burnett new york central argued march decided april petitioner brought action ohio jurisdiction respondent properly served process federal employers liability act fela days expiration limitation period provided act ohio law venue improper action dismissed eight days later expiration period petitioner filed fela action federal district dismissed complaint untimely appeals affirmed held timely fela action begun state jurisdiction defendant served process case dismissed improper venue fela time limitation tolled pendency state suit state order dismissing action becomes final pp reversed remanded douglas cole argued cause petitioner brief otto putnick roy short argued cause filed brief respondent justice goldberg delivered opinion march petitioner resident kentucky began action federal employers liability act stat amended et seq ed common pleas hamilton county ohio alleged injured march indiana course employment respondent new york central railroad ohio jurisdiction action respondent properly served process action dismissed upon respondent motion however venue improper ohio transitory actions venue proper wherever defendant summoned see ohio rev code venue properly laid actions railroads recover personal injuries county plaintiff residence county injury occurred see ohio rev code loftus pennsylvania ohio june eight days state action dismissed petitioner brought identical action federal district southern district ohio district dismissed petitioner complaint ground although state suit brought within limitations period federal action timely barred limitation provision fela stat amended ed provides action shall maintained act unless commenced within three years day cause action accrued supp appeals rejecting petitioner argument suit state tolled fela limitation provision affirmed district dismissal suit appeals reasoned since limitation provision limit right rather contained act creates right limited limitation substantive procedural reason held ailure bring action within time prescribed extinguished cause action granted certiorari determine whether petitioner suit ohio state tolled fela statute limitations doubt matter federal law state action involved properly commenced within meaning federal limitation statute provides action shall maintained unless commenced within three years day cause action accrued held herb pitcairn process adequate bring parties start case course judicial handling may lead final judgment without issuance new initial process enough commence action within federal statute ohio law permitted state action simply transferred another state herb pitcairn holds timely problem however timely state action transferable ohio law rather dismissed new action brought federal three years cause action accrued nonetheless reasons set hold principles underlying decision herb pitcairn lead conclusion petitioner state action tolled federal limitation provision therefore petitioner federal action timely basic question answered determining whether given set facts statute limitations tolled one legislative intent whether right shall enforceable prescribed time midstate horticultural pennsylvania classification provision substantive rather procedural determine whether circumstances limitation period may extended expressly held fela limitation period totally inflexible appropriate circumstances may extended beyond three years glus brooklyn eastern terminal see osbourne cir scarborough atlantic coast line cir frabutt new york supp authorities indicate basic inquiry whether congressional purpose effectuated tolling statute limitations given circumstances order determine congressional intent must examine purposes policies underlying limitation provision act remedial scheme developed enforcement rights given act examination leads us conclude effectuates basic congressional purposes enacting humane remedial act well policies embodied act limitation provision hold plaintiff begins timely fela action state competent jurisdiction service process made upon opposing party state action later dismissed improper venue fela limitation tolled pendency state action statutes limitations primarily designed assure fairness defendants statutes promote justice preventing surprises revival claims allowed slumber evidence lost memories faded witnesses disappeared theory even one claim unjust put adversary notice defend within period limitation right free stale claims time comes prevail right prosecute order railroad telegraphers railway express agency moreover courts relieved burden trying stale claims plaintiff slept rights policy repose designed protect defendants frequently outweighed however interests justice require vindication plaintiff rights thus held fela action barred though brought three years cause action accrued defendant misled plaintiff believing three years bring action glus brooklyn eastern terminal supra moreover held fela limitation provision tolled war prevented plaintiff bringing suit even though defendant case might know plaintiff disability might believe statute limitations renders immune suit see osbourne supra frabutt new york supra cases plaintiff slept rights rather prevented asserting considerations favor tolling federal statute limitations case similar leading extension limitation period cases mentioned petitioner sleep rights brought action within statutory period state competent jurisdiction service process made upon respondent notifying petitioner asserting cause action venue improper state ohio law venue objections may