376 U.S. 612 (1964)
Van Dusen v. Barrack is a seminal U.S.
Does a transfer of venue under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a) change the applicable choice of law from that of the transferor court to that of the transferee court?
A transfer of venue under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a) does not change the applicable choice of law. The transferee court must apply the same substantive state law, including choice of law principles, that the transferor court would have applied.
The Supreme Court held that the law of the transferor state, including its choice of law rules, should be applied by the transferee court following a § 1404(a) transfer.
Van Dusen v. Barrack is a landmark case in clarifying federal venue transfer statutes and their effects on choice of law. It is taught extensively in civil procedure courses as it directly addresses how venue transfers within the federal system interact with state substantive law principles. Its ruling helps ensure that venue transfers are used as a procedural mechanism rather than a tool for altering substantive legal outcomes, thereby preserving plaintiffs' rights.