Art. 615.  Improper venue; pleading

Improper venue shall be raised in advance of trial by motion to quash, and shall be tried by the judge alone.  Venue shall not be considered an essential element to be proven by the state at trial, rather it shall be a jurisdictional matter to be proven by the state by a preponderance of the evidence and decided by the court in advance of trial.

Acts 1988, No. 554, §1.