waived defendant evidently past cases defendant railroads including respondent waived objections venue suits nonresidents ohio proceed state courts petitioner failed file fela action federal courts disinterested solely felt state action sufficient respondent relied upon policy repose embodied limitation statute aware petitioner actively pursuing fela remedy fact respondent appeared specially ohio file motion dismissal grounds improper venue federal state jurisdictions recognized unfairness barring plaintiff action solely prior timely action dismissed improper venue applicable statute limitations run federal state systems justice rules devised prevent happening thus federal statute allows district district filed case laying venue wrong division district interest justice transfer case district division brought congress thereby recognized filing lawsuit shows proper diligence part plaintiff statutes limitation intended insure reason uncertainties proper venue mistake made interest justice may require complaint transferred order plaintiff penalized technicalities goldlawr heiman petitioner case instituted suit federal venue improper case simply transferred proper venue statute limitations barred action developed two methods preserving causes action otherwise barred passing limitation period plaintiff brought action improper venue first method analogous congressional statute permits transfer within state improper venue one venue proper held timely fela action brought state without proper venue service process issues statute limitations bar action later transferred proper state limitation period run herb pitcairn supra thus venue petitioner action proper county ohio ohio chose preserve improper venue actions means transfer statute petitioner action barred statute limitations second method used many preserve actions brought venue improper saving statute statute specifically gives plaintiff whose timely action dismissed procedural reasons improper venue specified time bring second action ohio statute ohio rev code petitioner action one arising ohio law additional year file action proper state causes action brought venue improper preserved one two methods factors point conclusion congress intend statute limitations bar plaintiff brings timely fela action state competent jurisdiction serves defendant process whose action later dismissed improper venue mean accept petitioner argument federal limitation provision incorporates ohio saving statute allow limitation provision incorporate state saving statutes produce nonuniform periods limitation several scope statutes length additional time allow vary considerably state state moreover saving statutes long recognized fela uniform operation neither deflected therefrom local statutes panama johnson second employers liability cases also specifically held period time within action may commenced material element uniformity operation congress wish destroyed varying provisions state statutes limitation engel davenport incorporation variant state saving statutes defeat aim federal limitation provision designed produce national uniformity hand accept respondent argument limitation provision tolled circumstances present even greater violence policies underlying limitation provision act produce substantial nonuniformity creating procedural anomaly plaintiff brings timely fela action federal venue improper barred subsequent running limitation period plaintiff brings timely fela action state venue improper barred subsequent running limitation period provided state transfer statute venue proper elsewhere state herb pitcairn supra however similar plaintiff state barred actions running limitation period state relies upon saving statute rather transfer statute preserve similar state actions thus effect nonuniform limitation provision produced yet pointed major reason federal limitation provision achieve national uniformity engel davenport supra moreover accept respondent position discourage fela actions courts certain yet congress providing concurrent state federal jurisdiction prohibiting removal fela cases federal courts sought protect plaintiff right bring fela action state see great northern alexander cf gibson venue clause transportation lawsuits law contemp prob pointed congress made clear various procedural statutes desire prevent timely actions brought courts improper venue merely limitation period expired action improper finally humanitarian purpose fela makes clear congress wish plaintiff deprived rights policy underlying statute limitations served considerations thus lead us conclude plaintiff begins timely fela action state jurisdiction serves defendant process plaintiff case dismissed improper venue fela limitation tolled pendency state suit believe interests uniformity embodied act best served holding rule tolling statute applies regardless whether state saving statute hold familiar principles applied statutes limitations limitation provision tolled state order dismissing state action becomes final running time appeal may taken entry final judgment appeal rule produces minor nonuniformity since time allowed taking appeal adopt state saving statutes far less uniform period saved statutes varies widely among saving statutes similarly toll federal statute reasonable time state orders plaintiff action dismissed create uncertainty exactly limitation period begins run uncertainty compounded applying equitable doctrine laches federal lawsuit brought dismissal state action whether laches bars