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Sen. Hart advances bill letting plaintiffs sue in their home county when defendants live out of state
Summary
Sen. Hart told the Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee S 1369 would let plaintiffs file civil suits in their home county if a defendant lives out of state, aiming to reduce prosecution costs; the committee voted to send the bill to the Senate floor with a do-pass recommendation after testimony from the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association.
Senator Hart presented S 1369, saying the bill would reorganize Title 5, Section 404 of the Idaho Code to permit a plaintiff to file a civil action in the county where the plaintiff lives if the defendant resides out of state. "This would lower the cost of prosecution," Hart said, using an example where the offense and defendant were both located outside Idaho and the plaintiff faced inconvenience and added expense.
Senator Ricks asked for concrete examples and raised a hypothetical where plaintiff and defendant live in different counties within Idaho; Hart clarified the bill applies only when the defendant lives out of state. Barbara Jordan, executive director of the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association, testified in support and urged revising the old statute to allow greater flexibility. Senator Ricks moved and Senator Keyser seconded to send S 1369 to the floor with a do-pass recommendation; the motion carried by voice vote.
