Congressman Keith Self Reintroduces Bill to Allow Defendants to Transfer Court Venues from Washington, D.C. to their Home State

Congressman Keith Self reintroduced the Venue Named Under Exception Act, also known as the VENUE Act, with Congressman Troy E. Nehls as the co-lead. This bill would allow individuals charged with a crime on federal property in the Washington, D.C. area to transfer their trial to a federal court in their home jurisdiction.

“As we have seen in recent years, political bias has become increasingly prevalent in criminal trials,” said Congressman Self. “We can protect defendants from partisan trial outcomes by guaranteeing them the option to have a trial in their home state, as opposed to an overtly liberal Washington, D.C.”

“I’m proud to reintroduce the VENUE Act alongside my Texas colleague, Congressman Self,” said Congressman Nehls. “Every person charged with a federal crime in our nation’s capital should have the option to transfer their trial to a federal court in their home state. Over the past few years, partisan politics have played a role in criminal trials, and this bill will protect those charged with a federal crime in Washington, D.C., from partisan politics by guaranteeing them the option to have a trial in their home state.”

Read the full bill text HERE.

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