Republic of Bolivia v. Philip Morris Companies, Inc.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
39 F.Supp. 2d 1008 (S.D. Tex. 1999)
Relevant factsFree
The Republic of Bolivia (plaintiff) sued Philip Morris Companies, Inc. (defendant), a tobacco manufacturer, seeking healthcare costs for treating Bolivian citizens with tobacco-related illnesses. The case was originally filed in a Texas county court and removed by Philip Morris to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, even though Bolivia had no real connection to that district.
IssueFree
Whether, under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a), a district court may sua sponte transfer an action to a different district court.