A panel of judges on Tuesday chose the federal court in San Francisco to oversee nearly 500 civil lawsuits filed against Volkswagen AG by vehicle dealers and owners over the automaker’s emissions-cheating scandal. The decision bypassed Detroit, where at least 50 cases are pending in federal court, and where VW had its headquarters from 1991 to 2008.The Detroit venue was supported by VW, the federal government and several plaintiffs who noted the Eastern District of Michigan is where Environmental Protection Agency has emissions-testing facilities and where VW’s Engineering and Environmental Office is located. Advocates also had pointed to Metro Detroit’s concentration of automotive engineering experts and institutions.
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