The clerk, or a deputy clerk, of the district court of Montgomery county shall maintain an office at the city of Independence and at the city of Coffeyville, in Montgomery county, Kansas. All actions commenced in the court shall be entitled in the court “sitting at Independence” or “sitting at Coffeyville,” as the case may be, and all actions shall be filed, process issued from and be returned to and trial had in the court sitting at the place designated in the title, except as otherwise provided by law. Any action pending in the district court sitting at either city may be assigned or transferred for hearing or trial to the court sitting at the other city, either by order of the district court of Montgomery county or the judge of that court or by stipulation of the parties.