Can a Trial Be Moved?

If you want to know what goes on behind the scenes when determining where your day in court will actually happen, you don’t want to miss this episode.

Welcome back to Lawyer Talk, where I tackle your legal questions with straight talk and real answers.

In this episode, I take on a question that comes up more often than you might think—where should a criminal trial actually be held?

A listener wrote in asking if you can be charged and brought to trial in a different county or district from where the crime supposedly happened. I dig into the concept of “venue” and explain how the law decides the proper place for a trial, using examples from my own practice—like high-speed chases that cross county lines or cases of theft that span multiple jurisdictions.

I’ll also break down just how hard it is to get a change of venue, what it really takes to convince a judge to move your case, and the role of special prosecutors and visiting judges when local bias might be an issue.

Here are 3 key takeaways for anyone interested in law, criminal justice, or just legal curiosities:

1. Venue matters—and it’s usually where the crime happened. Most criminal cases are tried in the county where the alleged crime took place. However, things get complicated with crimes that cross county lines or involve multiple jurisdictions.
2. Changing the location isn’t easy. Despite popular belief, you can’t just move your trial to a different county without strong evidence. The bar is set high: you’ll need to show it’s impossible to get a fair trial due to local bias or overwhelming media coverage.
3. Special scenarios require creative solutions. Sometimes, when there’s potential for local conflicts of interest, courts bring in outside prosecutors or visiting judges—or in rare cases, move the trial to another location entirely.

Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Call 614-859-2119 and leave us a voicemail. Steve will answer your question on the next podcast!

Submit your questions to www.lawyertalkpodcast.com.

Recorded at Channel 511.

Stephen E. Palmer, Esq. has been practicing criminal defense almost exclusively since 1995. He has represented people in federal, state, and local courts in Ohio and elsewhere.

Though he focuses on all areas of criminal defense, he particularly enjoys complex cases in state and federal courts.

He has unique experience handling and assembling top defense teams of attorneys and experts in cases involving allegations of child abuse (false sexual allegations, false physical abuse allegations), complex scientific cases involving allegations of DUI and vehicular homicide cases with blood alcohol tests, and any other criminal cases that demand jury trial experience.

Steve has unique experience handling numerous high-publicity cases that have garnered national attention.

For more information about Steve and his law firm, visit Palmer Legal Defense.

Copyright 2026 Stephen E. Palmer - Attorney At Law

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Circle 270 Media Podcast Consultants

Circle 270 Media® is a podcast consulting firm based in Columbus, Ohio, specializing in helping businesses develop, launch, and optimize podcasts as part of their marketing strategy. The firm emphasizes the importance of storytelling through podcasting to differentiate businesses and engage with their audiences effectively. www.circle270media.com