Patriot Coal Corporation filed for bankruptcy in New York, but the court moved the case to Missouri based on where the company actually operated and where most parties involved were located. The judge used a legal rule that allows courts to transfer cases when it serves the interests of justice, even if the company technically filed in the right place. For subcontractors, this means bankruptcy cases can be moved to different courts depending on where the work happened and where creditors are based.
Filing a bankruptcy case in one location doesn't guarantee it stays there—courts can transfer cases to where the company actually does business