action given case depends upon circumstances case question primarily addressed discretion trial gardner panama apply variance policies certainty uniformity underlying statute limitations conclude uniform rule tolling federal statute period pendency state action state dismissal order becomes final fair plaintiff defendant carries purposes fela best serves policies uniformity certainty underlying federal limitation provision applying principles present case since petitioner brought timely suit ohio served defendant process finding state action dismissed improper venue filed suit federal district eight days ohio dismissed action time appealing ohio order expired federal action timely appeals decision affirming district dismissal petitioner action therefore reversed case remanded proceedings consistent opinion reversed remanded footnotes distinction substantive procedural statutes limitations appears arisen cases involving conflicts laws see harrisburg davis mills restatement law conflict laws embodiment limitation provision statute creating right modifies might conceivably indicate legislative intent right limitation applied together right sued upon foreign forum fact right limitation written statute indicate legislative intent whether statute limitations tolled thus substantive procedural distinction seem little help deciding questions extending limitation period see glus brooklyn eastern terminal developments law statutes limitations harv rev note yale see rogers missouri pac see also griffith vindication national public policy federal employers liability act law contemp prob see act limitation proviso hen forasmuch time limitation appointed suing extend far long time past remembrance living man truly try know perfect certainty things hath shall come trial great danger mens consciences shall impanelled jury trial skelly jefferson state bank ohio ohio southern morey ohio provisions ohio rev code venue suit injuries person property railroad proper county cause action arose plaintiff resides thus venue action resident foreign state railroad arising accident outside state proper anywhere within ohio railroads agree venue ohio state case however evidently agreed told oral argument cases found involve accidents occurring plaintiffs reside outside county suit brought see woodworth new york central ohio numerous cases hold dismissal action improper venue terminate rights without hearing merits plaintiff action barred statute limitations interest justice requires cause transferred see gold griffith supp ind dennis galvanek supp schultz mcafee supp statutes appear relevant alaska stat rev stat deering cal code civ proc ann rules civ rule stat stat idaho code ann stat burns ind ann stat code civ proc ann mass laws ann stat ann stat ann miss code mont rev codes rev stat rev stat ann rules rev mckinney civ prac law rules stat century code rev stat code code vernon tex rules civ rule utah code ann code rev code code stat wyo stat civ proc code saving statutes appear relevant alaska stat one year ark stat one year stat one year del code ann tit one year code ann six months ann stat one year burns ind ann stat five years iowa code ann six months code civ proc ann six months rev stat days slovenko la civ code art complete tolling rev stat six months mass laws ann one year stat ann days miss code one year mont rev codes one year rev stat ann one year stat six months mckinney civ prac law rules six months stat one year ohio rev code one year stat tit one year rev stat one year laws one year code ann one year vernon tex civ stat tit art days utah code ann one year stat ann tit one year code one year code one year wyo stat one year see notes supra note infra additional year allowed six months six days two days one state five years one state one state imposes definite limitation upon additional time allowed see note supra nineteen appear applicable saving statute alabama hawaii maryland missouri nebraska pennsylvania appear neither saving transfer statute true lack transfer statutes saving statutes six see notes supra cf clayton act amended stat ed electric theater twentieth film supp mo subversive activities control act stat ed justice douglas justice black joins concurring federal question presented whether action timely started state timely started filing date federal governs commenced within three years day cause action accrued within meaning think commenced much action herb pitcairn reaching conclusion find necessary rely fact petitioner filed federal time appealing ohio order expired ante page instead rest simply ground process adequate bring parties start case course judicial handling may lead final judgment without issuance new initial process enough commence action within federal statute emphasis supplied see herb pitcairn dissenting opinion black setting forth requirements commencing fela action within meaning bona fide effort prosecute claim jurisdiction resulting notice defendant dismissal plaintiff delays inexcusably refiling suit proper defendant prejudiced delay action course barred laches gardner panama familiar equitable doctrine provides defendant adequate protection delay rejects established doctrine however creating new statute limitations makes timeliness federal cause action depend state time requirements adopted unrelated purposes vary state state federal rule laches contrast uncomplicated uniform directly responsive problem laches course application instant case petitioner filed federal eight days state action dismissed