Move, Inc. announced Friday that it had settled the contempt motion it had filed as part of its lawsuit against Zillow alleging breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and misappropriation of trade secrets. In a statement released to HousingWire:
"Today we reached a confidential settlement of the contempt motion in the case of Move, Inc. et al. vs. Zillow, Inc. et al. While we cannot reveal its details, we're absolutely thrilled with the result, and now it's full-steam ahead with the prosecution of this litigation, which alleges the massive theft of trade secrets, the compromise of confidential business strategies, stolen electronic equipment and the destruction of documents, grossly anti-competitive behavior and other serious breaches of integrity and honest corporate practices."
Move and the National Association of Realtors filed suit against Zillow on March 17, 2014, after Move's chief strategy officer resigned from Move on March 5, 2014, and joined Zillow as the company's second-highest paid executive on the same day. The lawsuit alleges that Samuelson's knowledge of Move's trade secrets and strategies would make it impossible for him to function in his new job at Zillow without divulging those secrets.
The past year has seen a full-on battle in the war for online real estate listings, with Zillow and former rival Trulia teaming up and Rupert Murdoch-owned News Corp buying Move. Here's a timeline:
March 5, 2014 — Samuelson resigns from Move as chief strategy officer, joins Zillow
March 5, 2014 — Move and NAR file suit for breach of contract
July 2, 2014 — Judge issues preliminary injunction against Zillow, Errol Samuelson
July 28, 2014 — Zillow enters into definitive agreement to buy rival Trulia
Sep. 30, 2014 — News Corp announces it will buy Move for $950 million
Jan. 7, 2015 — Zillow announces it will end ListHub listing agreement on April 7
Jan. 15, 2015 — Judge grants Move/NAR motion for contempt
Feb. 19, 2015 — Move-owned ListHub terminates Trulia relationship
Feb. 20, 2015 — Zillow Group launches legal fight to keep ListHub listings on Trulia
Feb. 24, 2015 — Court rules ListHub must continue to provide listing data to Trulia
March 12, 2015 — Zillow/Trulia settle with Move, ListHub listings will disappear in April
March 27, 2015 — Move and Zillow settle contempt motion in Move's lawsuit against Zillow
