Reported / Citable
Background
Maria Sanchez filed this putative collective action against Tele-Direct Communications Inc. in the Eastern District of California. The complaint was filed on May 8, 2026, and sought relief on behalf of Sanchez and putative collective members employed by Tele-Direct in multiple states.
The parties jointly stipulated to transfer the action to the Western District of Texas. They represented that Sanchez lives in Leander, Texas; a substantial part of the events or omissions underlying her claims occurred in that district; and more than half of the putative collective members worked in Texas, while none worked in California.
The Court’s Holding
Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley ordered the case transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The order was based on the parties’ stipulation and the court’s finding that good cause appeared.
The stipulated grounds invoked 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a): the Western District of Texas was a district where the action could have been brought, was more convenient for the parties and witnesses, and was a forum to which both parties consented. Tele-Direct also submitted to that court’s personal jurisdiction for the claims in the complaint.
Key Takeaways
- A jointly requested § 1404(a) transfer may be granted when the parties show convenience and that the transferee district is a proper forum.
- The plaintiff’s residence and the location of relevant events and putative collective members supported transfer to Texas.
- The transfer order did not decide the merits of Sanchez’s claims.
Why It Matters
The order moves the litigation from California to the forum with the stronger connection to the named plaintiff, the alleged underlying events, and much of the proposed collective. It also illustrates that a defendant’s consent to personal jurisdiction can eliminate a potential obstacle to an agreed venue transfer.