Update: Hopping on the Missouri Bandwagon? Not so Fast Out-of-State Litigants.

ABSTRACT: UPDATE: House Passes Senate Bill 7, in which the Missouri legislature seeks to amend venue and joinder laws, to prevent out of state plaintiffs from litigating their cases in an inappropriate venue.

In this March 18, 2019 blog post, we reported on important pending legislation that could substantially change Missouri’s venue rules. In case you missed the news, look no further….

At the beginning of May, the Missouri House passed the venue and joinder bill (Senate Bill 7) by a 100-46 vote. The bill primarily aims to restrict non-Missouri plaintiffs from joining their claims, in the same lawsuit, with those of a Missouri resident, where the non-residents’ claims have no legal nexus to Missouri.

Next stop? Governor Mike Parson’s desk for signature, which will likely occur based on positive statements he has made about the bill: “[p]assing venue and joinder reform is a huge win and will provide long overdue relief to Missouri businesses that have been taken advantage of by rampant abuse of our state’s legal system….I look forward to signing these positive reforms to improve our state’s competitiveness, strengthen our legal climate, and bring fairness to our courtrooms.” 

Prior to its passage, while the House did not change the Senate’s language, there was not a lack of effort by some opponents in the House. For example, the “innocent seller” provision of the bill caused a bit of an uproar with some members. This provision discourages lawsuits against a defendant whose liability is based only on its status as a seller in the stream of commerce, permitting such a defendant to seek to be dismissed from a lawsuit. Certain House members challenged this provision in light of the current law not divesting a Missouri court of venue or jurisdiction  against  such a defendant in the event of a dismissal that was otherwise proper at the time the lawsuit began. However, Senate Bill 7removes that protection. Opponents of the bill argued that removing the current provision could force a lawsuit naming such a protected innocent seller entity to move to another county or state. Proponents of the bill countered that this was a prudent way to prevent plaintiffs from unnecessarily suing anybody and everybody in the manufacturing and distribution chain.

The House opponents were unsuccessful, Senate Bill 7 was passed.  It will officially become law once it receives the Governor’s stamp of approval.