Automattic refutes WP Engine’s sanctions bid in legal dispute

Image credit: Search Engine Journal

Automattic Inc. denied allegations it destroyed evidence in its legal battle with WP Engine, refuting a motion for sanctions filed by the web hosting company on Tuesday in a United States court.

WP Engine had sought the dismissal of Automattic‘s trademark infringement counterclaims and attorney’s fees, accusing Automattic founder Matt Mullenweg and the company of intentionally deleting communications from Signal, Telegram and WhatsApp.

In a court filing, Automattic called WP Engine’s request “desperate,” asserting that any missing communications were personal and irrelevant to the case.

Automattic stated that its legal team reviewed 1.5 million documents and imaged five of Mullenweg’s devices, finding no case-relevant messages had been deleted.

WP Engine’s claims centered on a public post by Mullenweg on Sept. 21, 2024, where he advised the use of ephemeral messaging for sensitive information.

Automattic countered this by citing Mullenweg’s deposition testimony, in which he detailed his Signal account settings and practices.

The company emphasized that its extensive discovery process demonstrated a thorough effort to preserve and produce all relevant information.

This latest exchange escalates a contentious legal dispute between the two prominent WordPress-related companies.

Source: Search Engine Journal