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The US District Judge Mark Pittman, in an important legal development, has issued a verdict in the lawsuit filed by Elon Musk against OpenAI and Apple. The US federal court declared that the dispute between Elon Musk's companies and tech giants Apple and OpenAI will stay in Fort Worth, Texas.
In a biting four-page order, Judge Pittman criticized the defendants' lack of substance in choosing the venue. At the same time, he has stated his concerns regarding the attempts to manipulate jurisdiction.
The legal fight began in August 2025 when Musk-owned companies X and xAI sued Apple and OpenAI for participating in an “anticompetitive scheme” to eliminate competition in the AI market. The case states that the strategic partnership between Apple and OpenAI features ChatGPT as part of Apple's products, and this one move has effectively blocked rival products like Grok from gaining traction on the Apple App Store.
The complaint seeks billions of dollars in damages, claiming the tech companies engaged in monopolistic behaviors that limit innovation and consumer choice. In response, Apple has denied wrongdoing, saying, even if it is now partnering with OpenAI, it may partner with the rivals of OpenAI in the future as well.
Moreover, the smartphone giant has appealed to the court to dismiss the case because the alleged antitrust injury is completely based on “speculation on top of speculation.”
Judge Pittman's ruling to keep the lawsuit in Fort Worth is striking, as it unequivocally criticizes the forum-shopping strategies employed by Musk's companies. The ruling even highlighted that the docket of the Fort Worth division is two to three times busier than the nearby Dallas division, despite having fewer judges.
He remarked that neither Apple nor OpenAI has a substantial connection to Fort Worth, except for a couple of retail stores. He mentioned, “under that logic, there is not a district and division in the entire United States that would not be an appropriate venue for this lawsuit.”
The judge even referred to the City of Fort Worth's Business Services page “to get started” on their headquarters move when he included a cheeky footnote.
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The decision to retain the lawsuit in Texas is a notable development in the continued review of high-profile technology companies, as it shows both the struggle companies encounter in litigation, as well as the challenges they experience when the decisions they make go through judicial scrutiny.
For Musk, this decision allows him a procedural victory and to stay in a forum that might favor him and his companies. The court's sharp comments suggest that the issues are far from over. However, the court's pointed remarks suggest that the legal battle is far from over, and the legal scrutiny will become intense in the coming months.
