It’s very encouraging to see the courts upholding common sense in favor of the broader WordPress community.

Recently, Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín of the Northern California District Court granted WP Engine’s motion for a preliminary injunction against Automattic and Matt Mullenweg. This decision follows a toxic months-long dispute regarding WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org and Automattic’s usurping control over plugins.

The court ruled that, within 72 hours, Automattic and Matt Mullenweg must…

stop blocking WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org
stop disrupting WP Engine’s plugins
stop interfering with WP Engine-hosted WordPress installations
restore WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org
remove any unauthorized data, helping to stabilize the platform’s ecosystem

This ruling is a significant victory for WP Engine, which argued that it faced irreparable harm, including lost clients and damaged customer trust, due to Automattic’s actions. The court acknowledged that this dispute has had broader negative consequences for the WordPress community, and granted the injunction in the public’s best interest.

It’s refreshing to see a decision that prioritizes stability for the WordPress ecosystem. This ruling ensures that WP Engine can continue to support its clients and maintain a robust platform, ultimately benefiting the entire WordPress community.

WP Engine could do better to support the community, absolutely, but Matt Mullenweg’s actions have introduced a shocking amount of toxicity and uncertainty into the marketplace for months. I’m glad to see the court feels he doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

Source / WP Tavern: https://wptavern.com/court-grants-wp-engine-preliminary-injunction-against-automattic