Venue Transfer Denied

With most high-profile public-law litigation in the Second and Ninth Circuits at present, the recent “Venue Wars” have cooled off, but venue disputes persist. In In re Trubridge, Inc., the Fifth Circuit found no clear abuse of discretion in denying a transfer motion, even though a forum-selection clause referred to Alabama courts.

The Court concluded the clause was unenforceable because Louisiana has a strong public policy barring forum-selection clauses in contracts with public entities, and the plaintiff here—a Louisiana political subdivision—fell squarely within that protectiion. With no forum-selection clause to trigger the Atlantic Marine framework, the district court proceed under Section 1404(a). The Court held the district court “explicitly considered the convenience of the parties and various public-interest considerations but simply concluded that none warranted transfer ….” No. 5-30727; Jan. 30, 2026.