Elon Musk moves all X lawsuits to 'conservative' Texas court; here's why

This shift is seen by experts as a strategic move, known as "forum shopping", aimed at securing more favourable outcomes in a court district aligned with conservative viewpoints

US billionaire Elon Musk has specified that all legal disputes involving his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), must now be addressed in the Northern District of Texas, effective from November 15, according to a report in The Washington Post.

 

This shift is seen by experts as a strategic move, often called ‘forum shopping’, aimed at securing more favourable outcomes in a court district aligned with conservative viewpoints. Unlike most companies that select court venues based on their headquarters’ location — such as Meta, which handles Instagram cases in California — X will now direct its cases to a district where the majority of judges were appointed by Republican presidents.

 

 

Implications of the Texas court selection

Legal analysts interpret Musk’s choice as a tactic to shelter X from critical scrutiny, particularly as the platform faces concerns about misinformation and perceived conservative biases. Steve Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown, noted that 10 out of 11 judges in the Northern District of Texas were appointed by Republican presidents, a factor that could influence rulings to Musk’s advantage.

 

Musk’s political associations, including his support for US President-elect Donald Trump, add another layer to this approach. A Trump presidency could reduce regulatory pressures on X, although state attorneys general and other entities may still pursue litigation against the media platform.

 

The Northern District of Texas is known as a venue for conservative cases, often involving issues such as immigration and gun laws. However, GS Hans from Cornell University points out that its judges have limited experience in handling tech-related cases. Judge Reed O’Connor, who owns shares in Tesla, another Musk enterprise, is currently presiding over a defamation suit involving X and Media Matters, which has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest from advocacy groups.

 

Surge in Musk’s wealth

Recently, Elon Musk’s wealth reached a new peak, surpassing $300 billion for the first time in three years. This increase is driven by Tesla’s rising market value, bolstered by optimism following the US presidential election. Many investors expect that pro-business policies under a Trump administration would benefit Musk's businesses, such as Tesla and SpaceX, contributing to the current surge in Tesla’s stock price.