Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín found merit in WP Engine's claims that Automattic's actions harmed business relationships, saying Mullenweg's "conduct is designed to induce breach or disruption." It was noted that Automattic's accusations against WP Engine, such as misuse of the WordPress trademark and lack of contributions to the WordPress community, did not justify the interference with WP Engine's access. Additionally, the court did not accept Automattic's view that WP Engine's harm was self-imposed, recognizing their targeted actions against WP Engine.
While Defendants characterize WPEngine's harm as self-imposed because it built its business around a website 'that it had no contractual right to use...' Defendants' role in helping that harm materialize through their recent targeted actions toward WPEngine, and no other competitor, cannot be ignored. The court's emphasis on Automattic's targeted actions underscores the judiciary's recognition of the unique market position WP Engine occupies and the potential consequences of Automattic's campaign against them.
Collection
[
|
...
]