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Civil Procedure

Jul. 29, 2026

WP Engine accuses WordPress creator of destroying key evidence

The plaintiff asked U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguín to instruct the jury to make an adverse inference about the deleted messages and preclude Mullenweg from testifying about their content.

WP Engine accuses WordPress creator of destroying key evidence
U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguín

Attorneys for WordPress hosting platform WPEngine, with Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, moved Tuesday to sanction WordPress creator Matthew Mullenweg, represented by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, alleging he destroyed text messages relevant to the case.

WPEngine, which alleges Mullenweg and Automattic Inc. orchestrated a campaign to interfere with its business, says the defendants deleted messages from WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram over a two-year period. According t...

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