The Northern California District Court, led by Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín, has issued a preliminary injunction in favor of WP Engine in its legal dispute with Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com, and its CEO, Matt Mullenweg. This decision, handed down after a contentious hearing on November 26, 2024, requires Automattic to cease actions that WP Engine claims were harming its business and access to the WordPress ecosystem.
Key Provisions of the Injunction
The injunction mandates Automattic and Mullenweg to immediately halt activities that WP Engine alleged were disruptive, including:
1. Blocking WP Engine’s Access: Automattic must stop interfering with WP Engine’s ability to access WordPress.org.
2. Control Over Plugins: WP Engine’s plugins on WordPress.org must not be disrupted or tampered with.
3. Unauthorized Updates: Automattic must refrain from interfering with WP Engine installations through unapproved migrations or updates.
Additionally, Automattic has 72 hours to:
– Remove WP Engine customer data from the controversial “domains.csv” file hosted on the WP Engine Tracker website.
– Restore WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org, including employee login credentials, as they existed on September 20, 2024.
– Eliminate a mandatory checkbox introduced on the WordPress.org login page.
– Reinstate WP Engine’s access to the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin.
Court’s Reasoning Behind the Decision
Judge Martínez-Olguín evaluated the case based on four legal standards, known as the Winter elements, which guide courts in deciding whether to grant injunctive relief.
1. Likelihood of Success: The court found that WP Engine is likely to prevail on its claims of intentional interference with its contractual relationships. Automattic’s counterarguments were deemed unpersuasive.
2. Irreparable Harm: WP Engine presented compelling evidence, including the loss of a $40,000 client contract and increased customer cancellations. The court agreed that these damages were substantial and difficult to remedy without intervention.
3. Balance of Equities: The court ruled that the hardships WP Engine faces far outweigh any potential inconvenience to Automattic. The injunction essentially requires Automattic to revert to pre-dispute conditions.
4. Public Interest: Highlighting the impact on over 40% of the world’s websites that rely on WordPress, the court emphasized the importance of maintaining stability within the WordPress ecosystem. Disruptions, financial losses, and operational challenges caused by the dispute were deemed contrary to the public interest.
Implications for WP Engine and WordPress Users
The ruling underscores the significant harm WP Engine reported, including:
– A 14% rise in daily customer cancellations from September 26–30, 2024.
– A further 17% increase in cancellations from October 1–14, compared to earlier in September.
– Damage to WP Engine’s reputation, customer relationships, and market position.
Judge Martínez-Olguín declined to require WP Engine to post a bond, asserting that Automattic was unlikely to suffer significant harm from reverting to the pre-September 20, 2024, status quo.
Responses from Both Parties
Both companies issued public statements reflecting their perspectives on the ruling:
– Automattic: In a tweet, Automattic described the injunction as a temporary measure that maintains the status quo and expressed confidence in prevailing at trial after full discovery and review of the case’s merits.
– WP Engine: WP Engine expressed gratitude for the court’s decision, emphasizing that the ruling restores stability for its customers and the broader WordPress community.
What’s Next?
The preliminary injunction is effective immediately and will remain in place until a final judgment is issued after the trial. However, the ruling leaves some questions unanswered, such as the fate of the “Secure Custom Fields” plugin, which WP Engine has criticized for mimicking ACF Pro features.
As this legal battle unfolds, its outcome could have far-reaching consequences for the WordPress community and the relationship between platform developers and third-party providers like WP Engine. For now, users and businesses dependent on WordPress can breathe a sigh of relief as some stability returns to the ecosystem.
We are grateful that the court has granted our motion for a preliminary injunction that restores access to and functionality of wordpressdotorg for WP Engine, its customers and its users.
This ruling provides much-needed stability for the WordPress ecosystem. We deeply…— WP Engine (@wpengine) December 11, 2024
