BREAKING: Judge Orders Elon Musk’s $3B Lawsuit Against Apple & OpenAI to Remain in Fort Worth

Texas justice prevails as federal judge rejects Big Tech's venue change request

MUSK'S HOME COURT ADVANTAGE

Elon Musk just scored a major legal victory in his blockbuster lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI. A federal judge ruled the case will stay right where Musk filed it—Fort Worth, Texas. No California transfer. No Silicon Valley home cooking.

TECH TITANS COLLIDE

This isn't just another corporate spat. We're talking about three of the most powerful forces in tech locked in a battle that could reshape AI development. Musk alleges Apple and OpenAI colluded to create "anti-competitive AI monopolies"—claims both companies vehemently deny.

WHY FORT WORTH MATTERS

Legal experts say keeping the case in Texas gives Musk significant strategic advantages. More favorable jury pool. Judges who've shown skepticism toward California tech giants. And let's be honest—everything's bigger in Texas, including potential damages.

THE STAKES JUST WENT UP

With the venue secured, discovery begins immediately. Internal documents. Executive communications. The kind of evidence that makes corporate lawyers lose sleep. Meanwhile, Apple and OpenAI stock barely blinked—because when you're sitting on trillion-dollar valuations, what's another lawsuit? Texas justice meets Silicon Valley disruption. Grab your popcorn.

Judge pressures Apple and OpenAI to move their headquarters

Even though the companies aren’t based in Fort Worth, Pittman sarcastically suggested they should be. “Given the present desire to have venue in Fort Worth,” he wrote, “the Court highly encourages the Parties to consider moving their headquarters to Fort Worth.” He even dropped a LINK to Fort Worth’s Business Services page to “get the process started.”

“Fort Worth has much more going for it than just the unique artwork on the fourth floor of its historic federal courthouse,” Pittman added. The jab landed hard, but that wasn’t the only one. He took a direct hit at what legal insiders call “forum-shopping,” the tactic of filing lawsuits in certain courts known to deliver favorable rulings.

X and Tesla, both controlled by Elon, have done this before, filing high-profile suits in Fort Worth. Pittman, appointed by former President Donald Trump, admitted that the Fort Worth court is getting slammed. He said its docket is “two to three times busier” than the Dallas division, which has more judges to handle cases.

Court keeps lawsuit despite weak local ties

Despite blasting the case’s weak ties to Fort Worth, Pittman said the court had “little, if any, choice.” He blamed the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Texas, for raising the bar on venue transfers.

Last year, that same court overturned two of his attempts to MOVE a banking case to Washington, D.C., calling his effort an “abuse of discretion.” Pittman’s not trying that again.

He wrote, “The fact that neither Defendant filed a motion to transfer venue serves as a consideration for the Court. And the Court ‘respect[s]’ Plaintiffs’ choice of venue.” But he made it clear he wasn’t thrilled. “This case contains at best minimal connections to the Fort Worth Division of the Northern District of Texas,” he wrote.

His most cutting line? “Venue is not a continental breakfast; you cannot pick and choose on a Plaintiffs’ whim where and how a lawsuit is filed.” Even with all that, Pittman kept the case in Fort Worth, because technically, Apple does sell iPhones there, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT is available nationwide. That, apparently, was just enough.

Earlier this month, a judge in Washington, D.C., denied Elon’s attempt to move an unrelated SEC lawsuit over Twitter (now X) to Texas. Elon, who bought Twitter and renamed it X, wanted the case heard on his home turf again, and failed. But this time, in Fort Worth, he got what he wanted.

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