Elon Musk moves all lawsuits against X to conservative Texas court, 'forum shopping,' says experts: Report

Experts see Musk's decision as a tactic to protect X from critics

Elon Musk has decided that all lawsuits against his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), must now be filed in the conservative Northern District of Texas, a move experts describe as “forum shopping” to find favorable rulings, reported the Washington Post. Experts describe this move as “forum shopping” to find favorable rulings. Typically, companies pick court districts tied to their headquarters, like Meta using California courts for Instagram. But under X's new terms of service, effective November 15, legal matters will be heard in a district known for Republican-appointed judges.

Experts see Musk's decision as a tactic to protect X from critics, especially as the platform faces scrutiny for election misinformation and conservative bias claims. Georgetown law professor Steve Vladeck points out that 10 of the 11 judges in the district were appointed by Republican presidents, which could sway rulings in Musk’s favor.

Musk's influence in politics, including support for Donald Trump, adds another layer to his strategy. A Trump victory could lessen regulatory oversight on X, though state attorneys general and others might still pursue litigation.

The Northern District of Texas has become a legal hub for conservative challenges on issues like immigration and gun control, but its judges have little experience with tech industry lawsuits, according to Cornell’s G.S. Hans. One judge, Reed O'Connor, who holds stocks in Tesla (another Musk company), is overseeing X’s defamation case against Media Matters, raising potential conflicts of interest that advocacy groups are watching closely.