I am a resident of Worcester County, Massachusetts and I am preparing a civil complaint to be filed in U.S. District Court within the next few weeks. The question is around proper venue and jurisdiction.
The defendants are (1) a municipality incorporated in Worcester County, (2) a police officer (being sued in his/her individual capacity) who resides in Worcester County, and (3) an out-of-state law enforcement agency.
Should this federal action be brought in U.S. District Court in Boston or in Worcester? Can this combined action in Massachusetts include the out-of-state law enforcement agency? Or, will that defendant need to be sued in that other state?
Answer
My advice is to hire an attorney. If you have a legitimate, worthwhile claim, you should be able to find a competent civil rights counsel who will take your case on a contingency basis, i.e., taking a percentgage of the recovery. Going it alone is never a good idea, especially in federal court.
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