. 7, 2011, 125 Stat. 764, provided that: “The
Amendments
made by this title [enacting this section, amending section 1391 and 1404 of this title, and repealing section 1392 of this title]— “(1) shall take effect upon the expiration of the 30-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 7, 2011]; and “(2) shall apply to—“(A) any action that is commenced in a United States district court on or after such
Effective Date
and “(B) any action that is removed from a State court to a United States district court and that had been commenced, within the meaning of State law, on or after such
Effective Date
.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
28 U.S.C. § 1390
Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110