The U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware has issued a memorandum order in the case of LeGuide.com SAS (“Petitioner”) against Google LLC and Alphabet Inc. (“Respondents”). The case involves an ongoing dispute concerning alleged anticompetitive practices by Google in the online comparison-shopping market.
Key Decisions:
- Motion to Lift Stay
The court has granted LeGuide.com SAS’s motion to lift the stay on proceedings. This ruling allows the case to progress after previously being paused. - Application Under 28 U.S.C. § 1782
LeGuide’s application for judicial assistance under 28 U.S.C. § 1782 was denied without prejudice, meaning the petitioner may refile the request at a later stage. - Amendment to Subpoena Requests
The motion to amend subpoena requests was deemed moot and denied due to the court’s decision on other matters. - Motion to File a Response
The petitioner was granted leave to file a response to the Respondents’ notice of subsequent authority, a procedural step that was uncontested.
LeGuide.com SAS filed the original lawsuit on February 10, 2017, in the Paris Commercial Court, accusing Google and its affiliated entities, including Google Ireland Ltd. and Google France, of engaging in anticompetitive behavior. These alleged practices pertain to Google’s activities in the online comparison-shopping market, where LeGuide.com asserts unfair competition.
The U.S. court proceedings supplement the French legal action by seeking evidence and assistance under U.S. law to support the claims being litigated abroad.