
Motion for injunction - boniface316
I got myself got caught up in a messy situation. My previous startup dont want me to build this product so they requested motion for injuction.<p>Anyone else had this experience?<p>I have two choices, either drop the product or fight the case. I only have $3000 left in my bank and the lawyer would cost me around $15,000.<p>Any suggestion?
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brudgers
That sucks.

[I am not a lawyer]

The company hasn't been granted an injunction. Anyone can take anyone to
court.

You're in position to know if your former company can make a plausible [not a
correct] case before a judge, since the most relevant forms of evidence would
be documents of which you are aware and knowledge about what work you are
doing now and what work you did for the former company. You're also in a
position to know if your former company has the resources and the will to
fully pursue a lawsuit.

In addition, you're in position to judge how likely your chances for success
are in regard to your current company and to judge the chances of success of
alternatives to developing that particular product.

Finally, you're in position to judge whether this action is motivated by
personal bad will or by legitimate business concerns and whether the lawsuit
is a distraction from your former company's core mission or a fundamental part
of its execution strategy.

To put it another way, your in position to know who is in the right here.

Good luck.

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boniface316
Thanks for the feedback. I looked at the motion it has lot of holes. First I
am going to prove thier inconsistency. Then going to say that they are not
active and dont want me to act on my oppurtunity. They are a startup too,
their money will run out fast!

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brudgers
[I am not a lawyer]

A motion does not need to be consistent or holeless to be successful.

Anyway, it is worth considering that time spent on legal matters is a
distraction for a startup founder. Winning in court is not a substitute for
building a product users love and growing revenue.

Winning in court is not success and is attractive because it is easier than
executing a business. Pivoting into something else may be more productive than
fighting as a business decision.

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mchannon
Assuming you're not building "this product" under the cover of a corporation
(in which you really do need a lawyer), you could always proceed pro se, which
involves representing yourself.

Give caving to their demands a serious thought for a minute- have a
disinterested party (or two) look over any agreements you've signed and the
motion for injunction. If they don't completely take your side, odds are
you're going to lose at trial because you can't convince a jury. At that point
you'd be right where you would be if you caved, only two years older with
nothing to show for it and a great deal poorer.

This needs to be a cold, calculated financial decision on your part. Even if
you're right and exonerated, does pursuing your product (versus some other
product) pay enough to justify the additional costs?

To argue the matter on the principles is a privilege of the wealthy.

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boniface316
I have an incorporation right now. But they are suing me personally. I have
not signed any documents with the other company.

I looked at the motion, it seems like they dont want me to apply for Ycomb!

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MalcolmDiggs
Just curious: On what grounds are they filing the motion? What
agreement/understanding are they claiming that you're violating by building
your product?

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boniface316
I created a competing product. The truth is that I presented my idea and they
rejected it and fired me. Now they want a piece of me because they think that
they own it.

I dont have any agreement with the company. So I am allowed to make it. Plus I
didnt take anything away from them. So I am good!

