In today’s fast-moving tech world, innovation is the real currency of business. But with great technology comes great responsibility — and sometimes, serious legal battles. Patent infringement cases are making more headlines than ever, and this time, one of the biggest names in the domain and web-hosting space, the GoDaddy Patent Infringement case, is at the center of attention. The company has been ordered to pay a massive $170 million after being found guilty of violating website-builder technology patents. This case is a strong reminder for every tech company that IP laws are strict, and no one is above them. Keep reading to understand what happened in the GoDaddy case.
What Is the Real Story Behind GoDaddy’s $170 Million Patent Case?
To really understand this case, we need to go back to where it all began. GoDaddy Patent Infringement case started with Steven Rempell, a former IBM engineer who founded Express Mobile, Inc. years ago. He came up with a game-changing idea, a browser-based website and mobile app creation tool that made building websites super easy. His innovation introduced the drag-and-drop web design concept, letting people create websites without knowing how to code, something that completely changed how websites were built at the time. As his idea gained popularity, Rempell patented his technology through the U.S. Patent Office, protecting his invention under intellectual property law.
Years later, as the website-building industry exploded, big names like GoDaddy launched their own website builder tools, helping small businesses and individuals make professional sites without any technical skills. But soon, Express Mobile noticed something suspicious — GoDaddy’s builder seemed to use the same drag-and-drop technology that Rempell had patented years earlier. Believing their technology was being used without permission, Express Mobile filed a lawsuit against GoDaddy in the U.S. District Court. The company accused GoDaddy of infringing several of its patents by integrating its unique drag-and-drop and modular web design features without a license, giving GoDaddy an unfair edge in the market.
In the GoDaddy Patent Infringement case, on the other hand, it denied all the allegations, saying that Express Mobile’s patents were invalid and too broad, claiming they covered general or abstract ideas rather than real technological innovations. The case dragged on for years, going back and forth through legal proceedings, until finally, in 2025, the U.S. court reached its final decision, ruling in favor of Express Mobile.
Read Also: WIPO and TURKPATENT Launch IP Management Clinics to Help SMEs Turn Innovation into Growth
What Did the U.S. Court Decide in the GoDaddy Patent Infringement Case?
After years of back-and-forth court proceedings, the case finally reached its conclusion in November 2025, when the U.S. District Court in Delaware gave its final decision. The jury agreed that GoDaddy’s website-builder tools had used the same patented “drag-and-drop” and modular design technology that Steven Rempell and his company, Express Mobile, had created years ago. What made things even more serious was that the jury ruled the infringement was “willful”, meaning GoDaddy either knew about Express Mobile’s patent Filing or simply ignored them while continuing to use the technology. After this court gave some key orders, such as:
- The court ordered GoDaddy to pay $170 million in damages to Express Mobile as compensation for using its technology without permission.
- On top of that, the court instructed GoDaddy to stop using or distributing any infringing features in its website-builder platform unless it gets a proper license or settlement from Express Mobile.
- The company was also told to submit a report of the profits it made from the infringing tools and to prove compliance with the court’s orders within a set timeframe.
Read Also: AMD Faces Adeia Lawsuit Over Hybrid Bonding Tech Behind 3D V-Cache: 10 Patents Allegedly Infringed
Conclusion
The GoDaddy Patent Infringement case serves as a strong reminder that innovation and intellectual property go hand in hand. No matter how big or established a company is, violating someone else’s patented work can lead to serious consequences. The $170 million verdict not only highlights the importance of respecting patent laws but also shows how crucial it is for tech companies to stay legally compliant while building the next big thing. As GoDaddy prepares to appeal, the case continues to spark discussions across the tech world about the fine line between innovation and infringement. Keep reading the latest IP news like this.