Tea Partiers wage war against each other over a Google Groups account—Kremer v. Tea Patty Patriots

摘要

Kremer created the Tea Party Patriots (TPP) Google Group in early 2009. Later in 2009, Kremer had a falling out with TPP. Litigation over Kremer's departure ensued, including a scramble for the trademark and "the Web sites identified in the Complaint (i.e., www.teapar-typatriots.org, (both the Web site and the domain name); the Tea Party Patriots Ning social networking site; accounts with Google Groups, Blogtalkradio, YouTube, and Ustream; and other associated Web sites and Internet accounts that carry on TPP's activities)." The parties temporarily resolved their dispute with a consent orderin 2009 that restricted Kremer's ability to control the various Web accounts. TPP alleged that Kremer violated the consent order and brought a contempt proceeding in 2011. The trial court found Kremer in contempt. In this ruling, the appellate court affirms.