PPGMR Defeats Summary Judgment in Antitrust Battle Over Mobile Dial Code Market

January 2020 - Julie Greathouse and Christine Dillard of PPGMR Law, along with co-counsel David Kesselman and Trevor Stockinger of Kesselman Brantley Stockinger LLP, representing plaintiff Sumotext Corp., successfully defeated a motion for summary judgment in a federal antitrust case involving the leasing and servicing of mobile dial codes (often referred to as mobile StarStar numbers).  Sumotext contends that defendants Virtual Hold Technology, LLC, StarSteve LLC, VHT StarStar LLC, and Zoove Corp., embarked upon an anticompetitive scheme to restrain trade and monopolize the markets for leasing and servicing of mobile dial codes – in violation of Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act.  After extensive briefing and oral argument, the district court issued a written order denying in full defendants’ motion for summary judgment on December 20, 2019.  Trial is scheduled to commence on February 24, 2020.  The case is Sumotext Corp. v. Zoove, Inc., et al., Case No. 5:16-cv-01370-BLF-NMCx (N.D. Cal.).  To read the Court’s order click here.