Adachi

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO DISMISS FOR IMPROPER VENUE; GRANTING MOTION TO TRANSFER ACTION TO CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(3), Defendants move to dismiss the complaint for improper venue or, alternatively, to transfer the action to the Central District of California. Defendants also move to compel arbitration of Plaintiffs’s claims pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act. Plaintiffs oppose all motions and separately move for a protective order barring Defendants’ communication with putative class members. Defendants oppose Plaintiffs’ motion for a protective order. For the reasons set forth below, the court denies the motion to dismiss for improper venue, grants the motion to transfer to the Central District of California and denies all other pending motions as moot. The Clerk of Court is instructed to transfer this action to the Central District of California.

BACKGROUND

On November 5, 2008 Plaintiffs Steve Adachi, Jeremy Arson, Ericka Gardea, Michael Gardea, Glenn Henderson, Mary Henderson, Steve Henderson, Vietoire Havland, Douglas Kim, Imman Moham-madpour, Riye Park, Eileen Peviani, Ted Sumida, and Jessica' Vanderlan commenced…