realestate

CoStar declines to oppose Zillow's request to relocate copyright case

CoStar's Gene Boxer says they won't oppose the transfer, but will hold Zillow accountable in its own backyard.

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oStar’s general counsel Gene Boxer announced that the company will not oppose Zillow’s request to move the copyright infringement case from the Southern District of New York to the Western District of Washington in Seattle. The transfer, filed on Dec. 3, requires Judge Edgardo Ramos’s approval. Zillow first asked for the shift in September, noting that most witnesses are near its Seattle headquarters.

    Boxer said CoStar is focused on a swift, fair resolution. “We do not oppose the transfer because Zillow has acknowledged that the Western District is where its scheme was conceived and operated,” he explained. “Moreover, two major class actions—one on lead diversion and another on steering consumers to high‑priced mortgages—are now proceeding in the same Seattle courthouse.” He added that CoStar looks forward to proving its claims under Ninth Circuit law and holding Zillow accountable in its own backyard.

    The lawsuit, filed on July 30, accuses Zillow of copyright infringement for using more than 46,000 watermarked photos owned by CoStar’s Homes.com. Zillow countered that the suit was a “calculated attempt to misuse copyright law to sideline Zillow and lock in CoStar’s control.” After removing the disputed images in early September, CoStar alleges Zillow continues to use nearly 8,000 of the flagged photos and over 6,000 additional CoStar‑owned images.

    By agreeing to the transfer, CoStar signals readiness to pursue the case in Seattle, where the legal battles over Zillow’s business practices are already unfolding.

CoStar declines to oppose Zillow's request to relocate copyright case to court.