Any agreement or stipulation, verbal or written, whereby the venue prescribed in this article is proposed to be altered or changed so that actions may be commenced contrary to the provisions of this article, is void.

In all counties having two courthouses, the provisions of this chapter shall not affect any local laws relating to venue in force at the adoption of this Code.

The venue for all civil actions for damages for personal injury, death, or property damage filed against a county or against a municipality shall be in the county or in the county within which the municipality is located or in the county in which the act or omission complained of occurred.

(a) In proceedings of a legal nature against individuals:

(1) All actions for the recovery of land, of the possession thereof or for a trespass thereto must be commenced in the county where the land or a material part thereof lies.

(2) All actions on contracts, except as may be otherwise provided, must be commenced in the county in which the defendant or one of the defendants resides if such defendant has within the state a permanent residence.

(3) All other personal actions, if the defendant or one of the defendants has within the state a permanent residence, may be commenced in the county of such residence or in the county in which the act or omission complained of may have been done or may have occurred.

(b) In proceedings of an equitable nature against individuals:

(1) All actions where real estate is the subject matter of the action, whether it is the exclusive subject matter of the action or not, must be commenced in the county where the same or a material portion thereof is situated.

(2) If the action is to enjoin proceedings on judgments in other courts, it may be commenced in the county in which such proceedings are pending or judgment entered.

(3) Except as may be otherwise provided, actions must be commenced in the county in which the defendant or a material defendant resides.

(4) In the case of nonresidents, actions must be commenced in the county where the subject of the action or any portion of the same was when the claim arose or the act on which the action is founded was to be performed.

Either party to a civil action may move the court to change the venue at any time before final trial, making affidavit that for causes set forth, he cannot have a fair and impartial trial in the county where the action is pending. The court may direct a change to the nearest county free from proper objection by either party, to be determined by affidavits and, whenever it will best secure the ends of justice, it may require the applicant to give bond and security for costs. The same party can have the venue changed but once.

(a) With respect to civil actions filed in an appropriate venue, any court of general jurisdiction shall, for the convenience of parties and witnesses, or in the interest of justice, transfer any civil action or any claim in any civil action to any court of general jurisdiction in which the action might have been properly filed and the case shall proceed as though originally filed therein. Provided, however, this section shall not apply to cases subject to Section 30-3-5.

(b) The right of a party to move for a change or transfer of venue pursuant to this statute is cumulative and in addition to the rights of a party to move for a change or transfer of venue pursuant to Section 6-3-20, Section 6-3-21 or Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure.

A defendant in a civil action may move for a transfer of venue as provided in the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure.

When a change or transfer of venue has been ordered pursuant to Section 6-3-20 or Section 6-3-21, the clerk of the court shall make a copy of the docket sheet in the action and shall certify under the seal of the court that the same is a true copy. The clerk shall envelope and securely seal the copy of the docket sheet, together with the orders, pleadings, motions, or other papers in the action, shall write his name across the seal and shall certify on the back of the envelope that the enclosed papers, numbered from 1 - __, include all the orders, pleadings, motions, or other papers in the action, naming it; and such signatures and certificates must be received as true until the contrary is shown. The clerk may deliver this package in person or send it by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the clerk of the court to which such action has been changed or transferred, and, if not mutilated or defaced, it must be presumed to be as it came from the hands of the clerk of the court from which the action is changed or transferred. The clerk of the court to which such action has been changed or transferred shall cause notice of such change or transfer to be served on all parties of record as provided in the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure. The time for answer by any defending party shall be governed by and shall be computed in accordance with the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure; except, that said time period shall commence to run from the service of notice of change or transfer.

In all actions for work and labor done or breaches of contracts or covenants as to easements or rights-of-way, the action may be commenced in the county in which the work was done or in which the land is situated as to which the easement or right-of-way was granted.

All unincorporated organizations or associations of every kind that issue policies or certificates of insurance of any kind to their members shall be subject to a civil action in any county where they do business or issue such policies or certificates, and the summons may be executed upon them by serving a copy of the summons and complaint upon any officer of such organization or association.

Repealed by Act 99-249, §2, effective July 24, 1999.

Action against an unincorporated organization or association may be commenced in any county where such organization or association does business or has in existence a branch or local organization.

(a) All civil actions against corporations may be brought in any of the following counties:

(1) In the county in which a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred, or a substantial part of real property that is the subject of the action is situated; or

(2) In the county of the corporation's principal office in this state; or

(3) In the county in which the plaintiff resided, or if the plaintiff is an entity other than an individual, where the plaintiff had its principal office in this state, at the time of the accrual of the cause of action, if such corporation does business by agent in the county of the plaintiff's residence; or

(4) If subdivisions (1), (2), or (3) do not apply, in any county in which the corporation was doing business by agent at the time of the accrual of the cause of action.

(b) The residence of only any properly joined named class representative or representatives may be considered in determining proper venue in a class action. The residency of any putative or actual member of a class other than a named representative shall not be considered in determining proper venue for a class action.

(c) Anything to the contrary in Rule 82(c) of the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure notwithstanding, in any action against a corporation, venue must be proper as to each and every named plaintiff joined in the action, unless the plaintiffs shall establish that they assert any right to relief jointly, severally, or arising out of the same transaction or occurrence and that the existence of a substantial number of questions of law or material fact common to all those persons not only will arise in the action, but also: (1) that such questions will predominate over individualized questions pertaining to each plaintiff; (2) the action can be maintained more efficiently and economically for all parties than if prosecuted separately; and (3) that the interest of justice supports the joinder of the parties as plaintiffs in one action. If venue is improper for any plaintiff joined in the action, then the claim of any such plaintiff shall be severed and transferred to a court where venue is proper. In the event severance and transfer is mandated and venue is appropriate in more than one court, a defendant sued alone or multiple defendants, by unanimous agreement, shall have the right to select such other court to which the action shall be transferred and, where there are multiple defendants who are unable to agree upon a transferee court, the court in which the action was originally filed may transfer the action to any such other court. Transfer of the action and notice thereof shall be in accord with Section 6-3-22.

(d) Notwithstanding Section 6-3-10, or any local laws relating to venue, in any county having two courthouses, the divisions shall be treated as two separate judicial districts for purposes of venue and for purposes of any change or transfer of venue, unless the jury venire is drawn from throughout the entire county.

(a) At the election of the Attorney General, all actions of summary proceedings by or for the use of the state founded on breach of the official bond of a state officer or a former state officer, of a tax collector or former tax collector, of a judge of probate or former judge of probate, of a tax assessor or former tax assessor, or clerk of the circuit court or former clerk of the circuit court may be commenced in the circuit court of Montgomery County or in a court of the county in which any one of the obligors in such bond may reside.

(b) An action on the official bond executed by a sheriff or any deputy sheriff may be commenced only in the county of residence of the principal or in the county in which he resided at the time of the execution of the same; provided, that if the act complained of was committed in some county other than the county in which he resided, then such action may be commenced in the county where such act was committed.

All actions where the prison system or the state on account of the prison system is interested must be commenced in Montgomery County in any court having jurisdiction of the amount involved, except actions to condemn property under Section 18-1A-271, which must be commenced in the county where the property sought to be condemned is located. And if, on the trial of any case in any county, it is suggested by the Board of Corrections or is otherwise shown that the state is interested on account of the prison system, such case must be transferred to the proper court of Montgomery County. All actions commenced under this section must be commenced in the name of the state.