Automattic Inc. pays after losing case against TrustedWatch

  HEILBRONN, GERMANY - 07/05/2016 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

The 2014 ruling made by the Halle State Court could hardly be any clearer. Savvy lawyer Peter Kehl was able to enforce far-reaching demand against US company Automattic Inc., doing business as WordPress, on behalf of TrustedWatch GmbH.

The lawyer has now managed to force Automattic Inc. to pay the damages that the court had ordered. Automattic Inc. and its CEO Matt Mullenberg had long ignored the judgement and its consequences, but Kehl took all of the necessary steps on behalf of TrustedWatch to enforce the claim. In the end, the management team at Automattic Inc. saw no alternative than to make the full payment. 

For Kehl, this is only consistent and logical: “We cannot allow US companies to believe that they can ignore German and European law.” Kehl’s consistent approach has made it possible for those damaged by WordPress blogs to pursue slander and libel claims against Automattic Inc. in German courts.

Kehl is unaware of any other case where Automattic Inc. submitted to the verdict of a German court, although the number of cases of libel and slander on WordPress blogs probably number in the thousands.

Currently, Kehl is preparing his next case against Automattic Inc. on behalf of TrustedWatch GmbH. For TrustedWatch CEO Frank Ammann, lawyer Peter Kehl is “a godsend for anyone who wants to claim damages against American companies like Automattic Inc.”