Ex Parte Hideaway Harbor Resort, Inc.
Ex Parte Hideaway Harbor Resort, Inc.
Opinion
These two cases involve the same venue question and were consolidated on appeal. The plaintiffs in both cases sued essentially the same defendants, claiming breach of contract and fraud. The defendants in the actions are various individuals, foreign corporations, and a domestic corporation — Hideaway Harbor Resort, Inc. ("Hideaway"). The suits were filed in the Circuit Court of Walker County. It is undisputed that Hideaway is an Alabama corporation organized and registered to do business in Winston County. The various other defendants apparently were properly sued in Walker County. Hideaway maintained that venue was improper in Walker County and sought to have both actions transferred to Winston County. The trial judge denied Hideaway's motions. Hideaway then brought these two petitions, seeking writs of mandamus ordering the trial judge to grant the motions and transfer the causes to Winston County.
Ex parte Alpine Bay Resorts, Inc.," 'When a party seeks review by writ of mandamus of an order transferring or refusing to transfer . . ., we determine whether the lower court has sufficient facts before it to ascertain proper venue. . . .' Ex parte Harrington Manufacturing Co.,
414 So.2d 74 ,75 (Ala. 1982). The writ of mandamus will not be granted unless the trial court abused its discretion or exercised its discretion in an arbitrary or capricious manner. Ex parte Wilson,408 So.2d 94 (Ala. 1981)."
The respondents argue that venue is proper in Walker County because of the provisions of Rule 82(c), Ala.R.Civ.P.:
"Where several claims or parties have been joined, the suit may be brought in any county in which any one of the claims could properly have been brought. Whenever an action has been commenced in a proper county, additional claims and parties may be joined, pursuant to Rules 13, 14, 22 and 24, as ancillary thereto, without regard to whether that county would be a proper venue for an independent action on such claims or against such parties."
The petitioner, on the other hand, relies on the provisions of Ala. Code 1975, §
"A foreign corporation may be sued in any county in which it does business by agent, and a domestic corporation may be sued in any county in which it does business by agent or was doing business by agent at the time the cause of action arose. . . ."
Hideaway argues that because it was not, and is not, doing business by agent in Walker County, that venue was not proper there, based on the terms of this statute.
We agree with the respondents that Rule 82(c) controls in this situation. We note that this is a different situation from one involving a foreign corporation and does not involve the provisions of Article XII, § 232, Constitution of Alabama, 1901. See Ex parte McGugin,
Domestic corporations may be joined with other parties pursuant to Rule 82(c) and sued in counties other than those where they are doing business at the time of the suit or were doing business at the *Page 565
time the cause of action arose. In Ex parte Owen,
We hold that venue was proper in the cases at bar in Walker County because, although Hideaway is a domestic corporation, it was joined with other parties pursuant to Rule 82(c), and it is undisputed that venue was proper as to those other parties in Walker County.
The two cases cited by the petitioner, Ex parte Alpine BayResorts,
The trial judge properly denied the motions for change of venue, and the petitions for writ of mandamus are due to be denied.
WRITS DENIED.
TORBERT, C.J., and ALMON, BEATTY and HOUSTON, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ex Parte Hideaway Harbor Resort, Inc. (Re: Gary Self and Jimmie Lou Self v. Hideaway Harbor Resort, Inc.) Ex Parte Hideaway Harbor Resort, Inc. (Re: Thomas E. Patterson v. Hideaway Harbor Resort, Inc.)
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published